MLS Chicago Fire FC

Chicago Fire Look to Stoke Playoff Flames with Western Conference Road Trip

Published on September 27, 2010 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


The Chicago Fire (6-10-8, 26 points) fight for their playoff lives as they embark on a crucial seven-day Western Conference swing that pits the Men in Red against the 6th and 5th teams in the MLS Cup Playoff standings. The Fire challenge former teammates Jon Busch, Tim Ward and the San Jose Earthquakes (11-7-6, 39 points) on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at 10:00PM CT (CLTV/Comcast SportsNet Chicago Plus). From San Jose, the Fire head to Dallas to battle for the Brimstone Cup on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 PM CT (FSC/FSE).

The midweek fixture will go a long way in determining the Fire's MLS Cup Playoff hopes. With six matches remaining, the Men in Red sit 11 points back of the Colorado Rapids for the eighth and final postseason spot. A win would stoke the flames of a possible playoff run, a loss would all but end the club's chances for an 12th playoff appearance in its 13 year history

On Saturday, the Fire will search to reclaim the Brimstone Cup for the first time since 2001. FC Dallas (11-2-13, 46 points) has either won or retained the cup eight of the previous nine seasons, with the Fire only raising the trophy in the competition's inaugural year - 2001. The Cup is awarded to the team with the most points in matches played between the two sides. If both teams have the same number of points at the end of the season the Cup remains with the club who held it at the beginning of the season.

CHICAGO FIRE at San Jose Earthquakes

* The Fire are 11-7-9 all-time against the San Jose Earthquakes, with a 4-5-4 away record against the Northern California based club.

* On Opening Night, Ike Opara's 82nd minute header gave the 'Quakes a 2-1 victory over the Fire at TOYOTA PARK April 10.

* The Fire have not scored a goal in 362 minutes.

* On Monday, March 29 the San Jose Earthquakes acquired former Chicago Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch to backup long-time 'Quakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon. Busch became the starter after Cannon suffered a season-ending ankle injury. The last time Busch faced the Fire, as a member of the Columbus Crew, he had three saves as the Crew tied the Fire 1-1 on April 15, 2006. 'Quakes head coach Frank Yallop has inserted former Fire defender Tim Ward into the Starting XI at right back.

* San Jose and Chicago played in the 2003 MLS Cup. The 'Quakes defeated the Fire 4-2 in front of a sold-out crowd at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. Current Fire players CJ Brown and Logan Pause were part of the 2003 team that forged through to the 2003 MLS Cup Final.

* The Fire tied and won against the 'Quakes in 2009. Marco Pappa, Brian McBride and Chris Rolfe all scored to combat San Jose goals from Ryan Johnson, Bobby Convey and Arturo Alvarez to leave San Jose with a 3-3 tie April 11. In the return leg, Patrick Nyarko and Cuauhtémoc Blanco scored to give the Fire a 2-0 victory at TOYOTA PARK July 18.

CHICAGO FIRE at FC Dallas

* The Fire have a 11-18-3 record all-time against FC Dallas and 3-11-1 in matches played in the Lone Star State.

* The Fire tied FC Dallas in the first leg of the Brimstone Cup at TOYOTA PARK May 27. David Ferreira gave Dallas an early lead with his 6th minute goal but the Fire rallied as Brian McBride headed home a Justin Mapp cross to level the match in 40th minute.

* FC Dallas enters Saturday's match riding a 17-game unbeaten streak.

- In 2009 both sides exchanged three-goal victories. The Fire defeated FC Dallas 3-0 on goals from Justin Mapp, Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Brian McBride in the season opener at Pizza Hut Park on March 21. In the return leg at TOYOTA PARK on May 31, the Fire gave up three goals and FC Dallas earned three points to tie the Fire for the season series and retain the Brimstone Cup for an eighth consecutive season.

* FC Dallas has tallied three goals or more in 13 of the 32 matches played between the two sides.

* The Fire are 1-2-1 in matches played at Pizza Hut Park, notching their first win at FCD's soccer-specific stadium in 2009.

