FC Cincinnati Recap 2020

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone recaps the 2020 FC Cincinnati season. 

Welcome to FC Cincinnati, Jaap Stam!

FC Cincinnati’s fifth season may currently be on hold, but that did not stop the team from naming a new head coach before play resumed. Jaap Stam was officially introduced as the club’s new manager, the team’s fifth in as many years. Stam takes over as head coach following the dismissal of Ron Jans earlier this year. 

Stam comes to FC Cincinnati with some coaching experience under his belt. He was the head coach of Reading from June 2016 to March 2018 and PEC Zwolle from December 2018 to May 2019. Stam looks to right the FCC ship after the team started the season with an 0-2-0 record. Assuming the season restarts and star player Jurgen Locadia is still with the orange and blue, Stam might have the greatest chance to succeed in MLS compared to the team’s previous head coaches. The 2020 FCC roster is unquestionably better than the inaugural team of last season and with proper guidance, could be a good squad.

As I write this, MLS and the Major League Soccer Players Association are reportedly working on a new collective bargaining agreement which could lead to the resumption of the sport in America. Early reports say that the MLS might conduct the rest of the 2020 season in Orlando, Florida via a tournament. Should that tournament come to fruition, Stam will have the opportunity to endear himself to FCC fans everywhere by leading the team to a tournament title. 

Gary the Lion Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes an FC Cincinnati Gary the Lion bobblehead. 

Cincinnati Reds 150th Anniversary Ken Griffey Jr. Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds 150th Anniversary Ken Griffey Jr. bobblehead.

Ted Kluszewski Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum Ted Kluszewski bobblehead. 

FC Cincinnati Retro Bobble Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes an FC Cincinnati Retro Bobble bobblehead. 

Kendall Waston Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Kendall Waston bobblehead. 

FC Cincinnati 2020 Season Outlook

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone previews the 2020 FC Cincinnati season.

FC Cincinnati Recap 2019

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone recaps the 2019 FC Cincinnati season. 

FCC Fan Fest

Can't get enough FC Cincinnati soccer? Well the orange and blue have you covered. FCC will host their very first fan fest on August 4 at Nippert Stadium. The event is free and will start at 6 p.m.

Every player on the FCC roster will be available for autographs which is more than enough reason to go in my opinion. There will also be a kid's mini clinic as well as bubble soccer and skill challenges. Other activities include a locker room tour and playing the FIFA video game on the stadium video board.

To me, this sounds like a great experience for all FCC fans as this will be the most access to the team that the club has offered. Autograph sessions, locker room tours, and other activities should make the night a fun one. Hopefully this event becomes a yearly tradition like Redsfest has for the Cincinnati Reds. It will keep current fans engaged with the team while creating new ones at the same time.

Shaking Things Up

FC Cincinnati might only be in its fourth year of existence and first year in Major League Soccer, but the young franchise is not afraid to pull the trigger on making big moves. Following the team's loss to the San Jose Earthquakes, FCC dismissed head coach Alan Koch and named assistant coach Yoann Damet as interim head coach.

Under Koch FCC attained a record of 2 wins, 2 draws, and 7 losses totaling only 8 points in the MLS eastern standings through their first 11 games. The club had gone winless in their last seven matches in a row and had not scored in their previous five.

Signs of Koch's dismissal were pretty apparent. After the team's fell to the Philadelphia Union in a Wednesday night match, Koch said he needed additional players in order to win. The comments essentially threw FCC's front office and roster under the bus. Following the team's next loss to the Earthquakes, a few players such as Fanendo Adi voiced their frustrations with Koch's coaching style and lack of team identity. The club released a statement saying that Koch was dismissed because of "a series of recent issues and a team culture that had deteriorated."

At the time that this post was written, FCC had only played one match with Damet at the helm. The team earned a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Impact as Allan Cruz ended the club's 528 minute scoreless streak early in the first half. Fatal Alashe scored his first goal of the season in the second half. It is still early, but the team looked very different under Damet. They were passing the ball more and creating more opportunities on offense. Whether or not that is a result of Damet's style or a lack of film on it remains to be seen but for now, everything seems to be copacetic in the Queen City.

Will Damet be the permanent coach for FC Cincinnati? Let's see him coach a few more games first. Rumors are that Gerard Nijkamp has been hired by the club to be the new general manager, and he will make the final decision as to who the next head coach of FCC is. If Damet can actually turn the team around and string together some wins, then I could definitely see FCC naming him as head coach. If not, then I really hope the team conducts an international search and brings in the best coach possible that can lead this team to a future MLS Cup victory.

