Cleveland City Stars To Play In Bedford
March 13, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Cleveland City Stars News Release
The Cleveland City Stars announced today that Bearcat Stadium in Bedford, OH will serve as the new home of the City Stars.
As part of the agreement with the Bedford City School District, the stadium will be known as Middlefield Cheese Stadium during all 2009 City Stars events.
"Having our name attached to such a tremendous facility and associated with an organization as respected as the Cleveland City Stars is an honor for Middlefield Cheese," said Middlefield Cheese President and CEO John Rothenbuhler. "The City Stars are proven winners on the field, and perhaps more importantly, they are winners off the field as well. The agreement to bring the City Stars to Middlefield Cheese Stadium in Bedford will be beneficial for this great community, particularly the children who will have excellent role models on and off the field."
Other terms of the agreement include free soccer clinics for children of Bedford and performance and attendance incentives for students of Bedford City Schools. Incentives include having students with improved G.P.A.'s and superior attendance announced and rewarded during City Stars games.
"The Cleveland City Stars are happy to have a new home in Bedford," said Cleveland City Stars General Manager Mark Geissbauer. "Middlefield Cheese Stadium is more than a place for us to play. It offers us a chance to make an impact in the community and continue our mission of serving the city and changing the world while also taking advantage of Bedford's beautiful facility. The partnership with the school district falls right in line with what we have accomplished in our first two years and we look forward to a great relationship."
Both sides worked together in ensuring the school district and the community would benefit from the partnership.
"As president of the Board of Education, I can say that we are excited to have the Cleveland City Stars join the Bedford family," said Bedford Board of Education President Tim Tench. "I'm sure the organization will find our facility second to none and will consider our stadium a welcome home. We will treat the Stars and their fans as our own and everybody that's affiliated with the organization will be taken care of."
Pastor Doug Boquist, the team pastor for the City Stars and a long-time resident of Bedford, played a role in bringing the two sides together on an agreement.
"I'm immensely pleased that the City Stars are making their home in Bedford," said Boquist. "This is a win for Bedford, a win for our schools and a win for the children of our community. For the past two years I have watched the City Stars unselfishly give their time and talent to help the children of the inner city. I am looking forward to seeing them work with the children of our community as well."
Middlefield Cheese Stadium holds 5,000 seats with room for an additional 3,000 in standing room and features restrooms, merchandise stands and full-service concessions under the grandstands.
The 985,600 square foot stadium was built in 1994 at a cost of $7.95 million and was renovated in 2004 with the installation of a brand new FieldTurf playing surface over the 120 X 75 field dimensions.
The state-of-the-art press box features two levels with room for announcers, reporters and scouts on the first level and production space on the second level. The 520 square foot scoreboard includes a message center with changeable graphics and displays.
The grounds also include 539 on-site parking spots, including 25 disabled spots, with overflow parking readily available.
Middlefield Cheese is an award-winning cheese house located in Middlefield, OH. Founded in 1956, Middlefield Cheese has been passed on through multiple generations of the Rothenbuhler faimily.
The mission of the Bedford City Schools - a district rich in tradition and diversity - is to educate all students to their potential, so they will become responsible, resourceful adults who appreciate the differences among people, by providing a well-disciplined, safe, secure learning environment, utilizing a progressive, comprehensive curriculum facilitated by highly qualified, caring personnel, incorporating state-of-the-art technology in parntership with our four communities.
The Cleveland City Stars are a professional outdoor soccer team that play in the United Soccer Leagues First Division. The City Stars began play in the USL Second Division in 2007 and after winning the USL-2 championship in 2008 have been promoted to the First Division. The team begins it's first season in USL-1 on April 18th. The inaugural game at Middlefield Cheese Stadium will take place May 1st against the Rochester Rhinos.
2009 marks the second year of a partnership with SportsTime Ohio with STO airing 12 of the City Stars 15 home matches. The remaining three home matches will be nationally broadcast as part of the USL cable package on Fox Soccer Channel.
Tickets for the season are on sale now at clevelandcitystars.com or by calling 330-425-2003. Tickets to the Return of the Champions Opening Night match are available for only $5 throughout the month of March.
USL First Division Stories from March 13, 2009
- Timbers Face MLS' San Jose in First Preseason Test Saturday - Portland Timbers
- RailHawks face Major League Soccer's Powerhouse New England Revolution - North Carolina FC
- Cleveland City Stars To Play In Bedford - Cleveland City Stars
- Battery set for Open Cup rematch with DC United - Charleston Battery
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