Official 2010 NSC Minnesota Schedule
I’ve gone through the schedule, added important World Cup dates to it and denoted the home and away games as well as the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup games.
NOTE: US Open Cup games have been removed from my IMS schedule. US Soccer announced that the NASL noted Open Cup dates that were not accurate or confirmed.
• In conjunction with the release of the schedule, the USSF has also unveiled details of the playoff format for this season. The 12-team league, consisting of two conferences of six teams, has adopted the following format:
• The first place team (based on total points, at the conclusion of the regular season) in the USL Conference and NASL Conference will become the top two seeds in the playoffs.
• The next six (6) best teams, based on total points, will round out the playoff field.
• The four teams with the fewest total points in the regular season are excluded from the playoffs.
• Playoffs will begin during the week starting Monday, October 4.
• Quarterfinals will be a two-game, home-and-away series determined by total aggregate goals.
• Semifinal round will be a two-game, home-and-away series determined by total aggregate goals.
• Championship will be a two-game, home-and-away series determined by total aggregate goals.
• Exact dates for playoff games are TBD.
Here are some notes I’ve taken after letting the schedule sink in:
–As stated earlier today, the travel partners for NSC Minnesota are AC St. Louis, Portland and Vancouver. Minnesota will play each of those teams 4 times, 2 at home and 2 away.
–The other travel partner not in our travel group ends up being the Tampa Bay Rowdies. I know for a fact that at one point our other travel partner was Puerto Rico. Not a huge difference but still an improvement going to Tampa over having to go to Puerto Rico twice.
–NSC has 5 summer tournaments and they were allowed home games at all 5 tournaments. In fact, they squeeze 6 games out of the 5 tourneys plus a Blaine Soccer Club tourney, the Blaine Breakout.
–There is definite fixture congestion during Schwan’s USA Cup with home league games on the 10th and 14th which probably will not allow a guest opponent (like Burnley in the summer of 2008) during the USA Cup as has often been done in the past. Unless the team tries to squeeze it in on Friday or Saturday when most of the tournament goers are gone.
–The home schedule gives us 9 Saturday games, 5 Wednesday games and 1 Sunday game which is Sunday, July 4th.
–Toughest stretch of the season may be the first three games where we play away to Vancouver, Carolina and Puerto Rico. All very good teams.
–There are 2 stretches of 3-week periods away from home:
May 29 to June 19 where there are 3 away games against Rochester, Montreal and Portland, but most likely there will be a home Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game in the stretch and on June 15 or 16.
The other is a 3.5 week stretch from August 21 to Sept. 15. But only 2 away games are played during that long stretch. Those games are against Austin and St. Louis.
–Oddest scheduling is two games against Miami home and away May 15 home and May 22 away. We never see the Blues again for the entire season.
–Longest stretch before we see a team is June 26, almost 3 months into the season before we play Crystal Palace Baltimore.
–Worst scheduled game of the season is Wednesday, September 15 against the Carolina RailHawks. A Wednesday evening game when school has begun and both high school and college soccer have started with their seasons well under way? I can’t wait to see the crowd for that game.
–For two years I harped on the old MN Thunder to create a schedule on their website where you could import that game schedule into your Entourage or i-Cal calender. Without asking, the NSC has already made this available along with other options, like requesting an email from them to remind you of games. I only have one word for NSC: OUTSTANDING! Check it out here.
Here is your 2010 NSC Minnesota Soccer Schedule.
Sunday, April 11 at Vancouver Whitecaps @ A
Friday, April 16 at Carolina RailHawks @ A
Sunday, April 18 at Puerto Rico Islanders @ A
Saturday, April 24 vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies (held during NSC’s Spring Cup youth tournament) @H
Wednesday, April 28 vs. Rochester Rhinos @H
Saturday, May 1 vs. Austin Aztex (held during the Blaine Breakout youth tournament) @H
Sunday, May 9 at Montreal Impact @ A
Saturday, May 15 vs. Miami FC @ H
Saturday, May 22 at Miami FC @ A
Thursday, May 27 at Tampa Bay Rowdies @ A
Saturday, May 29 vs. AC St. Louis (held during the NSC Cup youth tournament) @H
Friday, June 4 at Rochester Rhinos @ A
Wednesday, June 9 vs. Montreal Impact @ A
Saturday, June 12 USA v England World Cup
Thursday, June 17 at Portland Timbers @ A
Friday, June 18 USA v Slovenia World Cup
Saturday, June 19 vs. Portland Timbers (held during the Wal-Mart All-American youth tournament) @H
Wednesday, June 23 USA V Algeria World Cup
Saturday, June 26 at Crystal Palace Baltimore @ A
July 2 and 3 -World Cup Quarterfinals
Sunday, July 4 vs. Crystal Palace Baltimore @H
July 6 and 7 – World Cup Semifinals
Saturday, July 10 vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies (held during Schwan’s USA CUP youth tournament) @H
July 11 – World Cup Final
Wednesday, July 14 vs. AC St. Louis (held during Schwan’s USA CUP youth tournament) @H
Sunday, July 25 at Vancouver Whitecaps @ A
Wednesday, July 28 vs. Puerto Rico Islanders @H
Sunday, August 1 at AC St. Louis @ A
Wednesday, August 11 at Portland Timbers @ A
Saturday, August 14 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps @H
Saturday, August 21 vs. Portland Timbers @H
Saturday, September 4 at Austin Aztex @ A
Saturday, September 11 at AC St. Louis @ A
Wednesday, September 15 vs. Carolina RailHawks @H
Saturday, September 18 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps @H
Friday, September 24 at Tampa Bay Rowdies @ A
Click More for the entire 2010 USSF Division II schedule.
