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Report: USA to host 2015 Gold Cup across 10 cities

USMNTGoldCUp (ISIPhotos.com)

By RYAN TOLMICH

Like the five tournaments that preceded it, the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup is set to take place exclusively in the United States.

Traffic Sports, the soccer management company charged with organizing the event, has announced details for the 2015 tournament in an advertising packet to potential sponsors, which is set to take place between July 7-26 in over ten cities across the USA. A list of venues is set to be announced later this year, but U.S. Soccer and CONCACAF have yet to confirm the report.

According to the Traffic Sports packet, the tournament will see 26 matches played across the United States with each game leading up to the final weekend likely to be part of a doubleheader. Unlike recent tournaments, the 2015 edition will feature a consolation game for the first time since 2003, which is expected to be played on the Saturday prior to the final game.

The field will be made up of 12 teams from across North America, Central America and the Caribbean with the U.S. Men’s National Team, Mexico and Canada having automatically qualified. The remaining nine teams will qualify through other tournaments, with five coming from the Central American Nations Cup, while the remaining four depend on the results of the Caribbean Nations Cup.

What do you think of the latest Gold Cup news? What cities would you like to see as possible venues? Do you like the idea of a consolation game?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. might as well just hand the US the trophy. Why cant this tournament be held somewhere else? Oh wait its all about money$$$$$. Canada could host it Mexico
    could host it, but nooooo they have to have it in the US all the time. CONCACAF is an absolute joke of a confederation. as for cities.. it will be the usual suspects.
    Chicago, LA, New York, Miami, DC, Dallas / Houston, Seattle / Portland, Maybe Charlotte, Tampa, Santa Ana (new 49’ers stadium), Kansas City. thats what i think.

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  2. The US’s knockout games should be played in Seattle, Portland, Columbus, and Chicago to guarantee US home field advantage. The final should be played in either Seattle or Chicago. US crowd. USA USA USA

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  3. I think Minnesota should get a game (I’m biased of course) based on their potential MLS franchise bid and the youth program is great here. The ICC game they played here between Man City and Olympiacos was well attended and generally went off without a hitch. I heard rumblings that Olympiacos was going to back out of the match because the field was so bad (they laid down turf) but it never came to fruition and there were no noticeable problems with the grass.

    The new Vikings stadium won’t be ready until 2016 (fingers crossed for Copa) but they could do another game at TCF Bank Stadium where the Gophers play.

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  4. Hopefully these are the 12 nations that qualify for the Gold Cup to make this tournament interesting.

    USA
    Mexico
    Canada

    Costa Rica
    Honduras
    Panama
    El Salvador

    Jamaica
    Trinidad & Tobago
    Cuba
    Haiti

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  5. They’ll use MetLife, but Red Bull Arena should absolutely be on the list as well. Would be great for one of the smaller games like Guatemala vs Jamaica or something like that.

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  6. I’m hoping San Diego too. Qualcomm is a dump, but it’s better than RFK. I would love another Mexico game here, the atmosphere would be terrific.

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  7. Usually the gold cup uses 9 venues for the group stage, and then 2 for QFs and one for SF and then another for the final, and then throw in another for 3rd place game, so 14 total? Since I need to predict something, il predict the 14 sites:
    Group stage- 1. Philly (PPL Park) 2. Washington (RFK) 3. Atlanta (Georgia Dome) 4. Jacksonville (Everbank) 5. Columbus (Crew) 6.Kansas City (Livestrong) 7.Houston (BBVA Compass) 8. Portland (Providence Park) 9. Los Angeles (Home Depot Center)

    QF- Chicago (Soldier Field), San Francisco (Levi’s)

    SF-Seattle (CenturyLink)

    3rd- Miami ( Sun Life)

    Final- New York City (Metlife)

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  8. Great!! It should be a great tournament. Hopefully the final will be in L.A. I am just tired of other countries playing in the states. They should play in their country and make their money there unless they play the US. We need to support the USMNT.

