January 10, 20187 yr Well clearly the rumors were wrong. At this point it's anyone's guess when it will happen. Rather annoying. There's a good chance it won't be until February. Lots of MLS events coming up. MLS Combine is 1/11-1/17, MLS Super Draft is 1/19 and US Soccer Coaches Convention is 1/17-1/21. Jeff Berding was on the Cincy Soccer Talk Podcast last night (http://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/). He didn't really say too much of interest. Just the MLS process is ongoing, there's nothing wrong with Cincy's bid and he remains "bullish" on invite chances. Of interest to this site....he also said Oakley is the preferred site but until "community engagement" and traffic studies are completed West End is not off the table. Then the MLS should just award Cinci its team if there's nothing wrong with the bid.
January 10, 20187 yr The MLS has been sputtering some BS about Ohio's team and potential new team in the last 6 months.
January 10, 20187 yr Anyone expecting an honest and upfront process from a league commissioner that uses the twitter handle of "@thesoccerdon" is going to be disappointed.
January 10, 20187 yr Anyone expecting an honest and upfront process from a league commissioner that uses the twitter handle of "@thesoccerdon" is going to be disappointed. You've gotta be kidding? ''@thesoccerdon'' is hilarious. Wonder if the 2nd city team decision will be made at the Bada-Bing?
January 15, 20187 yr Author FC Cincinnati will kick off the season in Charleston for the third straight year. We play the Charleston Battery on March 17th. The two previous years we have lost by a single goal to open the season in South Carolina. We also travel to Indianapolis to play the Indy Eleven on March 31st! This is Indy's first home match in the USL after moving over from the NASL. Our home opener is scheduled for April 7th against rivals and defending-USL-Champions Louisville City FC. So far only home openers for each team have been announced (luckily we play in three home openers, so we know three games already). The rest of the schedule is expected to be released this week, but that hasn't been confirmed.
January 24, 20187 yr Author The full FC Cincinnati schedule was release last Friday. Due to the number of teams, and the number of games, we play 4 teams a third time. We get a second home game against Louisville City FC and Pittsburgh Riverhounds. We get a second away game against the Indy Eleven and Nashville SC, both new to the league this year. They really couldn't have given FCC better teams to play a third time based on geography and rivalries. Here's the schedule:
January 26, 20187 yr MLS plans announcement Monday; here’s what it means for FC Cincinnati Major League Soccer is reportedly planning an announcement Monday that could have an effect on FC Cincinnati’s chances to win an expansion franchise. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/01/25/mls-plans-announcement-monday-here-s-what-it-means.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 26, 20187 yr MLS plans announcement Monday; here’s what it means for FC Cincinnati Major League Soccer is reportedly planning an announcement Monday that could have an effect on FC Cincinnati’s chances to win an expansion franchise. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/01/25/mls-plans-announcement-monday-here-s-what-it-means.html Click-baity headline... the announcement is regarding Miami. Doesn't mean anything relative to FCC.
February 6, 20187 yr Thoughts on the new jerseys? The corporate logos are just about the lamest thing about soccer. Toyota doesn't even have a local office anymore, aside from it not being a local company.
February 6, 20187 yr Author It's coming to more sports soon. NBA has just started putting patches on the front corner of their jerseys. Only a matter of time before the NFL and NHL do it. I suspect baseball will be the last sport to introduce jersey sponsors, but I don't think it's as far away as some people believe.
February 6, 20187 yr Thoughts on the new jerseys? The corporate logos are just about the lamest thing about soccer. Toyota doesn't even have a local office anymore, aside from it not being a local company. Soccer doesn't have commercials. Fair trade off.
February 6, 20187 yr The corporate logos are just about the lamest thing about soccer. Toyota doesn't even have a local office anymore, aside from it not being a local company. Meanwhile, in Korean baseball, the teams are named after sponsoring companies instead of cities, like the Samsung Lions, Kia Tigers, and LG Twins.
February 6, 20187 yr ^ I really like the away white ones with darker shaded diamonds. Really nice. Agreed, the aways are sharp.