USMNT to the 513

Nippert Stadium has been the home of FC Cincinnati since their inaugural United Soccer League season in 2016. Fans saw the team host Crystal Palace F.C. in 2016, the memorable Open Cup victories over the Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire in 2017 were under the Nippert Stadium lights, and FCC’s first win in Major League Soccer was in front of a packed home crowd on St. Patrick’s Day 2019. This Sunday, another memorable soccer moment will happen as the United States Men’s National Team will play Venzeula in the team’s final preparation match before the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup. 

The game is set to begin at 2 PM on Sunday June 9 and marks the first ever visit to the Queen City by the USMNT. It will be broadcasted nationally on FOX and will further show why Cincinnati is Soccer City, USA. Tickets are currently on sale via ussoccer.com.

In my opinion, this is one of the coolest sporting events to come to Cincinnati. The players on the USMNT are supposed to be the best that America has to offer and getting to see them play in my own backyard is incredible. I bought tickets to this game a few weeks ago and have been counting the days until kickoff. 

I believe that we will win!

Major League Crest

Earlier in November, FC Cincinnati unveiled their new team crest in preparation for their 2019 Major League Soccer debut. The new logo has an updated appearance from its United Soccer League counterpart and features a few details that pay tribute to the city of Cincinnati. 

The overall shape of the crest is inspired from the West End which is where the team’s stadium will be built. The font used on the crest for “FC Cincinnati” is said to be both German and modern and the way Cincinnati is displayed symbolizes how the city is on the rise. The winged lion has been given an updated look and is holding a sword to show how the club is ready for battle. The crown on the lion’s head is for the Queen City, and the three tiered wing commemorates the team’s USL seasons prior to joining MLS. It’s tail is in the shape of a capital “C” for Cincinnati, and the winged lion logo was retained to showcase the franchise’s winning spirit. 

I the crest was leaked a few days before the it was officially unveiled, and it received mixed reviews from fans. Personally, I love it. It looks sleek and much more professional than the USL logo. It also features Cincinnati much more prominently than the hold crest. I think as time goes on, more people will appreciate the new crest. I will always have a soft spot for the original USL crest as that is the symbol of the team that captured the attention of the soccer world and helped propel the franchise to MLS. I will continue to wear and obtain merchandise with both logos and support the team no matter what.

Go FCC!

FC Cincinnati 2019 Season Outlook

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone previews the 2019 Major League Soccer debut season of FC Cincinnati. 

Soccer Stadium Sneak Peak

One of the requirements that FC Cincinnati needed to meet before the team was welcomed into Major League Soccer was a soccer specific stadium. Everybody in the Queen City knows about the months long drama that unfolded as the team, the city, and Cincinnati Public Schools battled for months on a deal that benefitted all parties involved. Needless to say, a deal was reached and FCC became the newest MLS expansion team earlier this summer. The stadium appears to have been worth all the debate as the franchise unveiled initial design concepts that have left many soccer fans and reporters speechless.

The early designs for the stadium are gorgeous in my opinion and should the designs come to fruition, the fan experience for an FCC match should be one of the best in MLS. The seating capacity is estimated to be between 25,500 to 26,500 which is an increase from the original concept that the team unveiled earlier this year. The amount of seats would also make the stadium one of the largest soccer venues in the country. Part of the expanded seating options is the larger Bailey section which is expected to be double the size of the current Bailey section in Nippert Stadium.

Perhaps the most prominent feature of the stadium’s early design is the canopy roof. The canopy will go around the entire bowl and cover all seats. It will also serve as a way to help keep noise levels down in the surrounding West End neighborhoods while also increasing the volume inside the stadium to keep the pitch rocking. The canopy is also is also made of ethylene tetrafluoro-ethylene (ETFE) foil technology. This is cool feature as it allows for a variety of colors and patterns to be displayed on the canopy’s surface. It has been reported that the design stage will continue into 2019 with a target stadium opening date of March 2021. 

I am a fan of the stadium design and cannot wait to see the finished product when it opens in 2021. The fan experience at Nippert Stadium is phenomenal, and I think it will be even better in the new stadium. For now at least, it appears that the stadium will be worth the drama. The early designs are gorgeous, and the stadium should make an excellent home for Cincinnati’s newest major league team. 

