Advisory Board Meeting and Chicago Fire vs. Los Angeles Fire

It's a beautiful day here in Milwaukee. i'm heading to Toyota Park soon for a Red Stars Advisory Board Meeting followed by the Fire vs. Chivas USA game. The meeting agenda follows:

Chicago Red Stars Advisory Board
August 2, 2008

1. Team Update (Peter Wilt)

a. Tour of offices
b. Staff updates
i. Olympic travels
c. Red Stars in the community
i. Recent events
ii. Upcoming events

2. League Update (Peter Wilt)
a. Expansion news
b. Staffing
c. Player Timelines
i. Allocation, combines and drafts

3. Online/Internet Social Marketing (Amanda Vandervort)
a. Update on current league and team initiatives
b. How to reach the fan?
c. How to keep the fan?
d. The value of social networking/online initiatives for different segments i.e. adult, ethnic, corporate etc
e. WPS social networking launch with the Olympics
f. Implications for ticket sales and building on live events

4. Tickets (Greg Zaskowski)
a. Current goals and numbers
b. Ideas of how to reach the players/coaches and their families directly
c. Opening day 2009

The meeting will be followed by the Chivas USA vs. Fire game. This match has the elements for a great rivalry game. Though Cuauhtémoc Blanco will miss the game due to suspension, there should still be elements of Mexico's greatest rivalry (Chivas vs. Blanco's former team, Club America) manifested in the stands and on the field.

Fans often discuss fantasy matchups of teams from different era. Well, tonight Chicago Fire fans will get a chance to see how today's Fire team would matchup against some of the original 1998 Fire squad. Chivas USA added yet another ex-Fire player yesterday when the American Goats acquired Fire legend Zach Thornton from the New York Red Bulls. Big Zach joins Jesse Marsch, Ante Razov andJim Curtin as former Fire players on Chivas USA. There are now more original Fire players on Chivas USA (three) than on the current Fire roster (two).

My friends at The Highbury Pub in Milwaukee will be in attendance 100+ strong and cheering for Jesse Marsch and Chivas USA from behind the south goal in the stage end tonight. Jesse's brother Craig is a bartender and bon vivant at The Highbury.

i hope the Chivas USA fans all have a good time tonight, but i also hope they go home with no points.