The Charleston Battery Kicks Off the Season

Charleston’s professional soccer team started the 2011 season off on the right foot with a 1-0 win against the Charlotte Eagles April 9th at its season opener on Daniel Island. A loyal home crowd at Blackbaud Stadium cheered on the three-time USL Champions and welcomed them back to the field for a new season.

The Battery’s win begins a season that promises to be an exciting one. Last year, in addition to winning the Championship title, the team was named the USL-2 “Organization of the Year,” enjoyed increased average attendance at its home matches and played several high-profile exhibition matches. With their first win, the 2011 season is off to a great start.

Next up for the Battery is a visit to new USL PRO franchise the Dayton (OH) Dutch Lions, next Saturday night.  The game will be streamed live on USLLIVE.com. They’ll return to Daniel Island on April 30th where they’ll face the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Click here to view the Battery’s complete 2011 schedule.

Attending the Battery’s home games has become a favorite summertime tradition on Daniel Island. With special events and activities planned for each match – plus non-stop action on the field – it’s great fun for the entire family. Click here for ticket information and be sure to come out this summer and support the Battery!

Professional Soccer Returns to Daniel Island with the Carolina Challenge Cup

The Charleston Battery has been working hard all year to get ready for next month’s home opener, but starting this weekend, their preparations kick into high gear as the USL team hosts the eighth annual pre-season Carolina Challenge Cup at Blackbaud Stadium right here on Daniel Island. This is the premier pre-season soccer tournament in the United States, offering Charleston residents and visitors a chance to see the league’s very best players up close and personal.

Starting on Saturday, March 5, the three-time USL Champions, The Battery, will be joined by the Chicago Fire, DC United and Toronto FC, to battle it out in doubleheaders taking place on three nights throughout the tournament. The schedule is as follows:

Saturday, March 5
Toronto FC vs Chicago Fire (5 pm)
Charleston Battery vs DC United (7:15 pm)

Wednesday, March 9
DC United vs Chicago Fire (5 pm)
Charleston Battery vs Toronto FC (7:15 pm)

Saturday, March 12
Toronto FC vs DC United (5 pm)
Charleston Battery vs Chicago Fire (7:15 pm)

Come check out the action at Blackbaud Stadium. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at charlestonbattery.com or by calling (843) 971-GOAL.

For the Sports Fans On Your List this Year…

Are you seeking something different to give the sports fans on your list this holiday season? Look no further than Daniel Island! The Family Circle Cup and the Charleston Battery – Daniel Island’s two professional sports venues – are now offering tickets to next spring’s world-class tennis and soccer events on Daniel Island.

Family Circle Cup
Tickets are now on sale for individual sessions of the 2011 Family Circle Cup, a WTA event that draws the top women tennis players from around the world each spring to Daniel Island. The tournament takes place April 2-10, 2011, and a stellar playing field is already beginning to form. Grounds Passes are available for $10-25 per day, and stadium seats available for $20-50 per session. Visit familycirclecup.com or ticketmaster.com for additional details. This a great gift idea for tennis players and fans of all ages!

Charleston Battery
Just in time for Christmas, the USL Champion Charleston Battery, is offering package deals on tickets to events at its state-of-the-art soccer stadium on Daniel Island. For just $40, you can give the soccer fans on your list a 4-pack of tickets good for any 2011 regular season game along with a Battery scarf or t-shirt. Also available are 2 tickets to the 2011 Carolina Challenge Cup, plus a scarf or tshirt, for just $30. The Carolina Challenge Cup is the premier pre-season soccer tournament in the U.S. This year, the Battery will be joined by Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire, D.C. United & Toronto FC on March 5-12. For additional details, visit charlestonbattery.com.

Happy shopping!

Charleston Oktoberfest Returns to Blackbaud Stadium

The fall fun on Daniel Island continues on Sunday, Oct. 24 when Charleston Oktoberfest returns to Blackbaud Stadium. Every year, the island’s professional soccer stadium is transformed into a Barvarian-style beer hall featuring great music, food and delicious German beer. This year, the popular Roger Gootman Sauerkraut Band will perform live Oompah music, and authentic German dancers will entertain festival goers of all ages.

As part of the festivities, the 2010 Oktoberfest Corporate Challenge will feature local teams competing in a variety of competitive events, including a tug-o-war, barrel races, three-legged races and a bratwurst eating contest. Children’s events during the afternoon will include mini-soccer games on the stadium field, a Mountain Slide, an inflatable combination game, a Hot-Shot Power-Kick game and a jump castle.

This year’s Oktoberfest Beer Garden will feature more than a dozen different brews, including Warsteiner Oktoberfest, Warsteiner Pilsner, Spaten Oktoberfest, Paulaner Hefe Weizen, Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest, Paulaner Oktoberfest, Warsteiner Pilsner, Harvest Moon Oktoberfest, Heineken, Guinness, Miller Lite, Yeungling and Bud Light. The first 1000 festival attendees will receive a free commemorative beer stein courtesy of Warsteiner.