Sat., April 10
Rochester Rhinos at Miami FC
AC St. Louis at Carolina RailHawks
Sun., April 11
NSC Minnesota at Vancouver Whitecaps
Montreal Impact at Austin Aztex
Fri., April 16
NSC Minnesota at Carolina RailHawks
Montreal Impact at Puerto Rico Islanders
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Sat., April 17
Austin Aztex at AC St. Louis
Rochester Rhinos at Portland Timbers
Vancouver Whitecaps at Miami FC
Sun., April 18
NSC Minnesota at Puerto Rico Islanders
Wed., April 21
Puerto Rico Islanders at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Thu., April 22
AC St. Louis at Portland Timbers
Sat., April 24
Rochester Rhinos at Austin Aztex
AC St. Louis at Vancouver Whitecaps
Tampa Bay Rowdies at NSC Minnesota
Sun., April 25
Portland Timbers at Montreal Impact
Wed., April 28
Rochester Rhinos at NSC Minnesota
Thu., April 29
Vancouver Whitecaps at Portland Timbers
Sat., May 1
Austin Aztex at NSC Minnesota
Crystal Palace Baltimore at AC St. Louis
Carolina RailHawks at Rochester Rhinos
Puerto Rico Islanders at Montreal Impact
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Miami FC
Sat., May 8
Austin Aztex at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Vancouver Whitecaps
Carolina RailHawks at Miami FC
AC St. Louis at Rochester Rhinos
Sun., May 9
NSC Minnesota at Montreal Impact
Thu., May 13
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Portland Timbers
Fri., May 14
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Carolina RailHawks
Sat., May 15
Miami FC at NSC Minnesota
Montreal Impact at Vancouver Whitecaps AC St. Louis at Portland Timbers
Sun., May 16
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Austin Aztex
Wed., May 19
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Rochester Rhinos
Montreal Impact at Portland Timbers
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Austin Aztex
Sat., May 22
NSC Minnesota at Miami FC
Portland Timbers at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Rochester Rhinos at Vancouver Whitecaps
Tampa Bay Rowdies at AC St. Louis
Wed., May 26
Austin Aztex at Miami FC
Carolina RailHawks at Puerto Rico Islanders
Thu., May 27
NSC Minnesota at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Sat., May 29
Austin Aztex at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Puerto Rico Islanders at Tampa Bay Rowdies
AC St. Louis at NSC Minnesota
Vancouver Whitecaps at Rochester Rhinos
Sun., May 30
Carolina RailHawks at Montreal Impact
Wed., June 2
Miami FC at Puerto Rico Islanders
Fri., June 4
NSC Minnesota at Rochester Rhinos
Sat., June 5
Puerto Rico Islanders at Austin Aztex
Sun., June 6
Carolina RailHawks at Portland Timbers
Miami FC at Montreal Impact Tampa Bay Rowdies at Vancouver Whitecaps
Wed., June 9
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Miami FC
Carolina RailHawks at Vancouver Whitecaps
Montreal Impact at NSC Minnesota
Portland Timbers at Austin Aztex
Sat., June 12
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Rochester Rhinos
Montreal Impact at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Portland Timbers at Miami FC
AC St. Louis at Puerto Rico Islanders
Vancouver Whitecaps at Austin Aztex
Wed., June 16
Vancouver Whitecaps at Puerto Rico Islanders
Thu., June 17
NSC Minnesota at Portland Timbers
Sat., June 19
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Carolina RailHawks
Miami FC at Austin Aztex
Portland Timbers at NSC Minnesota
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Puerto Rico Islanders
Sun., June 20
Rochester Rhinos at Montreal Impact
Sat., June 26
Austin Aztex at Miami FC
NSC Minnesota at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Montreal Impact at Carolina RailHawks
Puerto Rico Islanders at Rochester Rhinos
Vancouver Whitecaps at AC St. Louis
Sun., June 27
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Portland Timbers
Wed., June 30
Vancouver Whitecaps at Montreal Impact
Sat., July 3
Carolina RailHawks at AC St. Louis
Montreal Impact at Rochester Rhinos
Puerto Rico Islanders at Austin Aztex
Vancouver Whitecaps at Portland Timbers
Sun., July 4
Crystal Palace Baltimore at NSC Minnesota
Miami FC at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Thu., July 8
AC St. Louis at Vancouver Whitecaps
Fri., July 9
