CHICAGO FIRE CONTINUE PREPARATIONS FOR 2014 MLS SEASON
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club continues its preparations for the 2014 MLS season with the SuperDraft set for Thursday, Jan. 16 at 11:00 a.m. CT in Philadelphia, Pa. (ESPNews/WatchESPN/MLSsoccer.com).
The Fire currently hold the eighth overall pick in the first round of the SuperDraft. In 2013, the Fire selected Cameroonian Youth International Yazid Atouba 30th overall from Rainbow FC Bamenda.
Nine players on the current roster were acquired by the Fire in the SuperDraft, with an additional four players also getting their professional start through the MLS SuperDraft. Six players were selected in the first round. Bakary Soumare is the highest drafted player on the current roster, when the Fire selected the University of Virginia product second overall in the 2007 edition.
The full SuperDraft order can be found here.
SEAN JOHNSON, MIKE MAGEE AND ARON HYDE HEAD TO BRAZIL
U.S. Soccer announced that Fire forward Mike Magee and goalkeeper Sean Johnson will continue to train with the U.S. Men’s National Team in Sao Paulo, Brazil for the second phase of this month’s camp.
Magee and Johnson will be joined in Brazil by Fire goalkeeping coach Aron Hyde, who will serve as a guest coach during the team’s 12-day stay in Brazil that will serve as a “dry run” for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The four-week training camp will culminate with an international friendly against to Korea Republic on Saturday, Feb. 1 at the StubHub Center at 4:00 p.m. CT. (ESPN2/WatchESPN/UniMas).
FIRE ROSTER CONTINUES TO TAKE SHAPE WITH FIVE NEW ADDITIONS
The Fire roster continues to take shape with the signing of Homegrown Players Harrison Shipp and Chris Ritter, and goalkeeper Kyle Reynish. Also returning for the Men in Red are midfielder Yazid Atouba and forward Kellen Gulley.
Shipp joins the Men in Red after captaining the Fighting Irish to their first-ever NCAA College Cup, tallying the game-winning assist in a 2-1 win over the University of Maryland at PPL Park on Dec. 15, 2013. The Lake Forest, Ill., native finished his senior season with 12 goals and 10 assists in 24 matches, earning 2013 ACC Offensive Player of the Year and All-ACC First Team honors.
Ritter, a Winnetka, Ill. native, joins the Fire after a successful collegiate career at Northwestern University. In 84 regular season matches, Ritter scored 14 goals and tallied 13 assists. Selected as a member of the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2009, Ritter was also named Second Team All-Big Ten Team in 2011, was twice named First Team All-Big Ten, and was honored as the 2012 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year after leading Northwestern to its second straight Big Ten regular season title.
The 2013 NASL Golden Glove winner, Kyle Reynish joined the Fire’s goalkeeping corps after capturing the 2013 Soccer Bowl with NASL’s New York Cosmos. The University of California-Santa Barbara recorded a 0.92 GAA during the regular season, and earned a 8-4-1 record and five shutouts as the Cosmos finished first in the NASL Fall Season standings.
CHICAGO FIRE TO MAKE THREE STOPS DURING 2014 PRESEASON
The Chicago Fire will make three stops ahead of the club’s 17th MLS season. Fire players will report to Toyota Park on Saturday, Jan. 25 for entrance physicals before departing for the first leg of the club’s preseason camp on Sunday, Jan. 26 in Ave Maria, Fla.
The eight-day training camp on the campus of Ave Maria University will culminate in a preseason friendly against Florida Gulf Coast University on Sunday, Feb. 2 at 10:00 a.m. CT.
The Fire will then head to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. from Feb. 5-12 for the second leg of preseason where they take on 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup champions D.C. United on Feb. 8 at 6:00 p.m. CT, 2013 USL PRO champions Orlando City SC on Feb. 11 at 6:00 p.m. CT, and D.C. United again on Feb. 12 at 9:00 a.m. CT.
For the final leg, the Men in Red will close out preseason from Feb. 15 – March 2 in Tucson, Ariz. as part of the Desert Diamond Cup where they will face fellow MLS sides Colorado Rapids and New England Revolution, and USL PDL side FC Tucson.
Tickets for the 2014 Desert Diamond Cup are available here. Information on preseason match livestreams on Chicago-Fire.com will be released at a later date.
The club’s full preseason schedule can be found here.
