MEMORABLE 2010 SEASON COMES TO AN END: The Red Bulls’ 2010 season came to an end last Thursday when they were eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs at the hands of the San Jose Earthquakes. After winning the first leg of the two leg, aggregate goals series 1-0 in San Jose, New York fell at home 3-1 in the second leg, losing the series 3-2. San Jose will take on the Colorado Rapids in the Eastern Conference Final, while the Los Angeles Galaxy and FC Dallas will battle for the Western Conference crown.
The 2010 season marked the club’s first season in its brand new stadium, Red Bull Arena. In addition to the club’s 15 home MLS matches that averaged an attendance of 18,441 – almost a 6,000 fan increase from the previous year – the Arena hosted many other events throughout the season. Red Bull Arena opened on March 20, 2010 when the Red Bulls defeated Brazil’s Santos FC, 3-1, before a sellout crowd of 25,000. In 2010 the Red Bulls also hosted Italy’s Juventus and Brazil’s Cruzeiro, and the first ever Barclays New York Challenge. The Challenge took place from July 22-25, and included the Red Bulls, England’s Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City and Portugal’s Sporting Clube de Portugal.
The Red Bulls, which won the regular season Eastern Conference crown for only the second time in club history, also made international headlines by penning two world-class Designated Players in midseason. On July 14, the Red Bulls signed international superstar and French striker Thierry Henry and on August 2, the Red Bulls brought in Henry’s former Barcelona teammate, Mexican National Team captain Rafa Marquez. Red Bulls Designated Player and captain Juan Pablo Angel led the team in 2010 with 13 goals while MLS Newcomer of the Year candidate Joel Lindpere had a club-high six assists.
Below are some additional highlights from the New York Red Bulls’ 2010 season:
WORST TO FIRST: After finishing the 2009 season with the worst record in Major League Soccer, the Red Bulls completed the best single season turnaround in MLS history, winning 10 more matches and amassing 30 more points in 2010 than they did in 2009.
WIN INCREASE IN CONSECUTIVE SEASONS, MLS ALL-TIME:
Team, Seasons, Win Increase
T-1. New York Red Bulls, 2009-2010, 10
1. NY MetroStars, 1999-2000, 10*
T-3. Kansas City Wizards, 1999-2000, 8
T-3. Los Angeles Galaxy, 1997-1998, 8
T-3. Colorado Rapids, 2001-2002, 8
Prior to the 2000 season, there were no ties in MLS matches
STINGY DEFENSE: The 2010 Red Bulls were the best defensive side in club history. This season, Hans Backe’s revamped defense posted franchise best marks in shutouts (13), goals conceded (29), and goals conceded at home (9).
HOME COOKING: The brand new Red Bull Arena proved to be a fortress, as New York enjoyed one of its best home seasons in franchise history in 2010. Their 10 home wins matched a franchise high, and they conceded just nine goals at home, which was second best in the league behind Real Salt Lake (7).
REAM FINISHES 2010 ON TOP IN MINUTES PLAYED: New York Rookie of the Year candidate Tim Ream led Major League Soccer in minutes played for the 2010 season. Ream and Colorado defender Drew Moor both played every minute of all 30 regular season matches, totaling 2700.
STAMMLER WINS MLS W.O.R.K.S. HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR: Major League Soccer announced Nov. 8 that New York Red Bulls midfielder Seth Stammler won the 2010 MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year Award for his charitable work in the Caribbean nation of Haiti and the local New York/New Jersey metropolitan community.
“I am surprised and extremely honored to receive this award,” said Stammler, the longest continuously tenured Red Bull who retired from professional soccer at the end of the 2010 season. “I want to thank the Red Bulls, the Sporting Chance Foundation board members, donors and sponsors, as well as my friends and family, for their support in my efforts. While I am proud about what I have already accomplished through my foundation, there is a lot of work to be done and I am committed to continue to aid the Haitian people to the best of my ability.”
A four-time team Humanitarian of the Year, Stammler founded and oversees Sporting Chance Foundation, a 501(c)(3) certified nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals in Haiti – known as one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere. Stammler was inspired to create his own foundation after visiting Haiti on a six-day service trip at the end of 2006. SCF’s main aims are to provide educational scholarships and water wells that produce potable water for the Haitian people. Already, Stammler and his foundation have built a water well that supplies clean water for over 9,000 Haitians. In addition, SCF has granted over 60 scholarships to aspiring Haitian students.
With the tragic Haitian earthquake earlier this year, SCF intensified its efforts to give relief aid to people in need. Along with the water well, which stayed intact despite the earthquake, Stammler and SCF helped raised thousands of dollars through a number of fundraisers, raffles and other events. Stammler, who visited Haiti in December 2009 and plans to do so again later this year, planned numerous projects that would benefit Haiti, including private fan tours of Red Bull Arena with his teammates. Two new initiatives that Stammler is currently involved in are building two more water wells in Haiti and starting a Cash for Work Program that provides jobs to Haitians who were devastated by the earthquake. For more information regarding SCF, log onto www.sportingchancefoundation.org.
Aside from his work on Sporting Chance Foundation, Stammler has also dedicated his time off the field to a variety of different aims including volunteering at his local YMCA, participating in clinics for underprivileged children throughout the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area and in his native Ohio. Stammler also donates his time to the charitable organization, Athletes for Charity.
