Galaxy VIP Entrance

The Los Angeles Galaxy have decided to build a "VIP Only" entrance to the Home Depot Center, because of all the celebrities expected to turn out to see Pete Vagenas later this year... what? Here's a look at the new entrance, courtesy LosAngelesSoccerNews.com:

Pretty glamorous, huh? Of course we don't want the Hollywood A-List to have fraternize with the general population. Can you imagine Jennifer Lopez waiting in line for a beer next to Tommy Mack from the Riot Squad? I'd pay extra to see that.

Stars that are reported to have bought season tickets to see the G's besides Jennifer Lopez include Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise. No word on whether there will be a Scientology night in the future, but I wouldn't rule it out.

Galaxy-Rangers Friendly Confirmed

The Los Angeles Galaxy have added another fixture against a well-known European club to their schedule. On May 23rd, the first MLS "Superclub" will take on Scottish Premier League powerhouse Rangers Football Club at the Home Depot Center. It will be included as "Bonus Game 2" for full-season ticket holders.

"Galaxy fans are consistently exposed to the best domestic and international players and teams," L.A. Galaxy President and General Manager Alexi Lalas said. "Rangers bring a competitive team with a passionate fan base and we look forward to having them as our guests."

On a related note, Rangers star and Croatian international Dado Prso has been linked with a move to the G's... but who hasn't at this point. Prso agent, Ranko Stojic told PA Sport the striker would consider offers if they were forthcoming from the U.S. and wealthy Far East clubs.

Galaxy, Chelsea Make Announcement

The Los Angeles Galaxy and Chelsea have announced their participation in the newly created World Series of Football. The four-team tournament, also featuring Korean side Suwon Bluewings and Tigres from Mexico, will take place at the Home Depot Center in Carson. Chelsea are scheduled to play the Galaxy on July 21. It should be noted that David Beckham IS expected to suit up for the Galaxy in this tournament, and it could be his debut for Los Angeles.


"We are very happy that we are going back to the U.S. for pre-season and we have done it every year since my arrival," said Chelsea skipper Jose Mourinho. "The fact that David Beckham is there brings something extra to the tournament and to the game. This gives me the chance to wish him big success in the U.S. He will be very important for U.S. soccer and for the relationship between US soccer and European soccer."

Chelsea will take part in the event in 2009 and 2011 as well.

Women's Soccer League To Return

A new women's professional soccer league is set to be launched in 2008, according to MSNBC. Five teams will play a 20-game schedule, running April-August, and will extend into the fall with playoffs. Cities that will host teams are Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and St. Louis. The Los Angeles team will be owned by AEG and play at the Home Depot Center in Carson.

The new league hopes to capitalize on attention generated by the 2007 Women's World Cup, which will be held in China this September. It will replace the WUSA, which folded in 2003 when average attendance hovered around 4,500.

The Home Depot Center will now host three professional soccer teams, a lacrosse team and the X-Games every summer, not including the occassional Kenny Chesney or Dave Matthews concert.

Beckham Debut Date Set

Mark your calendars, folks. According to World Soccer Daily, a date has been set for David Beckham's debut with the Los Angeles Galaxy: July 21st, in a friendly against Chelsea.
If the report is true, this match would be played at the Home Depot Center just two days after the MLS All-Star Game would be held in Colorado. There's no word on whether Beckham will take part in that game, but ESPN's soccernet.com has a countdown posted, announcing the July 21st game against Chelsea to be Beckham's debut with the G's. Chelsea currently sit second in the Barclay's Premier League, six points shy of Manchester United. They last visited U.S. soil this past summer to take on the MLS All-Stars, a game won 1-0 on a Dwayne De Rosario goal for the MLS.

U.S. vs Mexico Tonight!

The U.S. men's national team will take on Mexico tonight in Glendale, Arizona. The 62,000-seat University of Phoenix Stadium is expected to be overflowing with fans for the first meeting between the teams since 2005. Though it is only a "friendly" there is no love lost between the two teams. "I don't have friendly matches, much less against them (the U.S.)," Mexico forward Cuauhtemoc Blanco said during a new conference in Mexico recently.

Each side is being led by a new coach, with this being Hugo Sanchez's first go-round with Mexico. Bob Bradley is at the helm of his second game since replacing Bruce Arena - on an interim basis; Bradley's boys defeated Denmark at the Home Depot Center last month. Neither coach can afford a loss in this highly-publicized (at least in Mexico) match-up. The U.S. has come away with a win in seven of the past 10 matches between the two teams since 2000. The last meeting was held in September 2005, with the U.S. claiming a 2-0 victory in Columbus, Ohio.

Bradley has named an MLS-heavy roster for the match, with only eight players that have had previous experience against the Tricolor. Several European players will also suit up for the U.S., including Carlos Bocanegra, Tim Howard, Bobby Convey, and the newly-transferred Clint Dempsey.

My prediction is a 2-1 win for... the U.S., of course.

The match will be televised on ESPN2 and Univision beginning at 9 p.m. ET, with kickoff slated for 9:25 p.m.

2007 Schedule Released

As reported several days ago, MLS has put the final touches on the 2007 schedule and has finally released it to the public. For Galaxy fans, they received confirmation that most of their team's fixtures after David Beckham arrives will indeed be played outside Los Angeles. They will also be subject to a brutal eight, yes EIGHT, games in September alone. They will also play five of six August games away from the Home Depot Center. The first derby vs. Chivas will be on April 28th, a home game for the Galaxy. After the All-Star Break, the team will travel north of the border to face expansion team Toronto FC for the first time on August 5th, which might just be the first game that a certain Englishman is in the squad.

ABC will once again televise the season opener, D.C. United @ Colorado on April 7th. Each of the leagues 195 games will be broadcast at least regionally - a league first, and 113 will be televised nationally - most in league history. The 2007 MLS Cup, to be held at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., will air on Sunday, November 18th.

Expansion in '08? MLS Knows The Way To San Jose

Major League Soccer appears set to expand to 14 teams for the 2008 season. After adding Toronto FC as team #13 for this year, next year appears promising for the San Jose Earthquakes. People familiar with the subject knew it was only a matter of time before Lew Wolff got a team back in the Bay Area, but now a potential deal with San Jose State to build a 23,000-seat stadium is coming to light. The deal isn't completed yet, but an announcement could be only a couple of weeks out.

The Earthquakes were uprooted at the end of the 2005 season and shipped to Houston - where they were re-branded as the 1836 and then, ultimately, the Dynamo. You might know them better as winners of the 2006 MLS Cup.

While never leading the way in attendance, San Jose had a very devoted core of fans. Nearly 200 Earthquake fans made the trip down the coast to the Home Depot Center last year when the Galaxy hosted the Dynamo, and they made themselves heard. They were among the most passionate fans I have encountered in the league, and they deserve to have their team back. Congrats, Earthquake fans... and prepare to be annihilated by the G's in '08, and '09, and '10...