Plus, NWSL sets some dates.
CHICAGO NISA CLUB TO PLAY AT SEATGEEK STADIUM: When the new NISA club in Chicago plays its home games in 2021, it will be at the former home of Chicago Fire FC and current home of the Chicago Red Stars in SeatGeek Stadium.
“This is welcome news for soccer fans throughout Chicagoland who want to watch their team play in an intimate venue built to showcase their favorite sport, and it is welcome news for the residents of the Village of Bridgeview,” said Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek. “SeatGeek Stadium is a great platform for high level professional soccer and I’m thrilled the Chicago NISA club will play here.”
SeatGeek Stadium (neé Toyota Park) opened in 2006 and was home to the Fire until 2019 when it decided to move back to Solider Field. The Red Stars started at SeatGeek Stadium in 2009 and 2010 in the old WPS before returning in 2016 in NWSL play.
“I’m excited to return to Bridgeview,” said Chicago NISA President/CEO Peter Wilt, who also launched the Fire and Red Stars. “SeatGeek Stadium has terrific fan amenities, sightlines built for soccer, and offers affordable parking conducive to tailgating for fans. We considered several venues, polled soccer fans online, and were convinced SeatGeek Stadium is the best venue for a pro soccer team in Chicagoland,” Wilt continued.
“The location is better for some than others. It is easily accessible by car from the Tri-State (I-294) and Stevenson (I-55) Expressways. SeatGeek Stadium is also accessible by public transportation via the Orange Line “L” stop, CTA bus lines and various team sponsored shuttles,” Wilt said.
The club plays in NISA, a third division professional soccer league with plans to add a second and even a first division to its open system pyramid in the future. “SeatGeek Stadium is a venue we can grow into,” Wilt said. “We don’t expect to fill the 20,000 seats every game initially, but we don’t expect to remain a third division club for long either. NISA offers us the hope, and indeed expectation, to climb the American professional soccer ladder via the meritocracy offered by promotion and relegation.”
Chicago NISA’s upcoming announcements include its head coach and its identity, both expected to be revealed next month. The club is in the final stages of its fan generated identity process billed as Moniker Madness. More than 400 names were submitted last October and 68 of those have been narrowed to two finalists via fan polls and guidance from the club’s Fan Advisory Committee.
Point Chicago and Chicago House are being voted on now through next Sunday at the team’s website www.chicagonisa.com. Point Chicago honors founder of Chicago Jean Baptiste Point du Sable and Wolf Point, the junction of the branches of the Chicago River. Chicago House pays tribute to the city’s music, arts and cultural image throughout the world. It recognizes being a home for everyone who loves and identifies with the city and its future.
NWSL DATES SET: The NWSL announced on Wednesday that the Medical Task Force has approved play in home markets for the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup set to begin on April 9th. The NWSL has also released updated medical protocols and key dates for the new and expanded 2021 competition framework.
Players will report to camp on February 1st. Following the Challenge Cup, the NWSL’s 10 teams will face off in a 24-game regular season beginning May 15th. The league will not break for the 2021 Olympic Games and the regular season will conclude on October 30th. Full details on the Challenge Cup format and the complete regular-season schedule will be released at a later date.
As previously announced, six teams will qualify for an expanded NWSL playoff set to begin on November 6th, with the top two seeds receiving a first-round bye. The league’s ninth season will conclude with the NWSL Championship on November 20th.
The league will close out the 2021 campaign with the Expansion Draft on December 16th, featuring Angel City FC and Sacramento in preparation for the tenth season of the NWSL in 2022.