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    • It’s crazy but we’ve seen it many times before. If USA v Mexico is the final and the game is played in Cali (Rose Bowl, remember the last one), Arizona (Cards stadium) or Texas (Cowboy Stadium) we will not be the home team by any means. Have to go back East for more USMNT support to get that advantage. I live in Orange County and would love to go watch the game but…………..definitely out numbered.

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  9. I believe past winners receive automatic qualification, which is why the U.S., Mexico and Canada (2000) are already in the tournament.

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  10. Glad the Gold Cup is returning to hosting a consolation game. Extra game for us to watch Mexico v El Salvador/Honduras for 3rd/4th place and USA v Costa Rica for the 1st/2nd…………

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    • yup, probably done because in 2013 they didn’t get that last game with Mexico but the guarantee of another big game for the money making teams… well worth it for CONCACAF and good for those federations.

      2013 it would have been Honduras vs Mexico
      2011 Panama vs Honduras
      2009 Honduras vs Costa Rica
      2007 Canada vs Guadaloupe

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  11. so they usually use 13 stadiums; 9 group stage, 2 qf, 1 sf and 1 final.

    they stated 10 cities now, they must be re-using a few stadiums this time?

    biggest question is where is the final going to be? … hopefully not the Rose Bowl or the Jerry Dome

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    • Soldier field, again… for its capacity and somewhat for its home field advantage given that chicago has a decent USMNT fan base.

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      • agreed i like Soldier Field, just wonder if they want to spread it out somewhere else.

        no shortage of cities with big stadiums with wide grass fields and lots of USA/Mexico/CR/Honduras/etc fans.

        Cotton Bowl, Dallas
        BoA, Charlotte
        Jags Field, Jacksonville
        RJ Stadium, Tampa
        SA Field, Denver
        Linc, Philly
        LP, Nashville

      • Chicagon here…Chicago is a home base for ….Mexican fans… in 2007 it was 90% Mexican fans-they were so few Americans that Mexicans were fighting each other in the stands-with no secuity in sight….

      • so those 20 or so thousands of fans in Grant Park this summer doesn’t make you think things have changed?

    • The Traffic PP presentation calls for 10+. They can stick to 10 and leverage people, or expand beyond 10, as they like. It’s not written in stone.

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  12. I think I have made clear some of my distain towards Klinsmann. Not going to argue whether he should be in the job or not. Lot’s of people argue against me. Oddly enough, the whole situation leading into this tournament is almost identical to before the tournament in 2010. So if the tournament goes the same way, what should happen? If Klinsmann does not win the tournament, what should happen to him? I think we all know he won’t get fired regardless, but I want to know what people who support Klinsmann think should happen.

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      • Remember Bradley…… if we lose badly there may be that fire Klinsmann bandwagon going around. Sunil Gulati loves Klinsmann so I don’t know if that would happen or not. I like Klinsmann but disagree with his selections from time to time like most people.

        I think he’ll put together a younger team (for experience) with a few veteran players and start building for Copa America 2016 so he’ll get a pass for a poor result.

      • Isn’t this Gold Cup the one that decides who goes to the Confed Cup? Or am I mis-remembering? When does the US vs Mexico game happen that decides who play in the Confed Cup? Is it a one game scenario played outside the tournament, or is it based on something else?

      • actually, if we win the GC in 2015 we go to the Conf.Cup, but if we lose we get another shot since we won it in 2013.

      • Thanks for not sleeping Louis Zzzzz.
        That’s right! U.S.,
        got the two for one special winning the 2013 GC.

    • you are defiantly in the minority here. Klinsmann defiantly drives me crazy at times but he is the coach that will lead us into the 2018 cycle. i doubt that a Gold Cup failure would put JK’s job in doubt… might really put him under pressure going forward but I really don’t see USSF taking on the financial burden of carrying his contract on top of a new coach.

      if we don’t win the 2015 Gold Cup we will play in a playoff of some kind with the winner for the 2017 Confed Cup.. so it wouldn’t be all that bad.. although watching Costa Rica or Mexico, esp Mexico, would hurt!

