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USA-Mexico World Cup qualifier set to kick off at 4pm

USAMexicoFans (ISIphotos.com) 

                                                                             Photo by ISIphotos.com

The Mexican Football Federation has announced that the USA-Mexico World Cup qualifier in Mexico City on Aug. 12th will start at 4pm (ET). No word yet on what led to that decision, which is odd for a Wednesday game.

The 3 p.m. local time kickoff should mean that the game will be played in hot and humid conditions at Estadio Azteca. When Mexico defeated the United States in Mexico City in 2005, the match was played at noon, which led to very hot and muggy conditions. (Okay, so maybe I'm not a weatherman. A quick check of The Weather Channel tells me that the average high temperature in Mexico City in mid-August is mid-70s. The 2005 qualifier was played in March). So why is this game being played so early? To better manage crowd violence if the United States actually wins?

What do you think of this news? Think Mexico is getting desperate? Does that start time make you more likely to make the trip to Mexico City? Will you be skipping work to watch this crucial World Cup qualifier? What's your best excuse for missing work to watch a mid-day soccer game?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. We have the BEST chance to win at Azteca this year. Having said that, the Gold Cup could do wonders for the Mexican team should they beat us or win the Gold Cup.

    A win IN the U.S. (albeit against our “C” team) would break a pretty lengthy record too. That can give confidence come next month.

    For that reason alone the Gold Cup does have meaning.

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  2. ESPN doesn’t bump up the prices, because Univision or whoever bring their own. Go look at the video from the game this year, the other sideline, the benches, had ads for movistar and all those other companies. You can find highlights from the cameras on the opposite side of the field, too on youtube.

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  3. No problem for me, I finish work at 2:30 pm est, gives me enough time to have a few and watch the game, USA USA USA!!!

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  4. “People in Mexico City don’t work? Please, no off color jokes. -Pat”

    I imagine most of the city would be grinding to a halt for the match.

    ESPN will probably show the game, but it will be a live feed and commentary done from the studio in Connecticut.

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  5. I agree Jacob. But if they were unwilling to pay up for a game in primetime, I’m worried their going to be even less willing to pay up for a game few Americans can watch.

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  6. Ohhhh, probably because it’s on the road, duh. My b. That said, ESPN is gonna pay whatever it takes to get this game. We’re coming off the Confed Cup run, and they know this is huge. Colin Cowherd mentioned on three different forums yesterday he’s looking forward to this game. It’s a huuuuuuge rivalry with a legit shot at history. ESPN knows it would be the most stupid thing they could do to not fork over the cash to broadcast, live and in hd.

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  7. I guess ESPN doesn’t own the rights to every WCQ. Grant Wahl reported it on Twitter a few days ago – said it may only be on Telemudo unless they lower the price.

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  8. Dingdong, most any restaurant with a separate bar has a TV and will be willing to show the game. In fact, it is not uncommon for the staff to turn the game on, since some of them are usually from Mexico. I’ve had good experiences watching games with staff and us needling each other as games wore on.

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  9. nate, why would there be no ESPN? They own the rights to every qualifier, and have shown consistently they have no problem airing games in the afternoon.

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  10. It may have something to do with the same reason they play Liverpool-Chelsea games at noon: Give the people three or four less hours to drink, and help yourself in the security department.

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  11. SO basically the game is right in the middle of siesta time!! Maybe the crowd will take a nap instead of playing with their Landon vodoo dolls this time!

    Sounds like another afternoon off of work if I am not called into trial that week!

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  12. Not trying to kill anything here but am sensing overconfidence among these comments. Remember we have never won there in 100 years or something like that so keep cool boys and realise that it is completely different than playing them in USA. Mexico will fight until the end, something they dont do now, to keep this dreaded record. Kinda early but am coming out on here calling a 1-1 tie in Azteca.

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  13. I will be down there with three friends. We are staying at the Marriott in the Paseo de la Reforma. Anybody know the best mode of transportation to get to the game. OLEOLE is doing a bus but the price is 100 bucks. What a joke? I want to go and be loud on my way to the game and I don’t see that happening if we are taking the subway

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  14. Brett.

    I think one of the main reasons, US choose Columbus Ohio, is because there were less Mexican support. Compare other parts of the country.

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  15. “The Mexican federation weren’t the ones who decided the capital city and largest stadium should be on a mountain, and this scheduling probably has a lot more to do with what will produce the biggest gate turnout and viewing audience rather than what would give Mexico the biggest advantage.”

    People in Mexico City don’t work? Please, no off color jokes.

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  16. So ok, instead of Dos a Cero the score will be Dois a Zero, or Deux a Zéro. I don’t see any difference, do you?

    Benny Feilhaber and Charlie Davies with the goals.

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  17. DingDong, you can try Jillian’s on 4th Street in Downtown SF (South of Market to be exact.) It’s just a normal big sportsbar, but I was there for the Spain/USA game and there was about thirty people there cheering our boys on.

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  18. You gotta love that immediate cultural bias – “Oh no, Mexico is scheduling a qualifier for an odd time they must be planning something nefarious, using their city to unfair advantage”. No one says a second word about us choosing to play in freezing Columbus when we have perfectly mild conditions elsewhere in the country.

    The Mexican federation weren’t the ones who decided the capital city and largest stadium should be on a mountain, and this scheduling probably has a lot more to do with what will produce the biggest gate turnout and viewing audience rather than what would give Mexico the biggest advantage.

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  19. It doesn’t matter what time of day the game is, Sam’s Army is gonna kick some ass in Mexico on August 12th.

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  20. Where in downtown San Francisco should I eat lunch on Aug. 12? (Seriously, does anyone know where it might shown?)

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  21. There are millions out of work, don’t be selfish, stay at your job and and enjoy the game later that evening

    Posted by: US citizen and US supporter | July 09, 2009 at 02:54 PM

    Killjoy.

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  22. There are millions out of work, don’t be selfish, stay at your job and and enjoy the game later that evening

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  23. Mexico City has a weird micro-climate. It isn’t what I would call hot or humid, even in August, well on average. It’s mostly in the mid-70s-mid 80s. Overcast and with scattered showers, but it doesn’t rain for too long either.
    But it does get chilly at night, to the 50s actually. So it would definitely help the US, but I dunno. People make it seem as if the heat/humidity is a huge factor in Mexico city, but honestly most of the time it isn’t.

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  24. Dammit, gots to take time off from work. With this start time, might at as well take the whole day off over here on the west coast.

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  25. Welp, it’s a dandy that I’ll be having a dentist appointment that day at 3. Now I hope we really take it to them to spite them for all their little mind tricks.. Use it to your advantage I guess.

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  26. Should anyone be surprised by this move? At least it’s not high noon. It’s possible that even with this wonderful scheduling, we could win or at least tie this one…just hoping for unbiased reffing…

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  27. These Wednesday afternoon “four hour bugs” have really hit me hard this year.

    It’s an insanely difficult environment to play in, I’m surprised they didn’t leave it at noon but I doubt 3 will be any better. Still hoping for our first result there!

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