A portion of proceeds from Charleston Oktoberfest will benefit Live 5 News’ Debi’s Kids and The Salvation Army Angel Tree.

The festivities take place from noon to 5 pm. Admission is just $5 in advance ($7 day of event), and children under the age of 12 are free. Tickets may be purchased at the Blackbaud Stadium box office, by calling (843) 971-4625, or online at charlestonbattery.com.

Charleston Battery to Host Richmond Kickers for Championship Showdown

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In their first USL championship game since 2003, the Charleston Battery will face the defending USL-2 Champions, the Richmond Kickers, in this season’s USL-2 Championship game this Saturday evening, Aug. 28, right here on Daniel Island.

The two teams are no strangers. Richmond has been one of the Battery’s oldest rivals since the 1993 season. In fact, this Saturday’s showdown will mark their 41st meeting, and the results have been split down the middle: Each team has won 18 games, and four matches finished with a tie score. Clearly, the stakes are high!

Bring the family and come and cheer on the home team! Kick off is set for 6:00 pm at Blackbaud Stadium, and the match will be broadcast live on FOX Soccer Channel. Tickets are on sale now starting at just $10, and discounts are available for groups of ten or more. There is no charge for children age four and under.

To purchase tickets, or for more information, please call (843) 971-4625 or visit charlestonbattery.com.

Top Ten Daniel Island Gifts For Daniel Island Dads!

Looking for the perfect gift for your Daniel Island dad? Check out our recommendations below:

1. Head over to the Golf Shop at the Daniel Island Club. You don’t have to be a member to shop and they have a wide variety of dad-friendly gifts — Daniel Island logo shirts, ties, bathing suits, leather bags, dopp kits and more. Perfect for any Daniel Island dad!

2. Get him tickets to a Charleston Battery game! The Battery’s 2010 season is in full swing with a number of home matches left, including the July 17th match against the Barclays English Premier League’s Bolton Wanderers, who currently have four players competing in the World Cup. Something tells us dad would love tickets!

3. There’s a new restaurant on Daniel Island and it sounds right up Dad’s alley! Hammett’s Landing specializes in seafood and game, boasting a varied menu including alligator tail, bison and duck burgers, mahi mahi and more. Grab Dad a gift certificate and treat him to dinner for Father’s Day.

4. The craft beer frenzy has kicked into high gear in Charleston so every dad needs his own refillable beer growler from Laura Alberts Tasteful Options. Want to know the best part? Dad can bring his growler to “Growler Hour” each Wednesday to fill up on newly tapped beer for just $3. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

5. Get the golfer in your life what he really wants – a new set of golf clubs, which can be purchased at the Daniel Island Club Golf Shop, and golf lessons from the Club’s head teaching professional and former PGA Tour player Ron Cerrudo. Help dad get into the swing of things!

6. You know dad will want to watch the World Cup this weekend! Pick up a gift certificate to the Daniel Island Grill and treat him to a night out with the boys.

7. Living so close to the water, there are a ton of great recreational ideas for dad! Rent kayaks and take a cruise with the whole family through Daniel Island’s many creeks and waterways. Or call Captain Greg Peralta to charter a fishing trip. Either way, dad will have a memorable time!

8. For the dad who loves gourmet food, stop by Et Cetera Gourmet and build a custom gift basket filled with imported specialty cheeses, cured meats, oils and vinegars, pastries and other sweets.

9. Cook dad dinner with local ingredients from the Daniel Island Farmers’ Market! Grab fresh shrimp, scallops or fish from Capt. Haitt and then head over to the produce stand for green beans, squash and new potatoes. Complete your culinary masterpiece with peach cobbler made with juicy SC peaches. Dad will certainly be impressed!

10. For the Lowcountry lover, head down to the Daniel Island Sales Center and purchase nature photographer Tom Blagden Jr’s book “Lowcountry: The Natural Landscape.” Filled with beautiful images of the Lowcountry’s salt marshes, Carolina bays, beaches, barren islands, rivers and other natural beauties, this gift will remind dad why he calls Daniel Island home.

Charleston Battery Takes On the Cooper River Bridge Run

The Charleston Battery players are lacing up their running shoes instead of their soccer cleats this Saturday as they participate in the annual Cooper River Bridge Run! The team is participating as part of their preparation for the upcoming 2010 USL season, which officially begins for the Battery on April 17 with an away game against the Charlotte Eagles.

One of Charleston’s most popular annual events, the Cooper River Bridge Run has had folks running from Mount Pleasant across the Cooper River to Charleston since 1978. This year’s 10-k race is one of the largest of its kind in the country. It has sold out, with more than 38,000 runners registered!

Following Saturday’s run, the whole Battery team will head to the Buccaneer Restaurant in downtown Charleston for a post-race breakfast celebration and to watch the English Premiere League games. The breakfast will begin at 10:00 am and everyone, bridge runners or not, are invited to join the fun!