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      • I know Klinsmann won’t get fired, I think I actually said that in my post. I am asking what should happen, not what will happen. This is aimed more at the people who passionatly disagree with me (and there are a lot of you)

      • What should happen is that we should be happy that we have a coach who is respected throughout the world Recruiting and building our team for 2018.

        I have confidence we will see some exciting new talent on the roster by 2018.. not too concerned about the results of the 2015 Gold cup if we are going with a big youth movement.

        However from the looks of all the talent in the Pipeline I think we could win Gold cup even while going full youth movement!

      • Isn’t the big youth develpment reserved for the 2017 Gold Cup? The Gold Cup after a World Cup is not something to throw away on youth. It has valuable experience on the line.

        Throwing away on the youth (like bringing an extensive youth side) and including youth (introducing like 4 or 5 new faces) are different things.

      • I don’t care what the rest of the world thinks. If we lose the Gold Cup due to poor player selection, poor tactics, and poor judgment on player abilities, then Jürgen should be let go.

    • Fire the guy who got out out of the Group of Death? And whose team dominated Portugal for large stretches of the game? And who landed us John Brooks and Julian Green?

      Just because his predecessor got fired? a guy who barely beat Algeria in the WC and lost to Ghana, the easiest team we faced in this years WC, blew a 2-0 halftime lead to Mexico and had no vision for the future of our team beyond parking the bus constantly?

      Stop the hate people, Klinsi is the best we’ve ever had.

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      • Ugh, so many things to address before making my point.

        1) We beat a Portugal with a half strength Ronaldo. Thats like playing Miami while Lebron has a torn quad and then claiming your the best team in the NBA.

        2) Its kind of hard to beat a team when they bunker down and the refs screw you over. Dempsey scored a legit goal that was ruled offsides against Algeria. On top of that, they parked the bus. Don’t think it should be difficult to beat ALgeria? Ask Belgium, they only won by a goal. And left it late too.

        3) Hard to blame Bradley for the lost when his starting RB, and arguably our best player, had to leave the game in the first half. Even harder when the depth charts only had Bornstein to replace him. As Double mentioned below, the coach really is not responsible for the depth chart. So its kind of hard to knock a coach when he has to go from Bundeslinga constant to Mexico bench.

        4) Ghana was probably the second best team we faced in this World Cup. Germany had no interest in knocking us out, so that game was harldy a competition. You seem to forget that Ghana pushed Germany to a 2-2 tie. You know, the eventual champions who brushed us aside.

        5) Vision for the future? Klinsmann’s vision for the future is possesion, but not once has he played it. Ghana had 59% possesion. Portugal had 52% Germany had 63% possesion. Klinsmann played the same counter attack soccer that Bradley did. Only difference was that Klisnamnn said he did not while Bradley said he did.

        6) Parking the bus? When Dempsey is your lone striker up top, your tactics are the definition of parking the bus. Bradley played a 4-4-2 where his two wide players were Donovan and Dempsey. Its hard to get more offensive than that for the USMNT. Especially since your arguing starting 5 CM, 3 of them being CDMs somehow produces more offense.

        Do I think Klinsmann is a bad coach? No. He got the job done in Brazil. However, he has done nothing he promised for the USMNT and I am holding him to that. Klinsmann promised revolution and such, but all he accomplished was the same as Bradley. Which is why I ask, if Klinsmann does everything that Bradley does, should he get the same treatment? Both coaches have been good for the USA. I am asking should they be treated equal for accomplishing equal feats.

      • Can you see what you are doing? I made a bunch of ridiculous arguments against BB and you sat and defended each one.
        You make ridiculous arguments against JK and wonder why people defend each one. Give it a rest

      • That JK sucks for not bringing your favorite player and that WC 14 was equivalent to the performance in 2010, so the coaches are in t the same boat.

      • How is the 2010 and 2014 World Cup different for the USMNT? Quite frankly, JK messed up this tournament (not sucks) for not bringing Boyd or Agudelo. Donovan was a cranky mistake. Boyd or Agudelo were baffling.

      • His #2 guy, Aron Johannsson got injured. Two of your top strikers injured in first game, still gets out of group of death.

