DMV Soccer Related Thought #1: The Maryland Bobcats are Heading To NISA
Congratulations to the Maryland Bobcats on joining the National Independent Soccer Association! The Bobcats have had a steady rise through the ranks of the American soccer landscape here in the DMV, winning the 2019 Fall UPSL title and having played in multiple leagues across the area. It is a first-class organization that have created not just a great product on the field, but a great product off of it as well. If you go onto their social media you can see how much effort and passion their team has for this club and they have really set the bar high for other teams not just in the DMV, but across the country as well.
One other thing that yours truly found interesting in their press release was the announcement that they are planning on using the Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex for home matches. This is a massive move for the club for a number of reasons. By being able to use the main field at SoccerPlex (for those outside of the DMV Maureen Hendricks Field is the field that the Washington Spirit have used for NWSL matches) the club can not only sell tickets, but they can also bring in concessions, advertising, and other vital forms of revenue. I know that talking about soccer and things like marketing, sponsorship, and revenue can be quite acrimonious, But it is important for clubs to thrive that they have ways in which to collect revenue. Having a stadium like Maureen Hendricks Field at their disposal will undoubtedly help the Bobcats grow and continue to develop. It is obviously not the most important part of a club but it still definitely carries value.
One other quick note on the Bobcats: They will be back in action on Sunday as they host FC Baltimore at the Evergreen Sports Complex. Game is at 8:30pm and you can actually watch the game live myCujo. I will actually be there taking photos and will hopefully have some photos for you next week!
DMV Soccer Thought #2: The Return Of Stadium Woes For D.C. United
It has been a bit of time since D.C. United fans have wondered where they will be playing home games at. I almost missed the days of churning out articles detailing the latest on D.C. City Council votes and ordinance laws . Almost. But here we are again.
According to The Atheltic’s Pablo Maurer D.C. United are looking a couple of different options for home venues for the remainder of the MLS season: Segra Field in Leesburg and Navy Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis.
Of course the big question is why would United want to switch stadiums? The reason seems to be rather clear: they want fans in the stadium. Their current home venue, Audi Field, is unlikely to be able to host fans this year due to restrictions in place in Washington D.C. If United were to play at Segra they would be able to host 1000 fans per game according to current Virginia statutes. Navy Marine Corps Stadium is an interesting choice given that United have only played one game there (A 2018 1-0 win against the Columbus Crew) and that current Maryland restrictions do not allow for spectators.
Of course, the bigger concern should be why United would even be considering playing a game a.) Outside of Audi Field after the years of wrangling in getting a stadium and b.) With spectators given that our country is currently in a pandemic. The risk is obviously very high and given all of the issues that the club went through to get Audi it seems like a poor decision.
DMV Soccer Thought #3: Motorik FC Alexandria’s Spotify Playlist Should Spark A Soccer Music Revolution
If you aren’t following Motorik FC Alexandria on Twitter, you should. The club is consistently coming up with new and inventive ways to showcase their club. Case in point: the Motorik FC Alexandria Spotify Playlist
Now yours truly has seen a number of different ventures put out by clubs to connect better with their supporters and the greater soccer community. But publishing a playlist is certainly a first for me and quite honestly I love the idea! Soccer and music are often seen as being synonymous with one another because of the artistry and the level of creativity. While there have certainly been instances of players and teams producing their own music, this is the first time that I have ever heard of a team producing a playlist. And it is quite good!
But this got me thinking: If you could make a playlist for your team what songs would be on it? Send us your thoughts to honeyballer@gmail.com
Also, make sure to check out Motorik FC Alexandria as they begin their Maryland Major Soccer League preseason against FC Limitless (August 9), Columbia FC (August 16), and Steel Pulse FC (August 30). If you cannot make one of their matches you can still support the club by purchasing one of their awesome shirts, jerseys, or apparel on their website.
Honeyball Soccer 