Austin Aztex at Rochester Rhinos
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Puerto Rico Islanders
Sat., July 10
Miami FC at Portland Timbers
Montreal Impact at AC St. Louis
Tampa Bay Rowdies at NSC Minnesota
Sun., July 11
Carolina RailHawks at Puerto Rico Islanders
Wed., July 14
Carolina RailHawks at Montreal Impact
Miami FC at Vancouver Whitecaps
Rochester Rhinos at Crystal Palace Baltimore
AC St. Louis at NSC Minnesota
Thu., July 15
Puerto Rico Islanders at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Sat., July 17
Carolina RailHawks at Rochester Rhinos Puerto Rico Islanders at Miami FC
AC St. Louis at Austin Aztex
Sun., July 18
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Montreal Impact
Wed., July 21
AC St. Louis at Montreal Impact
Thu., July 22
Portland Timbers at Vancouver Whitecaps
Rochester Rhinos at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Sat., July 24
Rochester Rhinos at Puerto Rico Islanders
AC St. Louis at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Sun., July 25
Miami FC at Tampa Bay Rowdies
NSC Minnesota at Vancouver Whitecaps
Tue., July 27
Rochester Rhinos at Carolina RailHawks
Wed., July 28
Portland Timbers at AC St. Louis
Puerto Rico Islanders at NSC Minnesota
Vancouver Whitecaps at Montreal Impact
Sat., July 31
Miami FC at Austin Aztex
Montreal Impact at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Portland Timbers at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Vancouver Whitecaps at Carolina RailHawks
Sun., Aug. 1
NSC Minnesota at AC St. Louis
Wed., Aug. 4
Miami FC at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Portland Timbers at Rochester Rhinos
Fri., Aug. 6
Vancouver Whitecaps at AC St. Louis
Sat., Aug. 7
Miami FC at Puerto Rico Islanders
Montreal Impact at Carolina RailHawks Tampa Bay Rowdies at Austin Aztex
Wed., Aug. 11
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Montreal Impact
NSC Minnesota at Portland Timbers
Rochester Rhinos at Carolina RailHawks
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Puerto Rico Islanders
Sat., Aug. 14
Vancouver Whitecaps at NSC Minnesota
Austin Aztex at Puerto Rico Islanders
Carolina RailHawks at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Montreal Impact at Rochester Rhinos
Portland Timbers at AC St. Louis
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Miami FC
Wed., Aug. 18
Miami FC at Carolina RailHawks
Rochester Rhinos at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Fri., Aug. 20
Puerto Rico Islanders at AC St. Louis
Sat., Aug. 21
Carolina RailHawks at Austin Aztex
Miami FC at Rochester Rhinos
Montreal Impact at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Portland Timbers at NSC Minnesota
Vancouver Whitecaps at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Wed., Aug. 25
Carolina RailHawks at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Thu., Aug. 26
Austin Aztex at Portland Timbers
Fri., Aug. 27
Rochester Rhinos at Montreal Impact
Sat., Aug. 28
Puerto Rico Islanders at Carolina RailHawks
Sun., Aug. 29
Austin Aztex at Vancouver Whitecaps
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Portland Timbers
AC St. Louis at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Thu., Sept. 2
Puerto Rico Islanders at Portland Timbers
Fri., Sept. 3
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Carolina RailHawks
Sat., Sept. 4
NSC Minnesota at Austin Aztex
Sun., Sept. 5
Miami FC at AC St. Louis
Puerto Rico Islanders at Vancouver Whitecaps
Sat., Sept. 11
Austin Aztex at Puerto Rico Islanders
NSC Minnesota at AC St. Louis
Montreal Impact at Miami FC
Portland Timbers at Carolina RailHawks
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Rochester Rhinos
Vancouver Whitecaps at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Wed., Sept. 15
Carolina RailHawks at NSC Minnesota
Thu., Sept. 16
Austin Aztex at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Fri., Sept. 17
Miami FC at Rochester Rhinos
Sat., Sept. 18
Carolina RailHawks at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Portland Timbers at Puerto Rico Islanders
Vancouver Whitecaps at NSC Minnesota
Austin Aztex at AC St. Louis
Sun., Sept. 19
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Montreal Impact
Wed., Sept. 22
