Important Dates of the Offseason
by Dave Clark on Nov 18, 2010 2:30 PM PST
in Sounders: MLS Regular Season
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PrintMLS Cup Playoffs
Sat 13 Nov Eastern Conference Final 6:30PM PST FSC
Sun 14 Nov Western Conference Final 6 PM PST ESPN2
Fri 19 Nov - Sun 21 Nov Supporter Summit and other MLS Cup Final events - likely press conferences related to rules/format changes to include MLS Reserve League
Sun 21 Nov MLS Cup Final 5:30 PM PST ESPN
Mon 15 Nov - Sounders end of season media access. Player end of year meetings by end of week.
United States National Team Matches
Wed 17 Nov - USMNT at South Africa - Friendly, roster
Sat 20 Nov - USWNT at Italy - First Leg World Cup Qualifier
Sat 27 Nov - USWNT hosting Italy - Second Leg World Cup Qualifier
Expansion Draft
Mon 22 Nov Trade Window Open
Mon 22 Nov Protected Lists Due - Use the Protectinator to let us know who you want to protect.
Wed 24 Nov Expansion Draft
Wed 24 Nov Waiver Draft - For young players (Under 23 and/or with less than 3 years in League) who are not going to be retained by their current teams.
For events of December, January, February and March click on
Thu 2 Dec 7 AM - FIFA Announces 2018 and 2022 World Cup Hosts - If you haven't signed the bid - DO IT.
Fri 3 Dec - Annual Meeting of Sounders FC Alliance
Sat 4 Dec - "Let's Go Mental" ECS End of Year Party
NEW: Sun 12 Dec 1-3PM - Sounder at Heart Gather Yourselves and Get Your Scarves
Re-Entry Draft
Wed 8 Dec Stage One Re-entry Draft - To take an undesired qualifying player at their current contract value, either option or at bona fide value if out-of-contract.
Wed 15 Dec Stage Two Re-Entry Draft - A draft of players at renegotiated contract values who were not drafted in stage one, or who could not come to terms with their team.
SuperDraft
This is for amateur players trying to enter the league, either from high school or college.
Fri 17 Dec to Sun 19 Dec - Sounders Host College Combine
Fri 7 Jan to Tue 11 Jan - MLS Combine
Thu 13 Jan - SuperDraft - Sounders with the 13th 11th Pick
USA/Canada Primary Transfer Window
Sat 15 Jan Opening Day to Transfer Under Contract Players to MLS or other USA/Canada based leagues
Fri 15 Apr Transfer Window closes
Sat 22 Jan USMNT Friendly v Chile at Home Depot Center
Training Camps Open
RSL and Columbus, by virtue of their advancement in CCL will open first. Probably about two weeks prior to their match on 22 Feb.
Sounders have not formally announced details, but there is a report they plan to be in Casa Grande, AZ in late Feb again.
Sat 5 Mar to Sat 12 Mar - Carolina Challenge Cup between Charleston Battery, Chicago Fire, DC United and Toronto FC
First Kick 2011
Mid March? The Season is likely to start on a Thursday, and there are rumors that Portland and Seattle will open League play. The other rumor is that it will be New York Red Bulls at Vancouver Whitecaps on ESPN.
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You mean where I put this?
Thu 2 Dec 7 AM – FIFA Announces 2018 and 2022 World Cup Hosts – If you haven’t signed the bid – DO IT.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
3 years in a row
If MLS First Kick is between Portland and Seattle, it will be the 3rd year in a row that we kick off the season at Qwest Field. Man, Seattle makes MLS look good. Portland won’t be able to host it because they’re stadium won’t be done yet.
Other dates I can think of that may (or may not) belong on the list:
1. Announcement of All-Star game host (this is over due, last season it was announced on July 27)
2. Announcment of each team’s home openers (also over due, last season it came on Sept. 24)
3. Full schedule announcement (can’t find a link for when this one happend last season, but it seems like it was in early January’ish)
Seattle could be at Portland to Open
When we get more firm dates we will include them.
The list will end with the home openers for every team.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
PGE unlikely to be ready for open
According to an August article in the Oregonian, the timeline shows it being completed in the “March-April” timeframe. That’s a tight schedule. If there are any delays, they’ll need to do something similar to what Philly did this year frontload their schedule with away games. Perhaps this is why we haven’t heard anything on next season’s schedule yet. Maybe they want Portland to host First Kick, but they don’t know if it’s doable yet. I wonder if Portland at Seattle is the second choice they’re considering or something completely different.
Frankly, I’m tired of Thursday night games (and Sunday games too for that matter). More games on Saturday would be great to see next season. I really liked the Saturday afternoon games in the spring a fall and Saturday night games in the summer. Any chance they’re repeat that system?