        If you don’t see that that was a good job, you are blinded by your “disdain”

      • Except that he didn’t bring a replacement for Altidore and AJ was injured before the tournament yet was still included meanwhile LD was left off for dubious fitness related reasons.

      • “Disdain” that Johansson and Altidore are completely different players? That Johansson was brought to play on the wings or behind the foward, not as a lone striker up top?

      • I agree with this. Silly comments as usual from the JK fanboy. That 2010 Ghana team was much better than the 2010 US team on paper and a US win would’ve been an upset. Remember, that team should’ve beat Uruguay in the next round too! Forcing Ghana to extra time was a good result.

      • So beating ghana who tied Germany, the winners of the WC in 2014, was a better result.

        If JK got the benefit of half the excuses you all make for BB he’d be a god

      • I don’t make any excuses for BB. I think he and JK have done pretty much equally as good a job. I don’t see any enormous improvement under JK. The team played similar style in Brazil as it did in South Africa. BB gets ridiculed for “bunker ball” but did you watch the USMNT in Brazil? The Portugal game wasn’t “bunker ball” but the other three surely were.

        The 2010 Ghana team was obviously better than the 2014 squad so I don’t think comparing results against them tells you much. Plus I’m talking a broader evaluation, not just comparing one result. I don’t think this team is any better off with JK at the helm than if BB had stayed.

      • 1) Jurgen never promised revolution. He promised growth towards a goal of developing a positive style of soccer. There have been plenty moments from Jurgen to suggest we are moving in this direction.

        2) There is zero chance a US team under Bob Bradley would have zipped the ball around the pitch in the manner they did against Portugal.

        3) The comment of a half-hobbled Ronaldo is misleading. Other than a brilliant two legs against Sweden in the WC playoff, Ronaldo has been historically underwhelming for Portugal. So his 2014 WC performance was not all that surprising. I also remember him punishing us with a world class cross.

        4) Our CM options in 2010 included Ricardo Clark and Maurice Edu. The latter who isn’t even good enough to play CM for an MLS side these days.

      • Klinnsman also promised more possession before he learned our group of death. There can be no denying that in CONCACAF qualifying we held the possession better than we did in previous cycles. So he did deliver on that promise UNTIL we got grouped with teams way above our weight class. Then reality set in and he did what he had to do to get a result. BB played bunker ball pretty much all the time even when we were favorites. I think BB got fired less for the result of the US v Mexico Gold Cup final and more for how we lost. Going up 2-0 and then just completely falling apart. The team didn’t have any heart in that game. IMHO that was why he got fired. He lost the ability to motivate the team.

      • FInally, logic. I had never thought of that. About the group od death bit.

        Regarding the motivation bit, I have heard from interviews and stuff that Bradley was one of the best at getting the USMNT to their best. Slow starts, but amazing finishes. I still think people give Bradley to hard of a time for havng to put in Bornstein.

      • “However, he has done nothing he promised for the USMNT and I am holding him to that.”

        Hello Alexi Lalas!

    • I really don’t understand what do people expect from Klinsmann (or any other US coach) Look at out player pool, where do they play? could any of them play for a top team? Player for player Mexico is better than us and yet we manage to get the better of them in a regular basis.
      Did you expect more from the world cup? Beating Belgium would’ve been nice but it would’ve been a huge upset.
      We caould hire the best coach in the history of football but it doesn’t change the fact that our player pool is pretty shallow

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      • I agree, which is why we need to rate these guys on the roster selections and substitutes they had/have. Which oddly enough is very similar. In both Round of 16s games, it was a controversial playesr that caused the USA the game. For Bradley, it was starting Ricardo Clarke over Edu which led to Ghana’s first goal. For Klinsmann, it was bringing Wondo instead of Donovan and Wondo missing the point blank shot.

        I agree the player pool is not strong, so the coaches have to make their money with rosters, tactics, and substitutions. And both coaches have seem to let the team down in those areas.

      • What makes you think Donovan would have been in the position that Wondo was in? Wondo gets paid to be in the right place at the right time.