AC St. Louis at Miami FC
Fri., Sept. 24
NSC Minnesota at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Montreal Impact at Vancouver Whitecaps
Sat., Sept. 25
Portland Timbers at Crystal Palace Baltimore
Puerto Rico Islanders at Carolina RailHawks
Rochester Rhinos at Miami FC
AC St. Louis at Austin Aztex
Thu., Sept. 30
Austin Aztex at Carolina RailHawks
Fri., Oct. 1
Crystal Palace Baltimore at Tampa Bay Rowdies
Sat., Oct. 2
Portland Timbers at Vancouver Whitecaps
Puerto Rico Islanders at Miami FC
Rochester Rhinos at AC St. Louis
Sun., Oct. 3
Austin Aztex at Montreal Impact
Comments are closed.
On April 24, the Nessy will roar!
The online calendar function is pretty cool and I’m thankful that I & KJ don’t have to do it anymore. I’m guessing they’ve used Trumba service before, since it’s priced at $100/month. The Google Calendars are free (and unlimited visits) but push the “adding it to my personal calendar” knowledge back on the end user. Well, there are help pages for Google Calendars, but it is more complicated than the Trumba configuration. Both tools support all the calendar software listed since most software uses a standard calendar format now.
Really I’m just glad that they saw how useful online calendars are and took the initiative, without any prompting from the fans that I’m aware of, to get one up & going on their own. That a positive change from the Thunder way of doing things.
Couldn’t agree more Dave.
Can you briefly explain the TRAVEL Group? just to clarify what it all means. thanks
Just a quick and lose term I came up with to describe the pod that Minnesota plays against 4X. See the earlier post from yesterday. Again, groups within the pod or travel group who are supposed to be in closer proximity than other teams, play 2-home and 2-away games. Teams out of that pod or travel group play only twice. Except for one team out of the group that they also play 4X.
Everyone seems to be using the Open Cup dates from the Baltimore calendar. I have some doubts about that info because it ends with the semifinal and doesn’t have the final on it. That gap corresponds to the gap we had last year between the semi and the final. Haven’t looked at it closely yet, but I suspect that, if those are the dates, that last one is actually the final.
…Checking the Open Cup website, I’ll bet that the semifinal is missing in the above schedule, and will be July 20-21.
The online calendar is indeed excellent. Possible improvements (I’m not complaining, just offering ideas): Add the kickoff times for home games (I recognize these may not be known yet); that way when I look at my calendar, I know the games with times are at home, and the “all day appointments” are away. Also: maybe link to a “download CSV” option – using Google calendars, I have to confirm adding every single game; downloading and importing a CSV would be a lot quicker.
Fuggle, the official press release from US Soccer said the times for the games would be coming soon from each club. I have no doubt they will add it as soon as they know it. It’s only to their advantage to have it posted.
Online calendars!
Now all we need is an awesome mascot (Nessy the Loch Ness Monster)
Just bring Thor back.
Why would Thor come back? That mascot is in no way related to the new team. TIme for a new mascot.
Super Rookie and Chris A–See you at “the Nessy” this summer.
I agree with BQ, The Thunder are gone-let Thor RIP.
SuperRookie is leading the charge for a mascot named Nessy. If Nessy becomes the mascot, then the stadium could be The Loch. (pronounced “lock”). Fear the creature from the deep at the Loch!
What is up with “the Nessy?” Thankfully I can never see this catching on.
Actually, there seems to be a lot of people that like that name. However, I am not one of them. Nessy is supposed to represent what N-S-C sounds like when saying it quickly. Then there is the pound out back of the stadium so….. its really a stretch, isn’t it. We’ve got to be able to do a lot better than that.
Now who’s being a hater?
(“Nessy”, yes. Loch ness monster for a mascot? Uh….)
Calling the stadium The Nessy rolls off the tongue better than Nessy as a mascot. I hear the pond out back is about 800 feet deep.
Nessy rolls off my tongue just fine!
Nessy for mascot in 2010!