February 9, 20187 yr FC Cincinnati is most likely MLS pick, expert says, but announcement could be delayed again FC Cincinnati is the most likely candidate to be selected for the next Major League Soccer expansion franchise, according to a national soccer expert, but MLS commissioner Don Garber has opened the door for an announcement to be delayed yet again. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/02/08/fc-cincinnati-is-most-likely-mls-pick-expert-says.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 26, 20187 yr Last we heard... Berding seemed confident a decision would come from MLS by March 3rd (start of MLS season)... but with no events planned/announced for this week... that seems unlikely. Any rumors out there regarding timing and/or if a decision has been made regarding MLS expansion?
February 26, 20187 yr Author A lot of articles mention dotting i's and crossing t's but no other details. Hope that's all there is to it. But I don't know.
February 27, 20187 yr A lot of articles mention dotting i's and crossing t's but no other details. Hope that's all there is to it. But I don't know. As for myself, I've grown very tired of it all... https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/02/26/fc-cincinnati-to-present-traffic-study-results-to.html I'm thinking that the local media may feel the same way... https://www.wcpo.com/sports/is-fc-cincinnati-playing-musical-chairs-with-stadium-site
February 27, 20187 yr ^also, all of the stadium drama would have been greatly reduced if 2017 hadn't been an election year. They had to wait until the Cran-Man was reelected to dig into the west end. Looking back, it seems like the Children's Hospital invented controversy was a way to damage Simpson on development issues in the event she had been elected.
February 27, 20187 yr MLS on expansion bids: ‘We have made the most progress in Cincinnati’ FC Cincinnati’s bid for a Major League Soccer expansion franchise just got a positive jolt. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/02/27/mls-on-expansion-bids-we-have-made-the-most.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 28, 20187 yr FC Cincinnati gets a very different reception from NKY business community The applause FC Cincinnati president and general manager Jeff Berding received from the Northern Kentucky business community on Tuesday evening when he mentioned Newport as one of the candidates for a soccer stadium site was a stark contrast to the reception Berding has received from people related to two other potential sites. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/02/28/fc-cincinnati-gets-a-very-different-reception-from.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
March 1, 20187 yr FC Cincinnati has even higher attendance expectations this season FC Cincinnati has its sights set this season on obliterating the attendance record it set last season, with expectations that would place it among a handful of top-drawing U.S. soccer teams. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/03/01/fc-cincinnati-has-even-higher-attendance.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
March 16, 20187 yr Pretty cool hype video summarizing the 2017 season: https://mobile.twitter.com/fccincinnati/status/974633571125211136/video/1
March 19, 20187 yr FCC's first match of the season was against Charleston Battery on Saturday. We won 1-0 (only goal in 10th minute by Blake Smith), but it wasn't exactly a pretty game. After our early score, we sat back on defense. Goalkeeper Evan Newton had several impressive/scary saves that could've easily brought Charleston back into the match. Last season, we had a lot of games where we blew early leads. It's hard to know if this first match represents anything significant, but it was nice to see the defense hold on to that lead, even if it didn't make for the prettiest of games.
April 2, 20187 yr Went to the game last night in Indy. It was a great game and an awesome showing from the fans on both sides. I think Indy might have the biggest supporter group section other than us in the usl. Was glad to see them sell out at a little over 17k.
April 2, 20187 yr Went to the game last night in Indy. It was a great game and an awesome showing from the fans on both sides. I think Indy might have the biggest supporter group section other than us in the usl. Was glad to see them sell out at a little over 17k. From the TV coverage - it seemed like there were a lot of empty seats in the lower bowl. Did they actually sell all of the seats in the lower bowl? In any case, I'm glad to see Indy has a good fan base. It's good to have nearby rivals like Indy and Louisville.
April 3, 20187 yr MLS Players Association issued a statement saying that FCC did not have a basis for voiding their contract with Tom Heinemann.
