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Portland to host 2014 MLS All-Star Game

JeldWenField (SBI)

 

Photo by Ives Galarcep/Soccer By Ives

By IVES GALARCEP

It wasn’t exactly the most well-kept secret in American soccer circles, but Major League Soccer made it official on Wednesday, announcing that Portland’s Jeld-Wen Field will host the 2014 MLS All-Star Game.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson made the announcement on Wednesday for an event that is more than a year away, but an event that should offer the city of Portland another great opportunity to showcase some of the best soccer fan support in the country.

The 2013 MLS All-Star Game is set for July 31st at Sporting Park in Kansas City, with the MLS All-Stars taking on Michael Bradley and AS Roma.

What do you think of this announcements? Like the idea of having the All-Star Game in Portland? Plan on making the trip? Who would you like to see the MLS All-Stars play in the 2014 MLS All-Star Game?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Bad decision going on last night’s performance. They didn’t even sell out the game, I guess because Alex Morgan wasn’t playing.

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    • I thought about going but the seats left for sale were terrible and over priced. Not gonna pay premium prices for bad seats at an exhibition against Belize

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      • Well while technically not an exhibition, it was a game against a team comprised mostly of police officers. I’m not sure what the original poster has a problem with, 19000 people showed up on a tuesday night for a fairly unimportant game. Why he continues to mention the thorns may be related to other problems with women in sport in general.

      • There was no Jozy, Bradley, Deuce, or Howard. No player or caliber of player I cannot get at a typical MLS game. All the teams are trotting out a B-side because this Gold Cup is little more than an exhibition tournament.

    • All that was left was the $125 a seat tix and a few scattered singles at lower ranges. Difficult to take the whole family at those prices to see the B team take on a patsy.

      There were still 18,700 people there, it is just very conspicuous that there are empty seats because the highest priced tickets in the stadium are directly across from the camera stands so shown repeatedly.

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  2. I ‘d like to see the results of this poll of average Americans: Jeld Wen is the name of (i) a line of hair care products, (ii) a Star Wars character, (iii) a window manufacturer, or (iv) the President of Botswana.

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    • Sure, I’ll feed the troll. I’d say the average American is a homeowner (close to 70%) that shops at Home Depot or Lowe’s. In which case I’d be surprised if many, if not most, aren’t familiar with Jeld Wen windows and doors.

      But to the extent that you’re right, you do understand that’s kind of the point of putting your name on a stadium right: to increase name recognition?

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      • Oh relax. I just thought Jeld Wen would be a good name for a Star Wars character. I was not indicting the company or American consumers.

  3. First of all i thought MLS would say something about next years schedule, due to the world cup. I was expecting a serious change to MLS calendar but timbers fans deserve everything they can have. As a matter of fact, will MLS take a different route next year, since world cup is in 2014. If i was Garber i would go for the FIFA international calendar, given that MLS teams are always getting the bad side every summer, with international tournaments and friendlies.
    But MLS needs to add about 6 to 10 teams in warms marktes like, Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego or Sacramento, Albuquerque, Austin, San Antonio, OKC or Tulsa, Miami, Orlando, NC-SC, Tampa Bay, ATL, Tennessee.
    The winter break can be from mid December to the week before or after Super Bowl week, or come back during super bowl weekend. During winter break, have a Hawaii tournament and friendlies versus LigaMX since they are off as well. You can also have friendlies with German, Russian, Italian teams since they also have a winter break

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    • Nice someone in Texas wants me to sit at a game in the freezing cold.

      Bring back the YSA chant just one more time !!!!

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    • Illogical to add this many expansion teams. Having upwards of 20 teams would lose respect for the MLS, given that its usually the capacity for the world’s tip leagues. In order to integrate these markets and make MLS more in-tune with bigger leagues, they must install promotion-relegation.

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  4. Seriously?

    Does this involve a requirement for widening the field to generally accepted standards and installing professional quality gr@ss?

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    • Troll Troll Troll Troll Troll.

      Yawn.

      Field is larger now. The turf is state of the art and better than grass would be in that climate. Fans will show up. Will be a good way to show off one of the leagues new clubs/stadiums, although I doubt anyone but MLS fans will pay attention.

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      • But if they get the game will anybody show up? Maybe they can pretend it’s a Thorns game and it will sell out.

      • Seems like there are a LOT of similar climates in England and Germany with natural gr@ss…and this is far from a new stadium, just sayin.

      • Have you seen the pitch at 3rd division stadiums in Europe and Germany. The glam Euro teams that you see on your TV are not playing in stadiums owned by the city and leased by the team. The glam teams in Europe have enough dough in their couch cushions to install amazing drainage systems, grow lights and employ a cadre of groundskeepers. The glam teams in Europe are not sharing their stadium with college and high school American football teams. I doubt too many of those stadiums are also dug 40-80 feet down into a creekbed on a hillside either. There are significant financial, utilitarian and frankly structural reasons why what is now JeldWen field hasn’t had natural grass in it since the 50s … it was a mudhole when it did and the grass usually died in a couple weeks and then had to be immediately resodded. Nothing several million dollars every year can’t fix, but I don’t think any MLS has that kind of couch cushions.

    • Dear San Fran, the field is now 110×74 yards. Same width as at Old Trafford, 5 yards shorter. The field now has a chunkier aspect ratio than where ManU plays.
      Kiss off.

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  5. It’s ironic the best fans in the country, living in the most verdant section of the country, watch the game on fake grass.

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