Fire Unveil 2011 Schedule

Fire

 

Fire The Chicago Fire Soccer Club, in conjunction with Major League Soccer and its national television partners, unveiled the 2011 regular season schedule Thursday. The Fire are slated to appear in a total of 11 nationally televised broadcasts throughout its 14th season of MLS play. The Men in Red will play each of the other 17 clubs once at home, once away for a balanced, 34-game season.

 

The Fire’s full schedule can seen at Chicago-Fire.com/schedule.

Branching across multiple programming platforms, the Fire will appear on national broadcast partners ESPN (one game), ESPN2 (three games), TeleFutura (four games) and Galavision (three games) throughout the season. The club will release their 2011 regional television schedule at a later date.

The Fire host Opening Day at TOYOTA PARK against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, March 26 at 3:00 PM CT live on TeleFutura. Chicago Fire Season Tickets are available by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE (657-3473), via Ticketmaster or by heading to the club’s official website at Chicago-Fire.com. Single game tickets go on-sale on Monday, Feb. 14 at 10 AM CT and can be purchased by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE (657-3473).

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The Men in Red will begin their 14th MLS season during “First Kick” week when they travel to Dallas to challenge Brimstone Cup rivals and MLS Cup runners up FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park on Saturday, March 19 at 7:30 PM CT.

The Fire will open two new MLS venues in 2011; christening newly renovated PGE Park against the expansion Portland Timbers on Thursday, April 14 at 10 PM CT (ESPN2) before becoming the first MLS side to visit KC Soccer Stadium for the return leg with Sporting KC on Thursday, June 9 at 9:00 PM CT (ESPN2).

To commemorate the Fire’s founding and mark the 140th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, the Men in Red will hold their 14th Anniversary Match at TOYOTA PARK on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 8:00 PM CT against MLS Cup runners-up FC Dallas. The anniversary match, annually held on Oct. 8, was pushed back four days due to FIFA fixed competition dates on Oct. 7-11.

Breaking down the 34-game balanced schedule by day of the week, the Fire will play a vast majority of their matches during the weekend. The Fire have 21 Saturday match days, nine at TOYOTA PARK and 12 on the road. Six Sunday afternoon/evening fixtures, four at home and two away. Three nationally televised Thursday night battles on ESPN2, against Eastern Conference rival D.C. United at home and at the aforementioned stadium openings at Portland and Kansas City. The Men in Red will play four Wednesday games, three in the Windy City and a midweek clash with 2009 MLS Cup Champions Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City.

 

Carlos de los Cobos’ men will welcome Landon Donovan, David Beckham, Juan Pablo Angel and the LA Galaxy for the second match of the season at TOYOTA PARK on Sunday, April 17 at 3:00 PM CT (TeleFutura). The Fire beat and tied the Galaxy in 2010.

Long-time Eastern Conference rivals New York Red Bull visit TOYOTA PARK on Sunday, June 26 at 1 PM CT (ESPN). Led by designated players Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez the New York side witnessed 21,868 Fire faithful, the largest crowd in TOYOTA PARK history, when the two clubs clashed Aug. 8 of 2010.

The Fire take on the defending MLS Cup Champion Colorado Rapids at TOYOTA PARK at the end of a three-game homestand on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 7:30 PM CT. The Fire will kickoff the homestand against Eastern Conference foe D.C. United in a Thursday night ESPN2 fixture Aug. 18 at 8:00 PM CT.

Welcoming two new clubs to the League, the Fire will host the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 PM CT. Portland Timbers make their first appearance at TOYOTA PARK ON Saturday, July 16 at 7:30 PM CT.

 

#

DATE

OPPONENT

VENUE

HOME/AWAY

TIME (CT)

1

Saturday, Mar 19 

Dallas    

Dallas    

Away     

7:30

2

Saturday, Mar 26 (TeleFutura) 

Kansas City

Chicago                

Home   

3:00

3

Saturday, Apr 9                 

Seattle  

Seattle

 Away    

3:00        

4

Thursday, Apr 14 (ESPN2) 

Portland

Portland

Away

10:00

5

Sunday, Apr 17 (TeleFutura)

LA Galaxy

Chicago                

Home

3:00

6

Saturday, Apr 23

Houston

Chicago                

Home   

7:30

7

Saturday, Apr 30

Colorado

Colorado

Away   

8:00

8

Saturday, May 7

Vancouver

Chicago                

Home   

7:30

9

Saturday, May 14 (TSN2, TSN2)  

Toronto

Toronto

Away     

6:00

10

Saturday, May 21 (Galavision)

Philadelphia

Philadelphia

Away     

7:00

11

Saturday, May 28 

San Jose

Chicago   

Home   

7:30

12

Saturday, Jun 4 

Seattle                 

Chicago   

Home   

7:30

13

Thursday, Jun 9 (ESPN2)               

Kansas City

Kansas City

Away     

9:00

14

Sunday, Jun 12  

Columbus

Columbus

Away     

3:00

15

Saturday, Jun 18

New England     

New England

Away

6:30        

16

Wednesday, Jun 22        

Real Salt Lake

Chicago                

Home

7:30

17

Sunday, Jun 26 (ESPN)   

New York

Chicago                

Home   

1:00

18

Saturday, Jul 2 (Galavision)

Chivas   

Chivas

Away     

9:00        

19

Saturday, Jul 9   

LA Galaxy

Los Angeles

Away     

9:30

20

Saturday, Jul 16 

Portland

Chicago                

Home   

7:30        

21

Wednesday, Aug 3

Philadelphia

Chicago                

Home

8:00

22

Sunday, Aug 7 (Galavision)

Vancouver

Vancouver

Away

6:00        

23

Saturday, Aug 13 

New York

New York

Away     

6:30

24

Thursday, Aug 18 (ESPN2)

DC          

Chicago   

Home   

8:00

25

Sunday, Aug 21

Toronto

Chicago   

Home   

6:00

26

Saturday, Aug 27

Colorado

Chicago   

Home   

7:30

27

Saturday, Sep 10

San Jose

San Jose

Away

9:30

28

Saturday, Sep 17 (TeleFutura)

Chivas   

Chicago   

Home   

3:00

29

Sunday, Sep 25

New England

Chicago   

Home   

3:00

30

Wednesday, Sep 28 

Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake

Away     

8:00

31

Saturday, Oct 1 (TeleFutura)

Houston

Houston

Away     

3:00

32

Wednesday, Oct 12        

Dallas    

Chicago                

Home   

7:30

33

Saturday, Oct 15 

DC          

DC

Away

6:30

34

Saturday, Oct 22 

Columbus

Chicago                

Home  

7:30  

 

Source: www.chicago-fire.com