CHICAGO FIRE - SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MATCH TO AIR ON CLTV, CSN +

The Chicago Fire - San Jose Earthquakes match on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at 10:00 PM CT at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, CA will be broadcast regionally on Chicagoland Television (CLTV) and Comcast SportsNet Chicago Plus. The match will no longer be available on ESPN2.

CLTV is currently available on Comcast Cable in the Chicagoland area. Please check local listings or click here for a full list of CLTV Channels specific to location within the Chicagoland area. Comcast SportsNet Plus is available on Channel 666+1 on DirecTV. CLTV is also available on RCN Cable Channel 31 in the Chicago area, Comcast Cable Channel 10 in Rockford and Comcast Cable Channel 53 in South Bend, IN.

CHICAGO FIRE UNVEIL A HISTORIC MURAL IN PILSEN COMMUNITY

The Chicago Fire Soccer Club unveiled the restoration of a nearly 13-year-old mural depicting the storied history of the Chicago Fire on 1030 West 16th street (Carpenter Road an 16th street) in Pilsen last Wednesday, Sept. 22. The restoration, led by local artist Oscar Romero, is part of the Fire's continued efforts to strengthen relationships within the Hispanic community in support of the Fire's Hispanic Heritage night match between the Fire and Seattle Sounders FC at TOYOTA PARK on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 7:00 PM CT (My50).

Romero began painting the Fire-themed mural in 1998, when he created a mural of Fire icons Jorge Campos and Roman Kosecki playing soccer within the fabled walls of Soldier Field, the Fire's first home. Over the last 18 months, the club has worked closely with members of the Hispanic community including Romero, Alderman Daniel Solis and staff, Fire supporters' group Section 8 and BEHR Paint representative Oscar Mendoza, who were all in attendance at the historic unveiling, in the restoration and modern day additions of TOYOTA PARK to the historic mural. Fire head coach Carlos de los Cobos was also on-hand to help commemorate the event and provide the mural a present day connection to the Fire.

For more information on the Mural in Pilsen, visit here .

ALL-IN FOR 2011: FAN FEEDBACK DRIVES FIRE'S 2011 SEASON TICKET PLAN

The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced pricing for 2011 season tickets after nearly a season's worth of feedback from its supporters about the kind of offers and incentives they want in a Fire season ticket package. In an unprecedented move in Chicago sports, the Fire will offer free and reduced parking to a majority of season ticket holders and a 12-month payment plan that will allow Fire Season Ticket Holders to pay as low as $15 a month from Nov. of 2010 until Sept. 2011. Ninety-seven percent of all season tickets will experience no increase in ticket prices from 2010 to 2011. Season Tickets start as low as $199 for the Fire's 20-game TOYOTA PARK schedule and feature a number of unique and exclusive benefits to being a Chicago Fire Season Ticket Holder. Fire Season Tickets can be purchased by phone at 1-888-MLS-FIRE (657-3473) or head to the club's official website at www.Chicago-Fire.com .

ALL IN FOR 2011

1. FREE PARKING: For the first time in club history, the Fire will offer free and reduced parking to a majority of its Season Ticket Holders. All lower bowl east-side and west-side Season Ticket Holders will receive free parking at TOYOTA PARK for the duration of the 20 game schedule. Harlem End and Skyway Season Ticket Holders will receive half-price parking, $120 down from $240 for the entire 2011 Fire season.

2. 12-MONTH PAYMENT PLAN: The only sport in town that offers a Season Ticket Payment Plan, the Fire give fans a chance to pay off their Season Ticket over the course of 12 months. For as low as $15 a month, Fire Season Ticket Holders will be given the option to make monthly payments from Nov. 1, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2011.

3. BUILD THE CLUB REWARDS PROGRAM: This fan-friendly, unique opportunity allows for current Fire Season Ticket Holders to reward fans and receive a 20 percent credit on referral purchases. Those referred will receive a five percent savings on the purchase of their 2011 Fire Season Tickets.

4. MERCHANDISE AND CONCESSION SAVINGS: All Fire Season Ticket Holders will receive a 20 percent savings off all Fire merchandise. The Fire have teamed will Levy Concessions to offer savings on in-stadium concessions for Fire Season Ticket Holders.