April 3, 20187 yr MLS Players Association issued a statement saying that FCC did not have a basis for voiding their contract with Tom Heinemann. FCC issues a statement that they're "looking forward" to resolving the dispute in arbitration:
April 16, 20187 yr MLS board could decide on FC Cincinnati’s expansion bid Tuesday FC Cincinnati could win a Major League Soccer expansion bid as soon as Tuesday. The MLS Board of Governors meets Tuesday in Los Angeles and will discuss expansion at the regularly scheduled meeting, MLS spokesman Dan Courtemanche told me. He didn’t comment on whether a vote on the next expansion club will take place Tuesday. MLS still has one more expansion franchise to award in the latest round of expansion, and FC Cincinnati is expected to win it. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/04/16/mls-board-could-decide-on-fc-cincinnati-s.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 22, 20187 yr Fc fought hard last night against Pittsburgh to draw. They broke Pittsburgh's streak of not being scored on yet in the season and only having to defend 3 shots on target in 4 games. It was a rough game but I'm proud of the guys for coming back to tie.
April 23, 20187 yr Author ^Our second half looked a lot better. Kenney Walker subbing in brought an immediate impact. He's probably our best player, and that concussion threw us out of sync IMO.
April 25, 20187 yr FC Cincinnati adds on-field suites at Nippert Stadium FC Cincinnati has unveiled two premium seating locations this season that put fans on the field and put the team in the company of major league franchises in the U.S. and Europe. The third-year soccer club added two on-field suites with space for 30 fans each this season. “The crowd sounds different down there,” Jeff Smith, FC Cincinnati’s vice president of sales, told me. “And being down there for warmups gives fans an up-close view. We now have two auxiliary premium seating areas that didn’t exist last year.” More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/04/25/fc-cincinnati-adds-on-field-suites-at-nippert.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 3, 20187 yr Author Big road win for FCC last night in Indianapolis with an exciting 2-3 scoreline. In all of 2017 we had 16 points on the road. This year, after 5 games, we already have 13 points on the road with 4 wins and a draw. The win catapulted FCC into second in the Eastern Conference. Still a lot of games to play, but things are looking positive right now. Next home match is Saturday, May 5. Also, there was this wonder goal by Kenney Walker in the game on Saturday against Ottawa Fury. #1 play on Sports Center's Top 10.
May 10, 20187 yr FCC’s first game of the Open Cup (the second round overall of the tournament) will be next Wednesday against Detroit. The match will be played at Gettler and is already sold out. Any idea why they didn’t choose to play at Nippert? Gettler is tiny and given last year’s excitement around the Open Cup, it seems like they could have gotten good turnout at Nippert.
May 10, 20187 yr ^ Because the first 2 games of the open cup last drew under 10,000 fans. Wednesday night games against lower division teams just aren't a big draw and it's cheaper to have them at Gettler.
May 10, 20187 yr Author Gettler also just sold out yesterday. This first round isn't as in demand as a lot of people were worried about early on. People thought it would be sold out in hours, but it took weeks to sell out this game.
May 10, 20187 yr I've also heard that the Open Cup has rules about revenue sharing with the away team that supposedly ramp up based on stadium size. So if the game were played at Nippert, FCC would have to share more of the revenue with the away team. Given the lower attendance of the early round Open Cup and the increased costs for operating at Nippert, it isn't worth it. Many MLS teams don't play their first Open Cup games at their stadium either.
May 22, 20187 yr FC Cincinnati owner Lindner on MLS bid: ‘I think we’re going to get over the finish line' FC Cincinnati owner Carl Lindner III told me Tuesday he believes his soccer club has done all that it needs to do to win a Major League Soccer expansion bid. “I certainly think so,” he told me after the annual shareholders meeting of American Financial Group Inc. (NYSE: AFG), the insurance company for which he’s co-CEO. “I think we’ve checked all the boxes. We’re working very hard to get over the finish line. I”m optimistic and excited. “I think we’re going to get over the finish line.” FC Cincinnati finalized a community benefits agreement last week with the West End neighborhood where it plans to build a $200 million-plus soccer stadium. That’s viewed as the last major step in the lengthy, often-extended process of making the cut for an MLS expansion franchise. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/05/22/fc-cincinnati-owner-lindner-on-mls-bid-i-think-we.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 24, 20187 yr Cincinnati's MLS expansion bid: FC Cincinnati announcement imminent https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2018/05/24/fc-cincinnati-mls-expansion-don-garber-announcement-nashville-sacramento-detroit-miami/635835002/ Major League Soccer is coming to Cincinnati next week, and league officials are likely bringing with them an invitation for Futbol Club Cincinnati to join their ranks. Sources confirmed to The Enquirer that a major club announcement is coming Tuesday and MLS commissioner Don Garber will be in attendance. Team and league officials declined to comment further on the nature of the announcement. Perhaps there's nothing for officials to add, though, as Garber's presence for an announcement in Cincinnati points an invitation for FC Cincinnati to join MLS. "Major soccer announcement" was the phrasing used as a not-so-subtle heads up prior to the December expansion announcement in Nashville.