Coming off their defeat at the Carolina Cup Challenge, the Charleston Battery is hard at work preparing for the upcoming season. They’ve signed a number of new players to the roster, as well as brought back many local favorites and strong players. There are five pre-season games left on the schedule before the official season begins. Tickets for pre-season and season games can be purchased at www.charlestonbattery.com.

For the full Charleston Battery team roster and player information, click HERE.

#2 Charleston Battery vs. #1 Portland Timbers – Friday 8/28

It’s late in the 2009 United Soccer League (USL) season but the Charleston Battery are still fighting their way to the top of the league. The team has had a successful season so far and is currently tied for second place with the Carolina Railhawks. And, this Friday night (8/28), the Battery will have their chance to take on the current leader in the league, the Portland Timbers, in a match that will be broadcast on the Fox Soccer Channel and Livesoccertv.com.

The Charleston Battery has a total of 45 points for the season, only 6 points behind the Portland Timbers with 51. Portland lost their first game of the season but has since remained unbeaten in an impressive 23 game winning streak. In their last match against the Timbers on June 13, the Battery came close to breaking the team’s streak but Portland tied the match with three minutes left. If the Battery is successful in beating the league’s number one team on Friday then they would be within three points of the Timbers. The top seven teams advance to the playoffs and the top seeded team receives a bye into the semifinal round.

The gates of Blackbaud Stadium will open at 6:30 pm and kick off is at 8:00 pm on Friday, August 28. The first 500 children will receive a soccer ball courtesy of Piggly Wiggle. And Five Guys Burgers & Fries will be on hand, serving up their delicious burgers and fries! The Three Lions Pub, a traditional English-style pub, will be open for its members and guests, who can also socialize with Battery coaches and players after each home game. Tickets range between $5 – $15 and can be purchased by calling (843) 971-GOAL or visiting www.charlestonbattery.com.

COME OUT TO BLACKBAUD STADIUM & HELP CHEER ON THE BATTERY!

See the video below of highlights from the 2008 US Open Cup Final, Charleston Battery vs. DC United (W).

Pre-Season Professional Soccer Returns

Soccer fans don’t have to wait much longer for the season to begin. Major League Soccer makes a pre-season return to the Lowcountry March 7-14 as the Charleston Battery hosts the sixth annual Carolina Challenge Cup at Blackbaud Stadium on Daniel Island. The 2009 pre-season tournament features Major League Soccer’s DC United, Toronto FC and Real Salt Lake, plus the USL First Division Charleston Battery.

This is the premier pre-season soccer tournament in the United States, offering Charleston residents and visitors a chance to see the very best players up close and personal.

The schedule is as follows:

Saturday, March 7 Real Salt Lake vs DC United 5:00 PM
Saturday, March 7 Charleston Battery vs Toronto FC 7:15 PM

Wednesday, March 11 DC United vs Toronto FC 5:00 PM
Wednesday, March 11 Charleston Battery vs Real Salt Lake 7:15 PM

Saturday, March 14 Real Salt Lake vs Toronto FC 5:00 PM
Saturday, March 14 Charleston Battery vs DC United 7:15 PM

Ticket are on sale now and available through the Charleston Battery. Visit www.charlestonbattery.com for details.

Battery Announces 2009 Schedule

The Charleston Battery’s 2009 regular season schedule opens on the road on April 11 when they team up against the 2008 USL First Division Champions, the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Battery returns home to Daniel Island’s Blackbaud Stadium the following weekend for a match against the Montreal Impact. If you haven’t attended a Battery soccer match on Daniel Island, you’re missing out – it’s great fun for the entire family! Here’s the home schedule for the regular season:

Saturday, April 18 vs. Montreal Impact 7:30 PM
Friday, April 24 vs. Minnesota Thunder 7:30 PM
Wednesday, May 20 vs. Miami FC Blues 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 23 vs. Rochester Rhinos 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 30 vs. Cleveland City Stars 7:30 PM
Saturday, June 13 vs. Portland Timbers 7:30 PM
Thursday, June 25 vs. Puerto Rico Islanders 8:00 PM
Saturday, July 11 vs. Carolina RailHawks 7:30 PM
Friday, July 24 vs. Carolina RailHawks 7:30 PM
Thursday, July 30 vs. Austin Aztex 7:30 PM
Tuesday, August 11 vs. Cleveland City Stars 7:30 PM
Thursday, August 20 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps 7:30 PM
Friday, August 28 vs. Portland Timbers 8:00 PM
Sunday, September 6 vs. Minnesota Thunder 6:00 PM
Friday, September 11 vs. Miami FC Blues 8:00 PM

Season ticket packages are on sale now; packages include reserved seating for all 15 regular season games, starting at only $150. To purchase season or home game tickets call (843) 971-GOAL (4625) or visit www.charlestonbattery.com.