By JOSE M. ROMERO
On the pitch, the Seattle Sounders are focused on their opening-round playoff series that begins this weekend against the L.A. Galaxy.
Off the field, the team is firming up plans for a return to Casa Grande, Ariz., in winter 2011 for preseason camp.
Sources close to the team and and Grande Sports World, the soccer complex in Casa Grande about an hour's drive south of Phoenix, said the Sounders are set for a return to the eight-field, 45-acre facility. Discussions are ongoing and nothing has been made official, but the first team to arrive at Grande Sports World is likely to be Real Salt Lake in late January. RSL was scheduled first because it has CONCACAF Champions League matches in February.
The Sounders and expansion Vancouver Whitecaps are scheduled for early February arrivals, followed by the expansion Portland Timbers and New York Red Bulls, and possibly one or two more teams.
RSL, Seattle and Vancouver spent time at Grande Sports World last offseason. So did the Colorado Rapids and Galaxy. Additionally, the Kansas City Wizards, who trained in Arizona last winter, are set for a return trip, this time to Surprise, Ariz., a Phoenix suburb that is also home to the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball.
Reach 11, a complex of fields in North Phoenix, also figures to host MLS teams. The Columbus Crew, Chivas USA, Chicago Fire and San Jose Earthquakes rounded out the list of teams to spend time in the desert last offseason, and matches and training were held at Phoenix's Grand Canyon University and Arizona State University in Tempe.
The Valley of the Sun is already home to many baseball teams' spring training; now it is a legitimate destination for MLS clubs seeking good weather and dry fields year in and year out.
I hate all racist. Meet me down an alley talking that racist crap!!!
Did you ever think that there are Mexican-Americans that actually think that obeying the law is something worth supporting?
And visitors from Mexico that respect our laws-not consider them something that you can disobey at will in search of economic gain?
And that Americans of whatever descent should be glad that the law of the land is respected and enforced?
My wife sure thinks so-those who jump through the hoops to come here legally don’t have any sympathy for those who cheat- whether or not they are of the same ethnic origin. In other words, illegal is illegal!
And one more thing-when your wife is from a place where the narcos and Mexican army spent 12 hours shooting at each other a block from the house her father still lives in (at age 83-and no, he’s not going to come live with us illegally), and who’s brother-in-law saw army and narco’s shooting it out IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE-don’t you think that she supports American law enforcement that wishes to prevent the criminal element who made Arizona the kidnapping capital of the USA (and the illegal residents who gives the drug-dealers a place to hide) from gaining a foothold in this country?
Bottom line-if you are a law-abiding citizen, you have nothing to worry about in AZ-and I look forward to seeing MLS teams in Arizona this spring!
a majority opinion got that dumbass Obama into office…. oh I guess that proved your point. Even Majorities can make awful choices.
Anybody else reading this actually live in Surprise? haha
Very excited to see all these teams com to AZ.
I love MLS. I love the growth of soccer in this country. I love America. Go Ives! Everything else, man chill let’s all just lt go drink a beer, we all like beer right? You like corona, I like Dixie blackened voodoo its still beer. It’s still America and every damn day I’m happy as he’ll to be here.
I’m definitely taking the trip up from school in Tucson to have a look at NYRB when they train there. Can’t wait. Thanks MLS!
On a side note, what’s wrong with the state of AZ deciding to enforce national law? Last time I checked, it was called ILLEGAL immigration for a reason, AZ has just decided to actually enforce a law that’s been in place before any of our great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfathers were born.
“The Valley of the Sun is already home to many baseball teams’ spring training; now it is a legitimate destination for MLS clubs seeking good weather and dry fields year in and year out.”
In other words MLS teams find AZ a great place (because of the nice weather) to train during winter so they can field the best possible team, draw crowds, win games and MAKE MONEY. People can mingle this particular political debate with sports but the leagues don’t give a rats a**.
Every last one of you are retarded. Everybody that plays in MLS is either a legal citizen or a green card holder, WHICH MEANS THEY ARE LEGALLY IN THE UNITED STATES. This is the most irrelevant conversation I have ever seen on an article about soccer so go back to your ChatRoulette and stop putting in your two cents’ worth where it isn’t wanted.
I’m waiting for a state concerned about nepotism to outlaw parents from coaching their own children.
Thank you, MLS for bringing soccer to Arizona. Back in July I fullfilled a 22 year dream and moved to AZ. Even if it’s only preseason, I will still enjoy getting my MLS fix. I’m sure other MLS expats will concur. Hope the Fire return. But I will settle.
Thank You! I’m glad someone is paying attention. Look your “representatives” are just 2 sides of the same coin. They are payed by the same people, the bankers and corpoate elites. They keep us bickering and fighting while they slowly screw us out of more and more of our money and rights. No one on capital hill gives a crap about any of us, citizen or not.
Holy smokes! This is a little bit crazy. Should the U.S.A. cut Arizona out of the Union, because of a backwards Governor? Maybe, a few more than just the Governor. Major League Baseball hasn’t backed out of Arizona. It is still a state in our Union. Yes, they are contriversial, but part of our country, non the less. This post was about the teams finding a place in the off-season, like MLB does. Chill pills everyone!
Opening up the comments section I expected/hoped to read about possible MLS expansion to Arizona but I gueess that’s not happening.
Somehow Bob Bradley is responsible for all of this immigration hullabaloo… 😀
Well it’s more complicated than that. Some Mexicans are more Europeans, whereas others are more native Mexican (Aztec and whatever else), and the rest are mixed.