FC Cincinnati USL Regular Season Championship Shirt Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes an FC Cincinnati USL Regular Season Championship shirt and a Cincinnati Royals pennant. 

FCC Playoff Pricing and Seating

With FC Cincinnati having secured at least a two seed in the United Soccer League Cup Playoffs, the team has announced times and ticketing information for their first two playoff matches should FCC advance past round 1. Tickets will be made available in increments with priority going to current season ticket holders, followed by 2019 season ticket deposit holders, and finally the general public. 

Starting Monday, September 24 at 9 a.m., current 2018 USL season ticket holders will have first dibs at obtaining playoff tickets. This season ticket holder exclusive purchasing window will be four days long. Starting Friday, September 28 at 9 a.m., 2019 season ticket deposit holders will have the next crack at purchasing tickets. The remaining tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, October 1 at 10 a.m. 

For those wondering how much tickets will cost, FC Cincinnati has answered that question as well. For the first round, and if necessary the second, tickets prices will remain the same as they have all season meaning you can purchase a ticket for as low as $10. Should FCC make it to the Eastern Conference Finals and the USL Cup Finals and if those matches are played at Nippert Stadium, ticket prices as well as the seating map will mirror that of the 2019 Major League Soccer season. 

At the time that this post was written, FC Cincinnati is currently in first place in the USL East and is close to clinching the overall number one seed in the playoffs. Should they do that, then the road to the USL Cup will go through Nippert Stadium. There has never been a more exciting time to be an FCC fan. Hopefully the team can cap their final USL season with a USL Cup Championship before they begin MLS play in 2019.

A Friendly Celebration

Saturday July 28, 2018, will be a big day for FC Cincinnati and its fans. The team will host RCD Espanyol of La Liga for its annual international friendly and will also celebrate its entry into Major League Soccer. La Liga is the top professional Spanish soccer league and MLS is the top professional soccer league in America. 

This is the third international friendly that FCC has hosted. In 2016, the team played host to Crystal Palace FC of the English Premier League in front of a crowd over 35,000. The 2017 friendly was in front of a crowd of over 24,000 and featured Valencia Club de Futbol of La Liga. 

In terms of the MLS celebration, FCC has a few things planned. At halftime, there will be a special video presentation with guest speakers. The team will also give away an MLS poster to fans in attendance.

In conclusion, the match should be a memorable one as FCC plays host to RCD Espanyol and celebrates its MLS bid. Tickets start at $15 and prepaid parking passes are available for $10. If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend heading to Nippert Stadium for the match.  

A World Class Training Facility

A major league team needs a major league training facility, and Major League Soccer's newest franchise appears to have settled on a location. On Tuesday June 26, 2018, FC Cincinnati officially announced plans to construct a training facility in Milford, Ohio. As of now, the agreement is pending between FCC and local government entities of both Clermont County and Milford. 

The training complex will be built on the site of the former Expressway Park. Rumors were swirling that FCC bought the park when the former owners released a notification that the season's softball leagues would be cancelled. FCC's training facility is scheduled to be operational by July of next year with all site work finished by the end of 2019. The team plans to relocate to the complex in January and will use temporary facilities until the work is complete. 

Costing $30 million to construct, the complex will sprawl across about 23 acres of land and will host a variety of soccer related events such as FCC academy matches and local soccer tournaments. There are plans for three full sized and fully lighted soccer fields as well as a designated area for goalies. There are also plans for a 30,000 square foot multilevel building for the MLS team and a 6,500 square foot center for the academy teams.

In conclusion, this sounds like a state of the art training facility for Cincinnati's newest major league team. I have seen a few pictures online of what the complex might look like, and I've liked what I've seen so far. This process also seemed to be much smoother than the stadium saga, and I am beyond thankful for that. 

There is still a lot of work to be done before the start of next year's MLS season. I believe the team is still working with the University of Cincinnati to finalize the necessary upgrades to make Nippert Stadium ready for the 2019 season while FCC's soccer specific stadium is being built. They are also in the process of assembling an MLS roster while focusing on the current United Soccer League season. If you thought the journey to get into MLS was chaotic, I have a feeling that the trek to the start of the MLS season will be a wilder rider. Regardless, I cannot wait for FCC to finally step foot onto an MLS pitch.

FC Cincinnati Pennant Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes an FC Cincinnati pennant.