Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
Double-headers were once a staple of the MLS schedule. As the league has gained more legitimacy, though, they've become a less and less necessary tool teams need to use in order to juice their attendance figures.
Well, the San Jose Earthquakes are trailing behind the rest of MLS in numerous ways, so it probably shouldn't be a huge surprise they are going to the double-header well in 2012. On Wednesday, the Earthquakes announced they'll be playing the Houston Dynamo on March 17 at AT&T Park in San Francisco. The game will be followed by a match between the U-23 teams from Mexico and Senegal.
It all has a very 2005 vibe. That's not to say this is a bad move by the Earthquakes. In fact it's probably a necessity, which is really the problem. MLS will only be seen as strong as its weakest link and, at least until the Earthquakes break ground on their new stadium, they are definitely one of the ones most likely to break.
By most accounts, AT&T Park is a fine place to watch a soccer match. The sight lines are good, the scenery can't be beat and it can't possibly be a bad thing for the Earthquakes to establish a presence in San Francisco. This will actually be the sixth time the Quakes have played a game in the City, but just the second time they've played a regular-season game there.
Hopefully, in a few more years these kinds of games won't be necessary.
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