FCE fall-season opener conflicts with WWC final: How NASL blew the fall schedule By Steven Sandor Posted on January 20, 2015 2 0 745 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter The NASL fall schedule came out on Tuesday. And one game sticks out like a sore thumb. And that’s FC Edmonton’s fall season opener, which will go July 5 at 2 p.m. (local time) against the San Antonio Scorpions. Considering that the game still occurs in the Women’s World Cup window — the money is on that being one of the two fall-season games that will be hosted in Fort McMurray, though the club isn’t expected to confirm those dates till next week. Oh, did I mention the World Cup window? Actually, the game will happen on the same day as the Women’s World Cup final. The FC Edmonton-San Antonio game kicks off just three hours before the big game at BC Place goes forward. By playing on the same day as the Women’s World Cup Final, whether it be in Edmonton or Fort McMurray, the Eddies will likely be largely ignored that day. And, flights from Alberta to Vancouver are short in duration and plentiful in supply. So, chances are more than a few Alberta-based fans who could have been at the Eddies game will be in Vancouver for the big final. (Now, those odds are lessened if the game is placed in Fort Mac — as it will likely be treated as a special event). According to the Eddies, the game date won’t be changed. And, according to the Eddies, had they started the season with a road game, the team would have faced a four-game jaunt away from home to start the season. After the July 5 date, the Eddies go on a three-game road trip and aren’t slated to play at home again till July 26. So, there was a push to get the Eddies a home game early in July. So some of the fault lie with NASL, for not figuring out it should try not to stack the Eddies with so many road games later in July — and basically force a conflict with arguably the biggest soccer game this country will ever host. Does it make sense that the NASL is ballyhooing its July 4 opening weekend schedule, but having a Canadian team play at home? Seriously, if getting fireworks and hot dogs into the schedule was such a big deal, why not have the Eddies open the season on July 1 — Canada Day? Whoops. Looks like the Ottawa Fury is playing at home on July 4, too (against Jacksonville). So that’s two instances where NASL could have had American teams playing at home for the big Yankee Doodle Dandy weekend, but decided to schedule games in Canada, instead.