      • Well, he was definitly in the wrong place at the right time haha. We won’t know if Donovan would have been there, but had Wondo not, it would have been Dempsey gunning for the ball (watch the replay). And I think Dempsey would have done something a little better than miss the field goal.

        Jokes aside, we won’t be able to know if DOnovan was there. What annoys me the most about this play is the comlete lack of anything. That ball was so far off I think had his eyes been closed it owuld have been better. Looking at his foot, there was absolutly no technique in the shot. Basicly, when the big moment came, he couldn’t handle it. I know Donovan would have not frozen up like that.

        I guess I would rather not have a guarentee of that situation happening (with Donovan) than watch a player screw it up so badly that it makes me question if he knows what a soccer ball is.

      • So yeah he wouldn’t have been there because he isn’t that type of player. Somehow people like you magically think Donovan will be everywhere on the field and do everything that was lacking.
        Donovan floats in and out of games and you expect him to score that let alone be in the right place? Take off your rose colored glasses for a bit and take a sniff of reality.

      • Who cares if he would have been there or not? Wondo was and missed. He was just as helpful as Donovan was this World Cup.

      • I said I dont know if Donovan would have been there… And then dismissed that point by talking about Dempsey and rather having Donovan in the game and not be in that situation.

        If it is easier to talk about, taking Donovan out of the equation. I would of rathered Old Man Jenkins there than Wondo.

      • So we should rate him on speculation? Who’s to say the player on the bench could’ve done better than the one on the field. it’s not like he left Luis Suarez on the bench.

      • He left our Luis Suarez off the roster?

        Crazy comparisons aside, we all knew Klinsmann took a risk with Wondo over the other options. It failed pretty conclusivly. Identical to Bradley sticking with Bornstein and allowing three goals (3 came from his side).

        *First line is a joke! Please take it as such.

    • I fully back Klinsmann and what i think should happen is that all US fans should support him into World Cup 2018. He’s our best chance of success and the things he does that I like massively outweigh the few things he does and says that I don’t like.

      Judging him by this one particular tournament is wrong. So what, if we get second to Mexico you seriously think we should fire him? No way. Now if we somehow totally suck and don’t win a match or something like that, then maybe we have something to discuss. But that’s not going to happen. In a knockout tournament anything can happen in one game, the ball just doesn’t go in, a couple bad calls against you, etc.

      We’re setting up for 2018 (and to some extent maybe the Centanario in 2016) so what happens in the first year after a World Cup is that our player pool gets reset, veterans retire, not-quite-ready youngsters get introduced, position battles are re-opened, and we do a restart from a baseline that’s far below where we were in June 2014. Deciding to fire or not fire Klinsmann by the team’s performance in Gold Cop 2015 is a bad idea.

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      • You are saying that if we are unable to beat Cuba or Guatemala, then maybe we should discuss Klinsmann getting fired?

        I agree that firing a coach after a post WC GC is a bad idea. Unless the team comes in like 4th (I have higher standards) than Klinsmann job should be safe.

        Of course I am going to support the USMNT and Klinsmann. But as I have said before, I am going to hold him to his word and it doesnt look like he is. The USMNT of 2014 were almost identical to the USMNT of 2010, just better at the same game. I want better than that as a fan. And I am gonna to give Klinsmann stick until he delivers on his promise.

      • Somewhat depending on how the teams plays and who plays, I’ll still back Kilnsmann and not push for his firing even if we lose to a Cuba or Guatemala in the 2015 GC. I think he has a longer range plan and I think we need to give him the entire 2018 WC cycle because I think he’s doing the right things for us to peak there. If the wheels completely come off (and I doubt they will) then sure, that discussion needs to come up. I don’t define a loss to Cuba or coming in 3rd in the ’15 GC as “the wheels coming off”.

      • Fair point, I just worry about the quality of opponents we will face in this tourney. If we lose to a full stringth Costa Rica or Mexico, so be it. If we lose to a minnow, I have some problems, and everyone else should too.