5. 97 PERCENT OF SEASON TICKETS REMAIN THE SAME PRICE IN 2011: Utilizing a simplified pricing structure, the Fire reduced Stadium pricing areas from 10 to six. The move expands the Fire's faithful supporter's section, Section 8, from two sections to four and shows an $80 reduction in CornerKick tickets from $480 to $400. Four sections of Skyway season ticket plans make up for the three percent of tickets that did not remain the same for 2011. Four Skyway sections increased just $1 a game, from $179 to $199.

2010/2011 SEASON TICKET PRICING COMPARISON

2010 SEASON TICKET PRICING 2011

$3000 Fieldside $3000

$999 Club $999

$600 Premier $600

$480 CornerKick $400

$200 Supporters $200

$199 Skyway $199

CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB APPOINTS JULIAN POSADA AS CLUB PRESIDENT

Julian Posada has been appointed President of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club. Posada will serve as the Fire's top business executive leading the strategic planning and overall management of the club and stadium operations. Posada has lived and worked in Chicago as a top media and entertainment executive for nearly 20 years. As a dedicated and successful executive, Posada has also been consistently recognized by civic and community organizations for his creative and effective leadership, as well as his valuable contributions to the community.

Most recently, Posada served as Founder and President of Café Media, a multimedia company that targets second and third generation Hispanics through a combination of print, event, electronic and web platforms in Chicago as well as other cities. Prior to this, Posada was General Manager for Hoy, Chicago's only Spanish Daily Newspaper (Tribune owned and operated). Posada was responsible for the day-to-day activities of Hoy Chicago including editorial, sales, finance, marketing, circulation and production. In addition to launching Hoy Chicago, he was also part of the team that launched Hoy Los Angeles.

Posada has held senior level positions at Citibank in Colombia SA; he was a Principal at the J.C. Williams Consulting group; and he served as Director of Business Development at Querico.com as part of Ethnicgrocer.com.

Posada currently serves on numerous non-profit boards, including the Academy for Urban School Leadership, The Taproot Foundation, Public Allies, The Metropolitan Chicago YMCA and as a Trustee of National Louis University among various other boards and committees within the Hispanic community.

Additionally, he has received several awards and recognitions for his business achievements and community service. He served as a McCormick Tribune Media Fellow (2006), was a winner of Presstime's 20 under 40 (2007) and was selected by Chicago United as a Business Leader of Color (2007). Recently he was selected as a recipient of the Cook County State's Attorney's 2008 Arnold Mireles Community Empowerment Award and in 2009 he received the NSHMBA Brilante Award, as well as the 2010 Exito Award from HACE.

He earned an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a B.S. in Food Systems, Economics and Management from Michigan State University.

Posada, 42, lives in Chicago with his wife Gina and their two boys.

CHICAGO FIRE UPENDED BY SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 1-0

Seattle Sounders FC forward Blaise Nkufo snuck the ball past Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson in the 88th minute to give Seattle Sounders FC a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Fire Saturday night at TOYOTA PARK.

Steve Zakuani sent a weighted ball into the space on the left side, finding a hustling Nkufo with room to work. The Swiss Designated Player dribbled to the touchline, cut back and blasted a shot that deflected off of a sliding C.J. Brown and under Johnson for the game's lone goal.

The loss drops the Fire to 6-10-8, with 26 points and leaves the Men in Red 12 points back of the Colorado Rapids for the 8th and final MLS Cup Playoff spot with six games to play. The Fire suffered its third loss of the season at home and extend their winless streak to seven games.

Treating the game as a must-win, the Fire blitzed Sounders FC early, nearly taking the lead when Marco Pappa darted in on goal in Seattle's offensive third. The Fire's leading scorer fired a low, driven shot, but was unable to power his effort under Seattle Sounders FC goalkeeper Kasey Keller in the 4th minute.

The Fire came close to breaking the deadlock again in the 29th minute, when former Sounder Freddie Ljungberg found John Thorrington wide open just inside the 18-yard box on the right side. The 31-year-old veteran took a touch toward goal and sliced an unselfish pass toward a cutting Calen Carr, but the cross was deflected before it could reach its intended target.