Stammler was drafted by New York in 2004 out of the University of Maryland in the second round (18th overall). During his career, he featured in 142 regular season games, making 126 starts and scoring six goals and 13 assists. This season, Stammler recorded 21 appearances, tallying two goals and an assist.
RED BULLS STILL UP FOR POSTSEASON AWARDS: Seth Stammler, the MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year, was not the only Red Bull to be a finalist for a 2010 MLS award. Several other individuals within the organization are also up for awards, including Thierry Henry and Joel Lindpere (Newcomer of the Year – announced Nov. 10), Chris Albright (Comeback Player of the Year – Nov. 10) and Hans Backe (Coach of the Year – Nov. 11). Defender Tim Ream was a finalist for the Rookie of the Year award that was won by D.C. United’s Andy Najar.
AGUDELO BECOMES YOUNGEST RBNY PLAYER TO REGISTER ASSIST IN PLAYOFFS: Red Bulls forward Juan Agudelo became the youngest player in franchise history to record an assist in a playoff game in the team’s 3-1 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Agudelo set up Juan Pablo Angel in the 78th minute to momentarily even the aggregate score.
The Barnegat, NJ native became the fourth youngest player in League history to start a playoff game when he started in the first leg at San Jose:
Player (Team-Age) – Playoff Yr. Appeared
1. Jozy Altidore (NY – 16 years, 349 days) – 2006
2. Eddie Gaven (NY – 17 years, 15 days) – 2003
3. Freddy Adu (DC – 17 years, 141 days ) – 2006
4. Juan Agudelo (NY – 17 years, 341 days) – 2010
Agudelo appeared in two regular season matches and three U.S. Open Cup matches in 2010. He signed with the first team on March 26 from the Red Bulls Academy under MLS’ Home Grown Player Rule.
FRANCHISE RECORD CROWD FOR A PLAYOFF MATCH: The attendance of 22,839 for the second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the San Jose Earthquakes last Thursday set a club attendance record for a home playoff match. The previous high of 15,476 was set on September 30, 2000, a 2-0 win for New York over the Chicago Fire in the second game of the MLS Cup Eastern Conference semifinals.
RED BULL ARENA HOSTS BIG EAST MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP: Red Bull Arena will host the 2010 BIG EAST Men’s Soccer Championship, presented by Travelodge. The conference championship will take place Nov. 12 & 14, in which the semifinal and championship games will be held.
The BIG EAST Semifinal games will be played on Friday, Nov. 12 with the Championship game taking place on Sunday, Nov. 14. Fans can purchase two-day pass tickets for as little as $16 apiece while single day tickets start at $10. Groups of 10 or more also qualify for discounted tickets to one or both days. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 1.877.RBSOCCER or log onto www.redbullarena.us.
There are 16 teams in the BIG EAST, which are divided into a Red and Blue division. The top 12 teams will earn a berth into the championship. Championship tournament games will be held on the campus of the higher seeded teams prior to the semifinal and championship game at Red Bull Arena. The tournament champion receives the league’s automatic berth into the 48-team NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship.
The semifinals will start at 5:00 PM ET and approximately 7:30 PM ET, while the title game is slated for 12:00 PM ET. The final three matches of the championship will be televised live on the CBS College Sports Network (CBS C). The semifinals also will be carried exclusively on CBS C, while the title game will be shown on numerous regional sports networks, including SportsNet NY (SNY). The title game also will be broadcast live nationally on CBS C beginning at Noon, ET.
ANGEL NETS THIRD CAREER PLAYOFF GOAL: Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel scored his third career playoff goal when he headed home a Juan Agudelo cross in the 78th minute of the Red Bulls 3-1 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes last Thursday in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Angel’s other two playoff goals came during the 2008 Western Conference Semifinals against the Houston Dynamo, one in the first leg on Nov. 1, 2008, and another in the second leg on Nov. 9, 2008.
2011 SEASON TICKET INFORMATION RELEASED: Red Bull New York announced details regarding 2011 Season Ticket Plans. Current Red Bulls Season Ticket Holders may start renewing their plans by calling 1.877.RBSOCCER or CLICKING HERE. The Red Bulls completed the best single season turnaround in MLS history and captured the club’s second Eastern Conference regular season crown in 2010.
With the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps joining MLS in 2011, the regular season has expanded from 15 to 17 home matches. All Season Ticket Holders will receive tickets for all regular season, home playoff matches and a bonus event. Other benefits include: Pre-sale access to Red Bull Arena events, a Season Ticket Holder gift, invitation to exclusive events such as Meet the Team Day, access to discounted fee-free add-on tickets for home regular season and playoff matches and discounts on select merchandise in the Bullshop.
2011 Season Ticket Prices are as follows:
Supporters: $320
Endline: $340
Corner Flag: $400
Sideline: $530
Midfield: $720
Premium Midfield: $1000
*Includes complimentary Bulls’ Corner access for each seat purchased
Depending on the date, fans that renew early will be able to receive benefits such as guarantee of 2010 seat location (s), invitation to a private Red Bulls training session and a complementary Bulls’ Corner Membership.