      • I’m ok with that. If we do manage to lose to a minnow, and especially if we get outplayed as well, or even play level, then as fans/supporters we will discuss it in depth. But how bad it would be depends too on if it’s our B or C Team….although even our B Team should outplay and beat a CONCACAF minnow. I’m still “all in” with JK for 2018 though so it’ll take something pretty bad to change that.

    • Since US and Mexico qualify automatically, what kind of NAm qualifier could they do (if they kept the regional approach)? The US and Mexico would also never stand for a steel cage match that eliminated NAm teams while the 3rd place Caribbean side gets in. It kind of begs for groups but then that’s a risk they might be trying to avoid.

      Also, when Gold Cup got rolling in the 90s, Canada used to be decent and US was an upstart. They won about a decade ago in a strange tournament. On merit they shouldn’t be a lock but I think it reflects a 90s era assessment bolstered by a lucky tournament about 2000-ish.

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    • You think you’re so clever Charles. But the truth is that much of the nation water has been much drier than usual, much to do with the chemical composition of it.

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      • As pollution continues, and with the introduction by the gov’t of Ice-9, the measured ionic polarity of water, specifically, the composition that allows it to interact with both polar and non-polar molecules, has been found to be reducing over time when measured with quantum instruments.

        So, yes, according to Kilgore Trout, water is becoming less wet.

      • There have actually been a few recent studies that have contradicted the traditional view of the ionic polarity of water.

        So it goes.

      • Did you mention ice-9 Del Griffin?,
        you get a +10 for Pele for that.(somewhere kurt Vonnegut is smiling, drinking and feeling warm and fuzzy).
        In other news, Canada needs help like ‘El Garrincho’ needs a nurse.

    • It’s probably more of a logistics thing. Costa Rica already participates in a sub-regional tournament to qualify, but Canada doesn’t have one to play in. Historically, Canada was at least among the top 5 in the region, but now…

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    • yeah, don’t quite get it. or Honduras, who’s been to the last 2 world cups. I guess the others compete in more ‘micro’ regionals, but it’s not fair that Canada get a free pass. I think they would qualify, but still

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    • There is no regional qualifying Tournament for Canada and since there are only 3 countries in the North American Region (Two of which are the CONCACAF Powers), Canada lucks out and gets the bye.

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    • This is a rare instance when Europhilia might pay. I think we should have full quali groups like the Euros. It would provide meaningful games for the first half of the cycle, and if you qualified 12 teams out of 50 or so, we’d stilll make it. Yes, you might draw Montserrat for home and away, but also maybe ES or T&T or some such.

      We shouldn’t have quali byes nor should we host every time. I think it would be good for the new blood to have to go someplace and get a result with people playing full speed.

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    • the 10 venues should be awarded to cities having TOP field/pitches with grass to play in… no more replacing turf with grass 7 days before game day.

      Seattle, Portland, etc…. are you listening?

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      • The Gold cup 2015 is not gonna happen in Seattle. 2016 Centanario is another matter. Sold out, packed, Loud. Commentators giddy at the “Unrivaled Atmosphere”.

      • The tournament organizers clearly have a different take on that. Lots of recent local reports have New Orleans ready to host its first Gold Cup matches ever in the Superdome.

  13. In other words, water is wet.

    Just pencil Mexico in now to play in Dallas (Jerrydome), LA (Rose Bowl), and NY (MetLife). Or maybe PHX.

    Cash rules everything around me, cream get the money, dollar dollar bill y’all.

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    • hope Dallas is eliminated as venue…. grass laid down 2 days before quarterfinals was a joke to say the least…
      Im against making a filthy billionaire who disrespect the beautiful game get even richer.

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    • I get the “cash rules everything around me” decision making process, but even as an American I’d like to see this tournament somewhere other than USA.

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      • Resort cities all across the Caribbean would be awesome! Talk about a boost to the Carribbean economy. I’m calling for a Jamaica, PR, Haiti and DR hosted Gold Cup. Travel would be easy as they are all really close. The biggest question is, do all of these countries have stadia and sporting facilities ready for top level athletes and competition?

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