USL-1 Charleston Battery

Battery Home Opener set for Saturday, April 19

January 14, 2008 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Charleston Battery News Release


Charleston, SC. - United Soccer Leagues has released the 2008 Regular Season Schedule for the USL First Division. The 164-game campaign, the first 30-game team schedule in league history, opens Saturday, April 12 with two games and wraps up Sunday, September 21. Opening Night for the USL First Division will feature the Charleston Battery visiting the Miami FC Blues at 7:30 pm ET and the Vancouver Whitecaps playing host to Canadian rival Montreal Impact at 10:00 pm.

The Charleston Battery's first home game is the following weekend; Saturday, April 19 as the champion Seattle Sounders open their title defense at Blackbaud Stadium.

Fans will once again be able to watch all non-TV games on USLlive.com. The 2008 campaign will mark the second season in which all matches not featured on national television will be available for viewing online via USL Live in partnership with Play On!, a division of Turner Broadcasting.

The debut of the new Stade Saputo in Montreal will fall on Monday, May 19 when the Impact play host to the Whitecaps in the 13,000-seat, natural grass stadium on the Canadian holiday Victory Day. It will mark the opening of the fourth soccer specific facility in the USL First Division, joining the Charleston Battery's Blackbaud Stadium (1999), Atlanta Silverbacks' RE/MAX Greater Atlanta Stadium (2006) and Rochester Rhinos' PAETEC Park (2006).

The 11 teams will be making USL-1 history in 2008 when they play a 30-game schedule for the first time in league history after playing 28-game schedules 10 of the last 11 seasons. Each club will play each opponent three times during the regular season. The top seven teams will advance to the playoff tournament, with the Commissioner's Cup winner (regular season champion) receiving a bye into the Semifinals. The First Round will involve the #2 - #7 seeds competing in two-leg aggregate score series with the three winners advancing to Semifinals with #1 seed pitted against the lowest remaining seed.

FOX Soccer Channel & Fireworks

The Charleston Battery will host four games live on FOX Soccer Channel from Blackbaud Stadium this year, May 9 vs Miami, June 20 vs Minnesota, August 29 vs Puerto Rico & September 19 vs Carolina. All four FOX Soccer Channel games will feature a post-game Fireworks display as will the Charleston Battery home opener on Saturday, April 19 vs Seattle.

Tickets

Single game tickets will go on sale in late March following the Major League Soccer Carolina Challenge Cup tournament. Season Ticket packages are on sale now starting at only $120. A limited number of Three Lions Club and Battery Club packages are available; for more information or to purchase tickets please call (843) 971-GOAL (4625) or visit www.charlestonbattery.com.

2008 Charleston Battery USL First Division Schedule

Sat 12-Apr Charleston Battery @ Miami FC Blues 7:30 PM

Sat 19-Apr Seattle Sounders @ Charleston Battery 7:30 PM Fireworks

Sat 26-Apr Charleston Battery @ Carolina RailHawks 7:30 PM

Fri 2-May Rochester Rhinos @ Charleston Battery 7:30 PM

Fri 9-May Miami FC Blues @ Charleston Battery 8:00 PM Fireworks

Wed 14-May Montreal Impact @ Charleston Battery 7:30 PM

Sat 17-May Charleston Battery @ Rochester Rhinos 7:35 PM

Sat 24-May Atlanta Silverbacks @ Charleston Battery 7:30 PM

Wed 28-May Vancouver @ Charleston Battery 7:30 PM

Sat 7-Jun Montreal Impact @ Charleston Battery 7:30 PM

Fri 13-Jun Charleston Battery @ Montreal Impact 7:30 PM

Fri 20-Jun Minnesota Thunder @ Charleston Battery 8:00 PM Fireworks

Sat 28-Jun Rochester Rhinos @ Charleston Battery 7:30 PM

Sat 5-Jul Seattle Sounders @ Charleston Battery 7:30 PM

Sat 12-Jul Puerto Rico @ Charleston Battery 7:30 PM

Sat 19-Jul Portland Timbers @ Charleston Battery 7:30 PM

Wed 23-Jul Charleston Battery @ Vancouver Whitecaps 10:00 PM

Sat 26-Jul Charleston Battery @ Seattle Sounders 11:00 PM

Fri 1-Aug Charleston Battery @ Atlanta Silverbacks 7:55 PM

Sun 3-Aug Vancouver @ Charleston Battery 6:00 PM

Thu 7-Aug Charleston Battery @ Minnesota Thunder 8:05 PM

Sat 9-Aug Charleston Battery @ Portland Timbers 10:00 PM

Sat 16-Aug Charleston Battery @ Atlanta Silverbacks 7:55 PM

Fri 22-Aug Charleston Battery @ Puerto Rico Islanders 8:00 PM

Sun 24-Aug Charleston Battery @ Miami FC Blues 6:00 PM

Fri 29-Aug Puerto Rico @ Charleston Battery 8:00 PM Fireworks

Sat 6-Sep Charleston Battery @ Carolina RailHawks 7:30 PM

Thu 11-Sep Charleston Battery @ Portland Timbers 10:00 PM

Sat 13-Sep Charleston Battery @ Minnesota Thunder 8:05 PM

Fri 19-Sep Carolina RailHawks @ Charleston Battery 8:00 PM Fireworks

Check out the Charleston Battery Statistics



USL First Division Stories from January 14, 2008


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