From Kent Barnes. Follow him on Twitter @KentBarnes, email him at kent[AT]borderstan.com. Just three and a half months after their disappointing playoff loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, DC United kicks off the 2013 Major League Soccer season this Saturday, March 2, at 8 pm. Olsen’s Army opens the season against the very team that ended their 2012 championship hopes, the Houston Dynamo. After their surprise 2012 playoff run, the team has brought in a slew of talent that they hope will ensure another successful year at RFK Stadium. This includes exciting young Brazilian forward Rafael Teixeira de Souza, nicknamed Gladiator for his “thumbs down” goal celebration. Although this weekend’s match against the Dynamo is in Houston, the team will be back in the District next Saturday, March 9th, for the home opener against Real Salt Lake. The match starts at 7 pm, but the party will begin a few hours before kickoff with plenty of tailgating in Lot 8. There are a variety of ticket options available, but the team is expecting a packed house so you should consider ordering your ticket(s) in advance. If you’d prefer to enjoy the match from a comfortable seated position, tickets range from approximately $30 to $60 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster. If you’re looking for a wilder fan experience, consider ordering tickets through one of the team’s 4 main supporters groups: The Screaming Eagles, La Barra Brava, La Norte, or the District Ultras. 2013 promises to be an exciting year for District sports fans and you don’t have to wait for the Nationals to show your DC sports pride outside of the confines of the Verizon Center. Vamos United!
Libations and TVs
This weekend’s season opening match will be broadcast live on the NBC Sports Network, but if you’d rather surround yourself with fellow fans head to one of these bars:- Touchdown Sports Bar – 1334 U Street NW. An official bar partner of DC United.
- Lucky Bar – 1221 Connecticut Avenue NW. Lucky Bar will be showing the game on an assortment of big screen televisions and encourages sports fans to enjoy a legendary “Big Ass Burger” along with their beverage of choice (I’m sold).
- The Queen Vic – 1206 H Street NE. If you’re heading out of Borderstan and over to H Street for the evening, you can still catch the match and an authentic British menu at another one of DC United’s official bar partners, The Queen Vic.
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