The Battery will host its home opener — and kick-off official celebrations of the team’s 20th anniversary – on Saturday, April 14 when they face the Richmond Kickers at Blackbaud Stadium. Look out for their special “retro ’93″ jerseys, and be sure to stay after the match for a celebratory fireworks display.

Single-game, group and season tickets are available for the 2012 season, starting at just $10. For more information and to purchase tickets visit charlestonbattery.com or call (843) 971-GOAL (4625).

(Updated 2/29/12)

Soccer fans, head on out to Daniel Island! The Charleston Battery is in the midst of it’s pre-season schedule. Charleston’s professional soccer team will be playing a mix of college and professional teams throughout the remainder of pre-season as it sets its sights on the USL PRO opener on April 7 at the Richmond Kickers. The first home game, also against the Kickers, is scheduled for April 14.

Charleston Battery soccer is a terrific way to spend an evening with family and friends. Be sure not to miss the Fun Zone! Open 60 minutes before kick-off through the end of each home game, this interactive soccer theme park has activities for kids of all ages.

The remaining pre-season schedule is as follows:
March 3 vs. Chicago Fire 7:15 PM
March 7 at Coastal Carolina University 5pm
Mar 10 at Atlanta Silverbacks, 4pm
Mar 17 vs. Clemson University/College of Charleston, 2pm
Mar 24 vs. Wilmington Hammerheads, 4 PM
Mar 25 vs. Coastal Carolina, 2pm
Mar 29 at Carolina Railhawks TBD

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

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!

The Battery is ready to compete in 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:

The Battery's first opponent will be DC United

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.

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!

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.

vs.

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.

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!

The Golf Shop at the Daniel Island Club

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.

The Growler station at Laura Alberts Tasteful Options

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.

Kayaking on Beresford Creek

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.

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.

Midfielder Tsuyoshi Yoshitake

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.

Defender Matt Bobo

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).