Kickers release 2014 schedule

First home game is April 5th versus the Riverhounds.

January 31, 2014; 4:35 PM • by Richard Hayes

The Kickers will open their 2014 campaign on the road against longtime rival Charleston Battery on March 29th. The first time to catch some live soccer action will be on Saturday, April 5th at 5 pm when the Pittsburgh Riverhounds come to town. Last year the schedule was front loaded and this year’s schedule is much more balanced.

Other details on the upcoming season.

USL PRO will field 14 teams in a single-table format, which will once again include a pair of regular season games against MLS Reserve teams. The Kickers will travel to the Chicago Fire Reserves on Sunday, May 18 before playing host to Real Salt Lake Reserves on Sunday, July 6 at City Stadium with all of the inter-league games counting in both the official USL PRO and MLS Reserve League standings.

Three new teams have joined USL PRO in 2014: LA Galaxy II, OKC Energy FC and Sacramento Republic FC. Expansion teams in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Tulsa, Oklahoma have been added for 2015, with more announcements in the near future. Antigua Barracuda FC and VSI Tampa Bay FC will not return in 2014.

Eleven of the Kickers 14 regular season home games will be played on Saturdays and two matches will take place under the lights on Fridays with one Sunday match-up rounding out the home schedule. With the exception of the April 5, April 19 and July 6 games that kick off at 5:00 p.m., the majority of home games will begin at 7:00 p.m.

The Kickers’ reinvigorated game day experience will feature live music, food trucks, corporate entertainment and hospitality tents, a new and improved Family Zone and fun for families and soccer fans alike.

Loveland Distributing will once again be the official sponsor of the outdoor bar area, located on the south side of the main concourse at City Stadium. The expansive area serves as a unique, gathering place for fans before and during games, offering a variety of food and beverage options, including the Kickers-specific craft beer and a distinctive vantage point. [via Kickers]

Photo by: Richmond Kickers (if you follow this link you could win a 2014 Season Pass)