It’s in the winter. And Arizona in the winter is pretty nice
I heard AZ cops have been trained to spot Canadians as well. You better watch out if you go there!
Uhhhhhh definitely more complicated than that. Why do you think all of those Mexicans want to come to our house for Christmas and cook us Christmas duck for less than minimum wage when they could be at home with their families? Try googling NAFTA Farm Bill Immigration Cheap American Corn Flooding Mexican Markets, any combination therein. Do you also think terrorists attack the US because they hate our freedom? People need to learn to look at causes, not effects.
I think my mind just exploded!
Regardless of the facts on the ground and the legality, from a PR perspective its a dumb move to slap the face of a large portion of its hispanic/latino fanbase who see Arizona as the face of racism in this country. Kinda reminds me of Houston 1836, which they had to take back and rebrand as the Dynamo. Does AEG own this Grande Sports World?
Ives, you can clearly see how the powers that be divide and conquer the people.
WAKE UP! It’s all made up for us to fight and ignore the real problems.
By the way, isn’t too hot for soccer in AZ? I thought they went to somewhere, I don’t know, more tropical?
I’ve never understood this argument since Mexicanos are for the most part descended from Spanish Conquistadors, that basically came and crashed the Native’s party in the western hemisphere. So that whole it was our’s first thing is pretty ironic to my ears.
Heck, even the “Natives” might not be native. They may have crossed the Bearing Straight into North America. I bet the Mammoths and Saber Tooths were fat and happy until the “Natives” came along and competed for food.
Pretty much anywhere you go in this world, you will find land that was taken (conquered, pillaged, stolen, conned, etc.) from somebody, and then inhabited by another. It’s a tragic and ongoing cycle. But who am I to say anything about this topic?
Sigh…..Can we just talk about Football everyone? bigot
Whoa! I’ve never seen Ives’ site get so political. Since I live in Canada, we don’t have the same divided emotions about the Arizona law. There are, however, a lot of Americans up here taking our jobs. Maybe we should deport them back to Arizona!
Boycott Arizona!
I’m glad to hear that there were no crowds, that means a lot of people are sticking to their convictions. 🙂
My Mexican-born and raised wife, her Mexican sister (who still lives there), and my dual-citizen daughter and I (born and raised in New York) thoroughly enjoyed our Arizona vacation this summer…it was great seeing no crowds at the Grand Canyon and great deals on hotels!!!
And BTW-we saw plenty of French, German and Spanish tourists who had no problems enjoying the wonders of the state….
Guys like goatshet are the reason why I can’t wait to visit AZ again soon!
LOL +10000
It’s an idiotic analogy, but if we’re going to run with it, we may as well point out that the “owners” stole their house from the party crasher’s ancestors.
I’m Mexican… and an American citizen so thanks for proving my point
That was a nice story. And definitely no racist undertones at all. You clearly don’t view Mexicans as inferior.
Don’t think that’s a great analogy.
I’m kind of with camjam on this one. Even though I disagree with the legislation, that’s all it is–legislation. Seems unfair to condemn an entire state and its people for it. (Maybe I’m wrong, but didn’t Phoenix sport “Los Suns” jerseys shortly after it passed?)
Good. You’re unwanted here.
Lovely comment. I’m a racist piece of sh*t because I want the law to be enforced.
How about this… I’m coming to your house for Christmas this year. I’m not part of your family, you don’t want me, and I have to break in to be there. I demand that you give me some of the presents under your tree because – let’s face it – it’s obvious that you have more than I, and that’s not fair. When you call the police to have me arrested for trespassing becauseI won’t leave, your neighbor finds out, calls you a racist piece of sh*t, and gets the rest of the neighborhood to band against you for trying to protect your home as a place only for you, your family, and those you have invited..
sweet, looking forward to getting out to some games again. and please, stay away – means better seats for me.
I’ll see Jan Brewer in hell before I set foot in Arizona
i know illegals and they know that its not their country so they understand the law.
How many MLS players are illegal immigrants, breaking the law by being in the States? What crap, exactly, is MLS pulling?
What’s pathetic is people who appear to have no understanding of an issue that is vitally important to Arizonans who deal with it regularly.
I love being a soccer fan in the U.S. Absolutely love it!
This would be hilarious.. if there wasn’t the possibility of it actually happening
F*** Arizona
100% agreed. A lot of people in this country are 1. educated 2. flat out racist
Poll results don’t make something right
F***ing disgraceful,
really great MLS side with the racist pieces of sh*t, thats what I love to see
Chivas USA?! Really?
Kinda wish I was still going to school out there….damn real job!
“Interestingly, a poll conducted recently found 55% of American males have no problem with Arizona immigration laws.”
Ok I’ll field this one…Ummmm soooooo? If 55% of American males said they believed the Earth was created in 6 days would that be right? People are idiots so F*ck um.
It’ll be great until schelotto and Fredy montero get picked up and questioned by immigration authorities..
*here*
I’m having a hard time seeing how that is relevant…. nobody on the teams is her illegally. And if baseball doesn’t have a problem with it why would the MLS?
Interestingly, a poll conducted recently found 55% of American males have no problem with Arizona immigration laws.
Hmm. How about that!
Are You F…king kidding me?
The state with the whole Immigration law issue and MLS pulls this crap?
Pathetic, seriously pathetic