In an effort to distract myself and our readers, from the uncertainty surrounding our beloved Whitecaps during what has been quite the tumultuous off-season, I decided that it is time to launch a new blog series entitled, “Adventures from the Road.”
The purpose of this series is to share information about upcoming away trips, introduce the cities and stadia to which we travel, and highlight some of our members’ #CapsOnTour experiences over the years.
Reflecting on 2013
While the Caps may not have made the playoffs, and didn’t perform particularly well when away from BC Place, it was a year to remember for the traveling supporter.
We had supporters at all but one away match this year (the match against FC Dallas in April), and came out in record numbers to matches in Seattle and Portland. We saw some epic road wins, including a comeback against the Red Bull in June and the unforgettable 4-1 drubbing of the Sounders on a cold night in October.
Looking Ahead to 2014
There are a few dates that we as traveling supporters circle on the calendar as soon as the next season’s fixture list is released. The obvious selections are those against our Cascadian brethren, as well as those against our Canadian counterparts. This year, we will head to Portland twice (June 1 & September 20 respectively), Seattle once (October 10), and Toronto twice (May 7 for Voyageurs Cup and July 16 for the regular season). Depending on how the Voyageurs Cup pans out, we may also be heading to Montreal, or by some fluke, Edmonton/Ottawa.
There are a few dates that lend themselves well to an extended away trip this year. The first, is that of the Rose City Invitational in Portland from February 23-March 1. Ticket information for the March 1st match has already been emailed to 2013 members. If you wish to attend the other Caps matches in Portland, please contact the Timbers ticketing team.
The second is a Spring Break Special – Chivas on March 16, and a flight to Boston to see the Caps take on New England on March 22. It’s a bit of an odd trip, but one that may help satiate your desire to watch live soccer.
The next two focus on Toronto. The Trillium Cup twosome sees the Caps in Toronto on May 7, and in Columbus on May 10, while the July trip sees them in Toronto on July 16, and in Salt Lake City on July 19.
The final extended trip might be the most agreeable for Caps fans, as it sees the team play against Chivas on August 16 and against LA on August 23.
A full list of away matches for the year can be found below:
Date |
Time (PDT) |
Opponent |
Notes |
February 10 |
9:00 am |
Houston Dynamo |
Pre-Season, Arizona |
February 23 |
2:30 pm |
Portmore United |
Pre-Season, Portland |
February 26 |
5:00 pm |
San Jose Earthquakes |
Pre-Season, Portland |
March 1 |
5:00 pm |
Portland Timbers |
Pre-Season, Portland |
March 16 |
4:00 pm |
Chivas USA |
|
March 22 |
11:00 am |
New England Revolution |
|
April 12 |
7:30 pm |
LA Galaxy |
|
April 26 |
6:30 pm |
Real Salt Lake |
|
May 7 |
TBD |
Toronto FC |
Voyageurs Cup |
May 10 |
4:30 pm |
Columbus Crew |
|
May 28 |
TBD |
TBD |
Voyageurs Cup Final (1st Leg)* |
June 1 |
6:00 pm |
Portland Timbers |
Cascadia Cup |
June 4 |
TBD |
TBD |
Voyageurs Cup Final (2nd Leg)* |
June 7 |
TBD |
Philadelphia Union |
|
June 28 |
6:00 pm |
Colorado Rapids |
|
July 16 |
TBD |
Toronto FC |
|
July 19 |
TBD |
Real Salt Lake |
|
July 30 |
5:30 pm |
Chicago Fire |
|
August 16 |
7:30 pm |
Chivas USA |
|
August 23 |
7:30 pm |
LA Galaxy |
|
September 13 |
5:30 pm |
FC Dallas |
|
September 20 |
2:00 pm |
Portland Timbers |
|
October 10 |
7:00 pm |
Seattle Sounders |
|
October 18 |
7:30 pm |
San Jose Earthquakes |
*dependent on results of the Voyageurs Cup semi-finals.
As always, information about away tickets, accommodations, transportation, etc. will be released as soon as we hear about it. We’ve already been in contact with the various front offices and are working hard to have our ducks in a row before the season really kicks off.
We Want Your Help
From liaising with front office and security personnel to booking accommodations and transportation for our away trips, the amount of work and organization that goes into making our away trips a success is gargantuan. As such, we’d like to extend an invitation to join the Travel Committee for the 2014 season.
Committee members would assist the Director of Away Travel in researching, organizing and booking transportation and accommodations for the various away matches, with an emphasis on our Cascadia matches in Seattle and Portland. The committee would also assist with ticket distribution at Cascadia away matches.
While we are looking for people who can be with us throughout the 2014 season, the time commitment for volunteers on the travel committee is open for discussion, and incredibly flexible. If you are interested in helping out in this capacity, please fill out the following form.
Additionally, if you would like to contribute to future editions of the “Adventures from the Road” series, please email travel@vancouversouthsiders.ca for more information.
Until then, happy travels friends.