Ready by March-April
Could certainly mean ready by March?
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
When I read “March-April” I think “end of March or early April”. The season will start in early-to-middle of March. That’s a tight schedule. The fact that the league hasn’t announced the home openers is telling though. They probably want Portland to host it, but don’t want to have to change plans if the stadium’s not ready. So they wait.
I really hope Portland at Seattle isn't on a weeknight.
It’s just brutal for me, coming from Bellingham. I have to take off work. Blah blah blah. Whine whine whine. Etc.
But I know we will continue to take the brunt of the national TV scheduling preferences thanks to our overwhelming support, any day of the week.
Maybe if PDX and VAN can garner some of that strong support, they can take over a little of our “MLS screwed us on scheduling” troubles.
cornchops
where do you watch away games in bellingham (if any where) I’m at western and I live in everson. We should try to get a group to watch games somewhere if you are interested
A sky of blue, a sea of green...(or claret)
by kelliott1527 on Nov 15, 2010 11:39 AM PST up reply actions
Uh, usually at home.
But they always show them at the Copper Hog and sometimes other places.
A couple of kids makes it hard to get out to watch games. I save up my “going out to watch the Sounders play” karma for home games with tickets in hand.
ok cool
I didn’t know of anywhere, mostly due to laziness. And makes sense with the whole kids thing and hard to get out, but thanks for the suggestion!
A sky of blue, a sea of green...(or claret)
by kelliott1527 on Nov 16, 2010 11:35 PM PST up reply actions
Couldn't agree more
We got burned by ESPN with 2 Thursday games (Philly and RSL) and a Friday game (Chivas USA) this season. Then with a Halloween Sunday night game in the playoffs. We get punished with poor dates/times because we show up.
Would love to have Portland or Vancouver help bear more of that burden and give us more Saturday games. Toronto and Philly are two other candidates whose home crowds/stadium look great on ESPN. RSL is getting close too.
Supposedly
we open at Vancouver on Sat., March 19.
So I hear. As retweeted by Mayers.
That would be nice, though a bit tougher to get tickets, maybe, for a MLS opener.
Finally
If that’s legit, then I say “finally.” Finally we open on the road. Finally we open on a Saturday. Finally some matchup not involving Sounders FC will be the showcase Thursday “first kick” game on ESPN. It’s not good for Seattle to be the only city in the league’s showcase. As I said above, Toronto, Philly, and maybe RSL can pull of a blockbuster “first kick” (LA could probably be in that list too). My guess is one of those will host “first kick” this season. Obviously Vancouver won’t since we open at their house on a Saturday. Maybe Portland is in the running for “first kick” as well.
13th Pick?
I read on the times in a league release that for the Superdraft, the seeding for playoff games is based on the round you exited the playoffs and then you are ranked with those teams on regular season points. In that case we’d have the 9th pick since we were below the other 3 first round losers. I may have read this wrong, I’ll have to dig it up later today.
You are correct
Your reading of the MLS Draft Release is correct as to order, but you forgot the two Expansion Teams.
11th Pick for Sounders
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Conditional Draft Pick
What about the “conditional draft pick for 2011 or 2010” we got with the Ljungberg trade? Anyone know what the conditions were and whether they were met? I’d love to have two first round draft picks in the SuperDraft this time. Chicago is lined up for the 7th pick this year. Maybe it’s ours?
Here it is:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundersfcblog/2013406165_mls_releases_details_of_player.html
The remaining eight positions are ranked by fewest regular season points among the teams that were eliminated in the same round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
This works out very well for us.
I hope we don't open on Thursday again.
It’s hard for me to get down there for a 6 pm start. Last year I got in late and missed the first goal.
I think the first game should be Toronto at Vancouver. Or Seattle at Portland.
I don't think
Portland will be hosting first kick. They’ll be on the road since they stadium may not be finished until April.
Oh, wow this is a really handy little schedule, maybe make this a semi-permanent link on the sidebar for the duration of the offseason? For easy access at least.
Either way, thank you so much for compiling this!
proud 4th line advocate
After a long arduous summer of training, back for a new season of perpetuating hockey superstitions
Agreed
MLS related web traffic is likely going to slow down a ton in the offseason. Having a semi-permanent link to a calendar containing this information would be very helpful.
I have added it as a featured post
so it can be found throughout the offseason.
We will also update it as more dates get firmed.
As for traffic… I don’t know. There’s a ton going on this offseason player movement, and an entire league will be founded. Not to mention the Academies.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
When is Sounder at Heart Scarf Delivery Day?
That’s what I’m waiting for.
You will hear us on Brougham, you will hear us on Occidental, you will hear us on King. We are all around you, there is no escape.
by 108Ultra on Nov 14, 2010 1:41 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
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