FIRE RETURN STATESIDE; WILL CHALLENGE FC DALLAS IN PRESEASON FRIENDLY
The Chicago Fire will return to the United States on Thursday, March 4 and will head straight into the third leg of the club’s four-stop, six-match preseason tour. Once the Fire get settled in Jackson, MS the club will resume training in suburban Ridgeland, MS from March 4 – March 9. The Fire will play Brimstone Cup rivals, FC Dallas at M & F Bank Stadium at Freedom Ridge Park on Sunday, March 7 at 3:00 PM CT. Ticket information for this match will be released shortly.
CHICAGO FIRE PRESEASON SCHEDULE: March 2 – MARCH 7 2010
Tuesday, March 2: Club Deportivo at Universidad de Guadalajara
Two-a-day training / 8 AM – 10 AM CT and 4 PM – 5:30 PM CT – OPEN TO MEDIA BY APPOINTMENT ONLY*
Wednesday, March 3: Fire vs. FC Atlas, 10:00 AM CT at Atlas Colomos – F.C. Atlas Training Facilities (closed-door scrimmage)
Thursday, March 4: Team Departs to Jackson, MS for third leg of preseason
Friday, March 5: Freedom Ridge Park
9 AM – 11 AM CT and 4 PM – 5:30 PM CT – OPEN TO MEDIA BY APPOINTMENT ONLY*
March 6 – 9: Freedom Ridge Park
9 AM – 11 AM CT – OPEN TO MEDIA BY APPOINTMENT ONLY *
Sunday, March 7: Fire vs. FC Dallas, 3:00 PM CT at M & F Bank Stadium – Freedom Ridge Park, MS (open to the public)
*Please call Becky Carroll at 312.350.5260 to arrange for media interviews at practice
INDIVIDUAL GAME TICKETS NOW ON SALE
Individual game tickets for all 2010 MLS regular season Chicago Fire matches at TOYOTA PARK are now on sale. The Fire have individual tickets starting at just $22, tickets starting at just $179, mini-plans starting at just $66 and group ticket options for groups of 15 or more. For more information on any Chicago Fire ticket package please call 1-888-MLS-FIRE (657-3473) or visit the club’s official website at www.chicago-fire.com.
With a balanced schedule, each of MLS’ other 15 clubs will make an appearance at TOYOTA PARK during the 2010 regular season, including Opening Night against the San Jose Earthquakes on April 10 at 7:30 PM CT, the LA Galaxy(Sept. 4) and the expansion Philadelphia Union (June 5).
FIRE UNVEIL 2010 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
The Fire are slated to appear in a total of 16 nationally televised broadcasts throughout their 13th season of MLS play. For the third consecutive year, every Fire game will be televised, either through national or regional broadcasts, or on the MLS Direct Kick package. For the first time in League and Club history, the Fire will play each of the other 15 clubs once at home, once away for a balanced, 30-game season. Please head to www.chicago-fire.com for the Fire’s full MLS schedule.
2010 CHICAGO FIRE SEASON KICKOFF LUNCHEON PRESENTED BY TICKETMASTER
The 2010 Chicago Fire Season Kickoff Luncheon presented by Ticketmaster will be held Wednesday, March 24 at the Swissotel Chicago. Don’t miss the first opportunity of the season to meet the entire 2010 Chicago Fire team including our new head coach, Carlos de los Cobos. The event also highlights Local ABC7 Sports Anchor Jim Rose, who will be the master of ceremonies. The event will include a reception, lunch and silent auction, which includes Fire and other sports memorabilia, gift certificates and much more! Proceeds benefit the Chicago Fire Foundation, the charitable arm of the Chicago Fire. Click here to download the order form or call the Foundation at 708-496-6740 for more information.
CHICAGO FIRE TO OPEN RED BULL ARENA
The Fire will open their 13th season in MLS with an Eastern Conference match against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, March 27 at 6:00 PM CT (ESPN). The First Kick game for both clubs will be the first MLS match at Red Bull Arena, the Red Bulls state-of-the art soccer specific stadium in Harrison, NJ.
OPENING NIGHT TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE AT TOYOTA PARK
Fire fans hoping to secure seats for Opening Night vs. San Jose on Saturday, April 10 at 7:30 PM CT can now purchase group tickets via the front office. Tickets start at just $18 for groups of 15 or more. Fans wishing to purchase group tickets can do so by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE (657-3473).
The Fire will play host to the San Jose Earthquakes for Opening Night at TOYOTA PARK on Saturday, April 10 at 7:30 PM CT. In 2009 the Fire went 1-0-1 against the Earthquakes. In the fourth match of the season the Fire got goals from Marco Pappa, Brian McBride and Chris Rolfe to come back from an early deficit and escape Buck Shaw Stadium with a 3-3 draw. In the return fixture at TOYOTA PARK the Fire emerged victorious when Fire forward Patrick Nyarko tallied a 82nd minute goal to give the Fire a 1-0 advantage. In the 92nd minute Cuauhtémoc Blanco put the game out of reach with a stoppage time goal to give the Fire a 2-0 victory.
Full Season Ticket packages as well as partial season ticket packages are currently available. The Fire are currently taking deposits and are available now by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE or clicking on the TICKETS link on the club’s official website, www.chicago-fire.com.
ABOUT CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club was founded on October 8, 1997 as a Major League Soccer expansion team. The Fire won the MLS Cup in its inaugural season in 1998 and was crowned the champion of U.S. Soccer’s national tournament, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, in 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006. In June 2006, the Fire moved into its world-class home of TOYOTA PARK, located in Bridgeview, IL.
ABOUT TOYOTA PARK
Located 15 minutes from downtown Chicago and minutes from Midway airport off of I-55 on Harlem Avenue, TOYOTA PARK is the Midwest’s preeminent outdoor live entertainment and sporting facility. Opened in 2006, TOYOTA PARK not only serves as the home of the Chicago Fire, but also hosts a variety of sporting events, special events and concerts by national and international artists. In 2009, artists ranging from Jimmy Buffett to Phish performed live at TOYOTA PARK.