Philadelphia Union are all but in the playoffs, but not quite the way the team hoped.
In the latest edition of the KYW Philly Soccer Show podcast, KYW’s Greg Orlandini and PSP’s Mike Servedio discuss the Union’s terrible loss to Orlando City at home last Sunday. But, despite the dour performance, the team is almost certainly assured a playoff spot. New England Revolution, the team trailing them in the standings, would have to make up a significant goal difference in order to grab the final playoff spot.
Greg and Mike review some of the performances from last Sunday’s match and then look ahead as the team wraps up the regular season this Sunday at home against New York Red Bulls.
[haiku url=”http://nyc.podcast.play.it/media/d0/d0/d1/dD/d2/dX/dW/1D2XW_3.MP3″ title=”Season finale”]
To listen to the pod, click on the player above or visit the Philly Soccer Show iTunes page. Follow the pod on Twitter at @KYWPhillySoccer.
Lack of squad rotation and general creativity killed the high times of 2016.
and Nog’s departure. Trading Le Toux long term probably the right move, mid-season they may regret that decision.
Empty pockets of seats in the Stadium I’ll call the “Sak effect” He destroyed the fan / team goodwill connection. Earnie has done good things, I think Tim McDermott and his team will have a stronger impact post season. Looking forward to seeing what happens on their side of the Organization during the off-season and the 2017 season.
they “don’t understand” why people are upset with the Coach, then list reasons why people could be upset with the Coach…….
You just can’t get this kind of clarity anywhere else.
We aim to please
This team has looked tired for quite a while now – wonder how many other MLS teams practice twice a day, especially this late in the season.
Regarding empty seats at Talon Stadium, I blew off a couple matches over the summer because of SEPTA Regional Rail running fewer train cars — I didn’t want to get stuck in Chester if the 10 PM and 11:30 PM trains never showed. Also, I’m not too cracked up with the security, how you pretty much can’t bring anything in the stadium. And I believe the parking costs more than it did last year.
I usually park under the CBB ramp when I sit in the stands. They jacked the price up there by five bucks from earlier in the year. 20 bucks was not bad, 25, eh but 30 bucks is nuts. That is something the team has been wrestling with since the Sak days.
Great show as always. I do have a few comments.
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Regarding CJ not getting calls, I did try and let Salazar know that CJ was NOT sleeping with his wife and that he should give CJ a break… (glad I wasn’t thrown out of my seat for that one).
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Regarding the attendance, my guess is the Redskins game did have something to do with it, although the guy in front of me was listening to the game on his headphones while the guy next to him was trying to avoid results while taping it.
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That being said, I’m not sure that evening games in the fall is the answer, especially on Sunday. While the weather was warm for this game it can turn quite chilly which can turn the casual fan away. And Sunday is a school night so families with young kids may not go if they are not going to get home until 10:30 or 11.
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Personally I liked the afternoon for a change as it let my wife and I go out for dinner afterwards without being rushed to get to the or at 10pm just before we are going to bed.
In response to ticket slump, I was a season ticket holder during the “bad” years and will probably not renew anytime soon.
I purchased season tickets wanting to support my local team. I did enjoy games but came up with the following reasons why I no longer attend games.
Let me start with, I’m frugal. Actually, I’m cheap. Two tickets, parking, a drink (water) and a snack start at $100. They should come up with a cheaper offer, target $50 for two people for tickets and parking.
Frigging Water is $6.00!
I could not give tickets away. I struggled to get others to come to the game with me, and when I couldn’t make it, I almost had to pay people to take my tickets.
Nickel and dimed. The Union Marketplace seemed like a nice benefit for season ticket holders. The times I needed extra tickets, the hidden fees and extras just soured my extra “perk”.
Location, Location, Location! I was not a fan spending an hour getting to the stadium from center city. Also the hour to get back. The price to build next to the other stadiums would have paid dividends in years to come.
Parking, $20 to walk through a muddy swamp, Lot A.
Ownership/Front Office interaction. Nick Sakiewicz left a bad taste. Ernie seems to be leaps and bounds better, but I’ll give him time to prove himself.
Sebastian Le Toux! That hurt. Was he the best player on the field? Probably not, but he had his moments. His presence with this fan base set a high bar.
Ultimately, these excuses may seem weak, but I do not live in the financial space to drop $100-$150 a game. Sports are a luxury that I enjoy, but feel I’m being priced out of.
My understanding is that the cost of attending an MLS match is generally on par with attending other professional sports, and far cheaper than some. Over the years we have built a tailgating community around match days, and it makes for a fun afternoon/evening. It also lowers the per hour entertainment cost significantly. Obviously, if this isn’t your thing then that’s not a benefit at all.
In terms of location and parking, the last time I attended something at the stadium complex it took two hours to leave the parking lot, and it wasn’t any cheaper. Too, I certainly prefer the river view of Lot A (occasional mud and all) over the endless sun-baked asphalt of the stadium complex.
The concessions are admittedly extortionate, and we avoid them as much as we can.
And we totally agree about LeToux.
Not saying that you’re wrong about any of your points, by the way, just offering a different opinion.
Thanks for your input and insight on this issue. We weren’t calling people out on this and I hope it didn’t come off that way. Tons of factors go into how people with part with their money. I hope to get some answers if and when we have Tim on the program again.