SB Nation Seattle - Philadelphia Union Friendly With Real Madrid May Alter Seattle Sounders Schedulehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48997/seattle-fave.png2011-05-18T16:49:24-07:00http://seattle.sbnation.com/rss/stream/19405192011-05-18T16:49:24-07:002011-05-18T16:49:24-07:00Philadelphia Union To Host Real Madrid; Seattle Sounders Match Changed To Oct. 8
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/I7qdsgWJWQQ5zEwLPrG5Kt2hhNI=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828133/large_seattle.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>As expected, the Philadelphia Union have finalized a friendly with La Liga power Real Madrid, but the schedule domino effect is far-reaching. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sounderatheart.com/">Seattle Sounders</a> were set to host Philadelphia on July 23, but thanks to the now-finalized friendly, that date will have to be changed. Instead, the Union will travel to Seattle on Oct. 8 for a late-season matchup.</p>
<p>The details, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/soccer/20110518_Deal_finalized_for_Real_Madrid_vs__Union.html?ref=twitter.com">provided by Philly.com</a>, include an interesting tidbit about further, non-MLS, schedule implications.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Union had been scheduled to play Seattle at Qwest Field on July 23. That game has been moved to Oct. 8, and a college football game at Qwest scheduled for that date has been shuffled.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The football team is Central Washington University, who play an annual game at Qwest Field. It's unknown what Central will do or where they'll play as rescheduling college football games can be a bit of a pain. The football game may have to take place on Friday or come at a completely different location.</p>
<p>As we said yesterday, this whole saga is a bit of a joke. Ignoring the league table for a friendly and shuffling everything this late in the game, is a tad-bit annoying. It will end up working, but the Sounders could ill-afford to turn their already crowded late-season schedule into a jam-packed schedule. With an MLS playoff run and CONCACAF Champions League berth all set for the fall, it's shaping up to be a hectic few weeks.</p>
<p>For more on the Sounders, head on over to SB Nation's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sounderatheart.com/">Sounder at Heart</a>.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/seattle-sounders/2011/5/18/2178434/philadelphia-union-real-madrid-friendly-seattle-sounders-schedule-cwu-footballBrian Floyd2011-05-17T17:12:14-07:002011-05-17T17:12:14-07:00Philadelphia Union Friendly With Real Madrid May Alter Seattle Sounders Schedule
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/I7qdsgWJWQQ5zEwLPrG5Kt2hhNI=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828133/large_seattle.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>The Philadelphia Union are on the verge of finalizing a friendly with Real Madrid and if the reported date is accurate, it would have an affect on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sounderatheart.com/">Seattle Sounders</a> schedule. The Union are scheduled to play the Sounders in Seattle on July 23, which happens to be the same date the proposed friendly is scheduled. If the deal goes through, the two sides would have to reschedule the game, likely much later in the season.</p>
<p>The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/soccer/20110517_Source__Union_will_play_Real_Madrid_at_Linc.html?ref=twitter.com&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter">report, citing sources close to the situation, comes from Philly.com</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>A formal announcement could come later this week, but a soccer source indicated that the two are expected to meet July 23 at Lincoln Financial Field.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>We've seen <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sounderatheart.com">Sounder at Heart</a>'s Trophies not Friendlies campaign, but this is taking it to a whole new level. By scheduling a friendly on the same day as a league match, the Union are showing a complete disregard for the league schedule. It is, essentially, flipping a bird to MLS competition for a money grab and meaningless game.</p>
<p>And it hurts the Sounders, too. With plenty of competitions set to occur late in the season, including the end of the MLS schedule, the CONCACAF Champions League and the U.S. Open Cup, Seattle's schedule is already packed. If the Sounders are forced to squeeze the Union game into September or October, it creates a significant logjam, much to the detriment of the team.</p>
<p>While friendlies are nice and fun for the casual fan, there's so many things wrong with this particularly match, the biggest of which is the disregard for the league schedule. I'm sure the Seattle front office and Sounders' fans are none too happy with the news.</p>
<p>For more on the Sounders, head on over to SB Nation's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sounderatheart.com">Sounder at Heart</a>.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2011/5/17/2335331/philadelphia-union-friendly-with-real-madrid-may-alter-seattleBrian Floyd