By RYAN TOLMICH
The fourth annual Desert Diamond Cup is set to kickoff Wednesday night, and this year’s field is particularly strong.
Set to be hosted in Tucson, Arizona, the tournament features five MLS teams, headlined by Supporters’ Shield winners Seattle Sounders and MLS Cup runners-up the New England Revolution. Joining them will be Real Salt Lake, Sporting KC and the Colorado Rapids, as well as the PDL’s FC Tucson.
Aside from from the Sounders and Sporting KC, each of the other four teams will be returning to the tournament, which was won last season by the Chicago Fire.
The tournament will see each team play four games starting Wednesday with the finals set for Feb. 28.
Have a closer look at the tournament’s full schedule below:
DESERT DIAMOND CUP SCHEDULE
Round 1: Wednesday, February 18, 2015
5:30 p.m. – Colorado Rapids vs. Sporting Kansas City
6:00 p.m. – Real Salt Lake vs. New England Revolution
8:00 p.m. – Seattle Sounders FC vs. FC Tucson
Round 2: Saturday, February 21, 2015
5:30 p.m. – Colorado Rapids vs. New England Revolution
6:00 p.m. – Real Salt Lake vs. FC Tucson
8:00 p.m. – Seattle Sounders FC vs. Sporting Kansas City
Round 3: Wednesday, February 25, 2015
5:30 p.m. – Colorado Rapids vs. FC Tucson
6:00 p.m. – Seattle Sounders FC vs. New England Revolution
8:00 p.m. – Real Salt Lake v. Sporting Kansas City
Finals: Saturday, February 28, 2015
4:30 p.m. – 5th Place v. 6th Place
5:00 p.m. – 3rd Place v. 4th place
7:00 p.m. – 1st Place v. 2nd Place
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What are you looking to see in this tournament? What games are you most eager to watch? Which team do you see as favorites?
Share your thoughts below.
If they were to build a stadium, it should be in Scottsdale, which is centrally located. The more affluent folks live in the “East Valley,” which included Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Mesa, and Gilbert. There is significant open space owned by Indian Reservations that could easily be developed. There is even a history of doing this — the D-Backs and Rockies spring training facility is built on Indian land and has been a huge development success for the tribe that owns the land.
But the question is, why doesn’t a rich head from Phoenix bring MLS. Is a no brainer right?
I have been to phoenix and that’s because my brother played soccer for paradise valley community college and he mentioned me, that he was surprised how big soccer is in Phoenix and through out the state, even though is freaking hot.
If San Antonio wants MLS, then phoenix should be on the drugs because to me phoenix can be another skc.
Make a 22,000 seat indoor stadium like you said around scottsdale and it will definitely work.
Revs dont headline anything
I don’t get arizona, as in phoenix or tucson.
Obviously both markets like soccer but you gotta tell me there is no billionaire who can make a soccer stadium in Phoenix ( since it’s to the main city in arizona)
I know it’s hot like Vegas and a indoor stadium would be needed but I think they have the soccer population to easily get 18,000 fans a game and they need something different in phoenix. All their sport teams suck with all respect, except cardinals barely getting it together now.
Also the bad thing university of Phoenix stadium is huge and not even tarps can help the stadium look better for soccer and garber would probably say yes to that idea, but I think phoenix can easily support an MLS team, some thing compared to SKC can happen there I believe.
I meant to say, (since Phoenix is the main city in arizona)
In addition to that, is there room downtown for a soccer stadium or would it have to go to a suburb like scottsdale,chandler,Mesa, Goodyear. As a matter of fact, doesn’t arizona have 2 different downtowns, the old and new.
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6….
Irrelevant!