CHICAGO FIRE ACADEMY TO PARTICIPATE IN 2014 AL KASS INTERNATIONAL CUP
The Chicago Fire U16 Academy Team are currently in Doha, Qatar for the 2014 Al Kass International Cup. The third annual tournament at the Aspire Dome features 12 Academy teams from some of the world’s most prominent soccer clubs.
The Chicago Fire Academy will make its first-ever appearance in the distinguished tournament, becoming the first MLS and U.S. Academy squad to participate in the Cup and be granted the opportunity to compete against top-notch youth programs from across the globe. The 2014 pool will consist of U16 representation from AC Milan, Aspire International, Aspire Qatar, Auxerre, FC Barcelona, FC Porto, Fluminense FC, Kashiwa Reysol, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain FC and Real Madrid CF.
The U16s fell 1-0 to Aspire Academy Tuesday morning in the opening match. The Fire continue group play against Manchester City on Wednesday, Jan. 15. The match will be streamed live via the tournament’s official website here. Fans can follow live updates of the game via the Fire Academy’s official Twitter account @ChiFireAcademy.
More information on the Al Kass International Cup is available here.
TICKETS FOR JULY 26 CHICAGO FIRE VS. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FC FRIENDLY NOW ON SALE FOR SEASON TICKET HOLDERS
Season Ticket Holder tickets for the Chicago Fire vs. Tottenham Hotspur are now on sale.
Season Ticket Holders can purchase their tickets here, by calling 708-496-6800 or by e-mail at SeasonTicketServices@Chicago-Fire.com.
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· All 2014 Season Ticket Holders may purchase up to two times the amount of tickets at the special Season Ticket Holder discounted rate as they have Season Ticket packages. Season Ticket Holders can purchase additional seats at face value during the first access window.
Season Ticket Holders will receive a 35 percent discount off the face value of tickets for the match, the ability to purchase up to two times the amount of tickets as are in the Season Ticket Packages at a discounted rate, and the ability to purchase additional seats at the single game price.
· All seats purchased by Season Ticket Holders includes access to a Tottenham open practice that will be announced at a later date.
Season Ticket Holder First Access and Club Seat Holder Right of First Refusals will run through Jan. 17 at 5:00 p.m. CT.
Tickets for the general public will go on sale on Jan. 24. Group tickets will be available on Jan. 27.
CHICAGO FIRE HOST OPENING DAY ON MARCH 23
The Fire will host 2013 MLS Supporters’ Shield winners New York Red Bulls for Opening Day at Toyota Park on Sunday, March 23 at 2:00 p.m. CT. The Men in Red will begin their 17th season two weeks prior on the road when they visit Chivas USA at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. on Sunday, March 9 at 2:00 p.m. CT.
Chicago Fire Season Tickets and Chicago Fire Winter Packs, which give fans the opportunity to witness the Men in Red in action on Opening Day while donning the two Fire adidas Winter hats and two Fire adidas baseball hats included in the pack, are available by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE, via Ticketmaster or by heading to the club’s official website at www.Chicago-Fire.com.
Single game tickets to Chicago Fire matches are available via Ticketmaster and www.Chicago-Fire.com.
CHICAGO FIRE FOUNDATION TO HOLD 16TH ANNUAL SEASON KICKOFF LUNCHEON AND UNVEIL NEW PRIMARY KIT ON MARCH 4
The Chicago Fire Foundation, the charitable arm of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, will hold its 16th Annual Chicago Fire Season Kickoff Luncheon on Tuesday, March 4 at 11:00 a.m. CT at the Hyatt Regency Chicago (151 E. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601).
The annual event, benefitting the Chicago Fire Foundation, offers Fire supporters the first opportunity to meet the 2014 Chicago Fire team and raise funds in the name of charity. In addition to interacting with Fire players, coaches and technical staff, the event includes a reception, lunch and silent auction where attendees can bid on autographed Fire and other sports memorabilia, gift certificates and much more. In 2013, the Season Kickoff Luncheon raised more than $70,000 benefiting soccer and education programs for underprivileged Chicagoland youths.
The Fire will also unveil its new 2014 primary kit at the luncheon as part of the second annual MLS Jersey week. All event attendees will have the exclusive opportunity to both see and purchase the kit before its public release.
Tickets are now on sale here or by calling (708) 496-6751. Through January 31, early bird tickets start at $80 a person, with full tables for 10 guests at $750. The first 20 tables purchased for $850 will be seated with a member of the Fire first team or coaching staff.
On Feb. 1 the ticket prices will go up to $90 a person, with full tables for 10 guests at $850. Remaining player tables will be $1,000.
