How About USMNT at Fenway?

(If you read Match Fit USA, the first two paragraphs might sound pretty familiar.  But hey, it can't be plagiarism if I wrote it in the first place, so why not just save some time and use the ol' copy-and-paste method?)

For those who missed it, the beautiful game was played at one of our nation's most iconic stadiums last night, with Sporting and Celtic playing a friendly at Fenway Park. Here is a video of Celtic's opening goal, with some nice views of the stadium and crowd as well.  The last time a soccer game was played at Fenway, LBJ was still in office (not LeBron James, for you confused youngsters out there), with Pele and Santos taking on the short-lived Boston Beacons of the NASL. And while this friendly might not have had the same star power or American presence, it was still a spectacle nonetheless, as for a couple of hours, soccer and a century of mainstream American sporting tradition co-mingled. 

The game looked pretty awesome, for lack of a more eloquent phrase, in front of the old grandstands and the Green Monster, with unique sight-lines and a near sellout crowd in attendance.  At times, the stands and proximity of the seating were reminiscent of an old English ground; that is, until a foul pole or warning track came into the picture.  Everyone that I have talked to who has at the game said it was pretty incredible, and from what I saw, I wholeheartedly agree.

So, there it was, America's pastime mixing with soccer, albeit a match without any on-field Americans (Celtic's Dominic Cervi didn't feature).  And despite what a resistant minority will try to make you believe, the event was pretty darn successful.  (If someone wasn't really into looking into things and just wanted to find what they wanted to see, then you can understand how someone would think that a non-sellout meant that soccer was a failure at Fenway.  Or, perhaps, you could consider the fact that Americans might be getting a little more sophisticated when it comes to footy, and although a match at Fenway is a rarity, it might not be worth it to some folks to shell out triple digits just to see two B-teams duke it out in the preseason.  And you could also recognize that torrential rains might have played a factor in keeping some seats empty.  But, please, knuckle-draggers of the sports journalism world, continue to bash away blindly, hoping in vain that this pesky "soccer" thing goes away.) 

Anyway, that tangent aside, watching the match got me to thinking.  The stadium's lore, the whole "America's pastime" factor, and the really unique variation to an iconic venue appeals to more than just soccer fans.  Of course, there will be some baseball fans (e.g. that guy I linked to above) who probably hate seeing their game's hallowed ground being used for soccer.  But I'm sure a good number of people enjoyed seeing something new at Fenway Park, particularly with the recent frustration with the Red Sox.

It's something I really was hoping ESPN would sneak into Sportscenter.  After all, they spent the last month and a half hyping up the beautiful game to the masses, and they always relish the opportunity to discuss BoSox baseball in any way, shape, or form.  But alas, my morning viewing was a slight disappointment, as Union-Manchester United highlights were not followed by some footage of Football at Fenway.  I really can't blame them, though; as much of a spectacle as it was, Celtic and Sporting are two non-American teams that hardly carry the same reputation amongst mainstream sports fans here in the States as Manchester United.

But what if a team played that did have a connection to the US?  Like, say, the USMNT?

Ok, this might sound a little out there, but hear me out.  For starters, it's not as if a USMNT match in a baseball stadium is a completely foreign concept: the Yanks played Japan at SBC Park (home of the San Francisco Giants) back in 2006.  And if memory serves, that match was, to once again borrow a page out of the Taylor Twellman guide to color commentary, awesome to watch.

So why not a friendly (because we don't even want to go down the path of hosting a meaningful match there because of all the competitive and credibility implications.  Not to mention the fact that it might not even be feasible because of dimensions) at Fenway featuring the USMNT and some other opponent that will help ensure a pro-US crowd (sorry, Portugal)?  The nation's "new" team, that captivated millions this past summer and is slowly but steadily climbing its way into the mainstream, connecting with their country's sports history, playing in the same stadium that has witnessed the likes of Ruth, Williams, and Fisk.  ESPN would have an absolute field day with that, and I'm sure some other sports outlets would follow suit.  And more publicity is always a good thing for US Soccer because it eventually translates into $$$ down the road.

Throw in the possibility of New England native Charlie Davies doing a stanky legg by home plate or Clint Dempsey reviving his RFK homerun celebration, and this idea starts to sound better and better.

I thought about the possibility of other historic baseball stadiums, too, but there wasn't too much appeal elsewhere.  Old Yankee Stadium would have been pretty neat, but now it's just rubble and dust.  Sure, the new Yankee Stadium is very similar, and the Yankees have hosted non-baseball events there in recent times (such as boxing), but there are shiny new football and soccer venues on the other side of the river that US Soccer probably isn't going to ignore.  Then I thought about Wrigley Field in Chicago, but same story, this time with Toyota Park and recently-renovated Soldier Field.  With Gillette Stadium roughly 30 miles away from Boston proper, there aren't the same kind of nearby professional alternatives that there are in NY or Chicago, which, to me at least, makes Fenway the most palatable of the bunch.

As much as friendlies are about team preparation and the integration of new players, they're also about making some money.  And though some soccer fans would be turned off by the idea, a match at Fenway would attract a lot of media attention, and I'm sure there would still be plenty of fans willing to pay a nice premium for tickets; I know I would.  Friendly match, lots of media attention, and nice ticket profits?  Sounds like a good idea to me.

The question is, would anyone at US Soccer agree?  Or are the new crop of soccer and football stadiums across the country just too alluring to ever choose a baseball stadium again?   I guess only time will tell.

For now, though, I'll just continue to pass the time between FIFA match days with my ramblings, wishful thinking, and Football at Fenway highlights.