CHICAGO FIRE, U.S. SOCCER OFFER SPECIAL COMBO 2-PACK TICKET PACKAGE

The Chicago Fire Soccer Club is offering a special COMBO 2-PACK ticket package which includes a ticket to a select Chicago Fire match at TOYOTA PARK and a ticket for the U.S. Men's national team match against Poland at Soldier Field on Oct. 9 at 6:30 PM CT. The COMBO 2-PACK is on sale immediately and can be ordered by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE (657-3473) or heading to www.Chicago-Fire.com or ussoccer.com . The Chicago Fire-U.S. Soccer COMBO 2-PACK marks the first time in club history that the Fire have partnered with U.S. Soccer for a special ticket package offer.

COMBO 2-Packs start at $40 and include a ticket for the USA-Poland game and your choice of one of the following Fire matches at TOYOTA PARK:

Friday, October 8 Chicago Fire vs Columbus Crew (8:00 PM) Tuesday, October 12 Chicago Fire vs Kansas City Wizards (7:30 PM)

COMBO 2-PACKS consist of a Sideline USA ticket & Corner Fire ticket OR Corner USA ticket & Firehouse Fire ticket.

CHICAGO FIRE FORWARD BRIAN MCBRIDE TO RETIRE AT THE END OF THE 2010 SEASON

Fire forward Brian McBride will retire at the end of the 2010 season. The MLS All-Time Best XI forward and three-time U.S. World Cup star will end his illustrious 17-year playing career following the Fire's 2010 season. McBride, the number one selection in the 1996 MLS inaugural player draft, has appeared in 211 games, scoring 78 goals and adding 51 assists over the course of his 11-year MLS career with the Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew. One of the most decorated players in United States soccer history, the renowned striker appeared in three FIFA World Cups, scoring 30 goals in 95 appearances for the U.S. Men's National Team from 1993-2006.

To watch McBride's comments, please click here: http://chitv.neulion.com/mlsvp/console.jsp?id=8329

McBride returned to Chicago to play for his hometown club July 30, 2008, following a celebrated four-and-half-year stint with English Premier League side Fulham FC. While donning the Fire shirt, the Arlington Heights, IL product scored 16 goals in 49 appearances helping the Fire to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals.

McBride, one of the defining figures in the history of the U.S. Men's National Team, appeared in three FIFA World Cups (1998, 2002, 2006) and ranks third all-time in goals scored (30) behind Eric Wynalda (34) and Landon Donovan (45). In the 2002 World Cup, the USA's most successful World Cup experience, McBride provided game winning goals for the USA to defeat Portugal and Mexico and advance to the quarterfinals. McBride sits behind Bert Patenaude and Donovan for the most World Cup goals for an American with three. McBride capped his international career by captaining the 2008 U.S. Olympic team at the Beijing Games, as one of the three "overage" players permitted to the Olympic squad.

While with Fulham from 2004-2008, McBride tallied 40 goals in 153 appearances, starting 111 games, and was handed Fulham's captaincy in 2007.The target forward was Fulham's top scorer in their 2006-07 campaign notching 12 goals, while helping the London-based club to retain their Premier League status. The famed forward and fan favorite won the club's Player of the Year Award in 2007 and 2008 and became such an admired figure during his tenure in London that Fulham renamed a bar inside Craven Cottage "McBride's" in June of 2009.

The 38-year-old indelibly made his mark on MLS when he returned from German club VfL Wolfsburg to become the first overall selection by the Columbus Crew in the 1996 MLS inaugural player draft. In the eight years he played for the Crew, McBride racked-up 62 goals, tied for the club record with Jeff Cunningham, and added 45 assists in 161 league games, leading the Crew to the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. While with the Crew, McBride was selected to eight MLS All-Star Games, appearing in seven. In 2005, the franchise forward was named to the MLS All-Time Best XI.

Over the course of his storied career, the Buffalo Grove High School and St. Louis University All-American has participated in a number of off the field initiatives to help support local communities and children in need. McBride served as the national spokesperson for St. Jude Hospital and the Pepsi Refresh Project, supported Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, and served as the first spokesperson of the Central Ohio Diabetes Association.

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Major League Soccer Stories from September 27, 2010


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