EverBank Field "will host" the U.S. men's national team's FIFA World Cup qualifier against Trinidad & Tobago on Sept. 6, according to a front-page piece by Vito Stellino of the FLORIDA TIMES-UNION. Jaguars President Mark Lamping said that Jacksonville and the team "are co-promoters and will share in the profits if the event is a success but will be on the hook to share in covering the losses if it isn't." The city "guaranteed U.S. Soccer $125,000, as it did" for a '14 match against Nigeria. The $1.25 facility fee for each ticket "will generate an additional $62,500 directly to the city." U.S. Soccer "will retain all net ticket revenue and will be responsible for stadium costs up to a cap based on expenses." The soccer match "will be one of four major non-Jaguar events at EverBank Field in a two-month span." The Florida-Georgia game is set for Oct. 29, and the Navy-Notre Dame game will be Nov. 5 (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 3/30). FOXSPORTS.com's Ryan Rosenblatt noted Jacksonville “has become one of the Americans’ most dependably rowdy crowds.” When the U.S. played there in ’12 against Scotland, more than 44,000 fans showed up, and in ’14 “over 52,000 were on hand” to see the USMNT play Nigeria. Jacksonville “hasn’t just turned in numbers, they’ve been loud as well.” Few places in the country are “as good of a home” to the USMNT (FOXSPORTS.com, 3/29).
NIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: In Columbus, Shawn Mitchell notes the USMNT last night beat Guatemala 4-0 in a World Cup qualifier in front of 20,624 fans at Mapfre Stadium. Had the U.S. lost, it “likely would have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time" since '86 (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 3/30). Also in Columbus, Michael Arace writes Columbus is the "best small appliance" the USMNT “has ever owned.” Fans “fill what you might call a Triple Nordecke with flags, drums, songs and suds.” It was “not a sellout, due to high ticket prices, but the great throng that was on hand was choice.” The U.S. is 8-0-3 in Columbus, including 7-0-2 in World Cup qualifying (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 3/30).
