From the Daily News:
The city banned thousands of amateur soccer players from using Flushing Meadows-Corona Park during the U.S. Open — and then back-pedalled following a Daily News inquiry.
Soccer leagues, primarily made up of immigrants, have used the fields for decades but were informed earlier this year that they would not be allowed to use the park from Aug. 25 to Sept. 10.
But Parks Department officials told The News on Thursday that the teams will be allowed to play during the Open on days the Mets don’t have games. The leagues will still lose two weekends.
“The Mets and the U.S. Open are dictating the Spanish soccer players can’t come in the park,” said Alfonso Vargas, president of the Alianza de Ligas Latinas de Futbol, a consortium of 14 leagues that play in the park. “I don’t see why we can’t play our sport while they play theirs.”
“Soccer is a way of life for us,” said Vargas, who added the leagues pay for cleaning and security crews to maintain the fields.
This is the first time in recent memory the fields were off-limits for more than a weekend during the Open, league officials said.
12 comments:
Can't wait for the new soccer stadium!
the USTA is a one month per year wonder. has it ever paid for the original cost of the tennis stadiums?
my preference is CRICKET.....
Screw the Open! Just an excuse for that eyesore of a stadium to take up valuable Public Park Space for the benefit of the overpriced drink swilling jackass suburbanites who infest our area at this time of year.
There's a park there?
It brings in more money than any other event in NYC.
Someone has to explain how an event that brings more money into NYC than any other is threatened by guys playing soccer.
Bull Shit- USTA has affordable tennis camps and lessons given to youngsters that allowed my son to learn and enjoy the sport.
They have great programs for everyone that are world class and cheap or even free for disadvantaged children.
No illegals at USTA!
What the hell does this have to do with banning soccer on the fields outside the stadium?
Well, don't they?
How come Jack Bitterman (CB#7's D.M. Marilyn's husband) still gets free tickets to the U.S. Open?
Vargas your an ass! Since when are you "Spanish"? I bet not one of the players on his "alianza" are from Spain.
Your Hispanic not Spanish get an education first!
"Queens Crapper said...
What the hell does this have to do with banning soccer on the fields outside the stadium?"
One word: Parking. Even though they aren't supposed to, many cars, especially black cars and limos, park on grass.
the limo's and black cars (whose clients can afford the large 8-10 hour fee) are guided to the grass spaces to the south of the Asche Stadium.
after drop off at the entrance plaza, a limo must leave ,quickly.
to p/u at this same spot later can take up to 1/2 to 1 hour, while your car waits in single line traffic. if the client is not there at the exact time , a car cannot wait. and must circle around the G.C.P and get back in line
many cars lose their client because of this snafu.
the best method is to have the client walk to the grass "lots",to the south.
watch cricket instead......
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