May 24, 20187 yr Here are details of FC Cincinnati's 'significant announcement' FC Cincinnati has confirmed details of its “significant announcement” involving Major League Soccer. “FC Cincinnati and special guests will hold a special event on Tuesday, May 29, to make a significant announcement about the future of soccer in Cincinnati,” the soccer club said Thursday in a media alert. The event is expected to officially announce FC Cincinnati’s entry as Major League Soccer’s newest expansion club. The team could begin MLS play as early as 2019. MLS commissioner Don Garber, FC Cincinnati majority owner Carl Lindner III, FC Cincinnati president and general manager Jeff Berding and Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley will attend. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Rhinegeist Brewery, 1910 Elm St. in Over-the-Rhine. Doors open at 3 p.m. Rhinegeist is about a half-mile from FC Cincinnati’s West End site for a $200-million-plus soccer stadium that it will build as part of its rise to MLS. Fountain Square will host a watch party for the event 4:30-9 p.m. Tuesday, a 3CDC spokesman said. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/05/24/here-are-details-of-fc-cincinnatis-significant.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 25, 20187 yr Apparently Cincinnati's first pro soccer team was called the Kids: https://www.wcpo.com/news/insider/john-popovich-we-re-not-used-to-winning-but-cincinnati-was-just-too-big-for-mls-to-ignore
May 30, 20187 yr MLS commissioner credits Lindner as FC Cincinnati celebrates bid If there’s one thing that put FC Cincinnati over the top in winning a Major League Soccer expansion franchise, it was the person at the helm. “Carl Lindner,” was MLS commissioner Don Garber’s instant response when I asked him after Tuesday’s announcement what put FC Cincinnati in the position to win the bid. “This is a first-class, world-class ownership team. Carl’s is one of the great families in the city, and Scott’s company is really successful. He gets a guy like George Joseph to come in, and these are real people. We went to the Commercial Club dinner (during Garber’s 2016 visit) and the level of support was amazing,” he said. FC Cincinnati expects to start playing at its to-be-constructed, $200-plus million stadium in the West End in 2021, team president and general manager Jeff Berding said. It plans to play its first two MLS seasons at Nippert Stadium. The club will begin MLS play in 2019. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/05/29/mls-commissioner-credits-lindner-as-fc-cincinnati.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 30, 20187 yr So apparently a group is gathering petitions to cancel the public infrastructure improvements needed to build the new West End stadium. I saw people last night collecting signatures in the neighborhood. They have 30 days to collect 6,000 valid signatures to put it on the ballot. Are there that many registered voters who are that against the new stadium? "Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." - Warren Buffett
May 30, 20187 yr Author People have already suggested that they can't stop most of it because money was appropriated via an emergency ordinance. The only thing this would do, from what I've heard, is put the hotel tax portion on the ballot. Which doesn't seem like a strong position.
May 30, 20187 yr So apparently a group is gathering petitions to cancel the public infrastructure improvements needed to build the new West End stadium. I saw people last night collecting signatures in the neighborhood. They have 30 days to collect 6,000 valid signatures to put it on the ballot. Are there that many registered voters who are that against the new stadium? Michelle Dillingham is going to harm her candidacy with her actions. I had really never heard of her before this FC Cincy issue and the more she talks the more she sounds like a moron and hurts her credibility.
May 30, 20187 yr Yeah, I decided at the last minute to vote for Michelle in the last City Council election. I won't make that mistake again. "Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." - Warren Buffett
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