Charleston, SC. On Saturday April 8 fans will get an opportunity to get their first look at the off-season improvements made to Blackbaud Stadium at the Charleston Battery "open house". Fans in attendance will also get a first look at the 2000 Battery squad in a pre-season exhibition game versus USL Pro D3 powerhouse Charlotte Eagles. The Battery will debut their new look, a custom made uniform designed exclusively for the team by Italian sports design company, Lotto. The new look uniform features the clubs traditional Black and yellow stripes, complimented with the red trim of title sponsor Blackbaud. The Battery signed a three-year contract with Lotto, distributed in North America by Priva Sport from Montreal, Canada. The new strip represents the first time in club history that a major soccer apparel company has developed a unique look exclusively for the Battery. Official replica home jerseys will be available for purchase in the Battery Pro Shop at Blackbaud Stadium.
The Blackbaud Stadium "open house" starts at 12 noon on Saturday, with the stadium open until 6:00 pm. There is no admission fee, and fans will be able to tour the facility described by the USL as the "jewel of the A-League". Not content with the success of its first season in 1999, the Battery have made a number of improvements to Blackbaud Park in the off-season. Approximately 400 additional parking spaces will be available for most of the 2000 season when completed in May, as well as a new Battery office building later this summer. The concession stands will feature new ovens and grills in 2000, to improve the quality of food product at the stadium. Sight lines have been improved with the lowering of vomitory fence lines in both the East and West Stands, to maximize the spectators enjoyment of the action on the field. A paved corporate pavilion area has been finished behind the southside goal line. The corporate pavilion area will feature a bigger Battery Club, with a higher quality menu and permanent tents for groups and parties. The hugely popular Fun Zone will also feature new additions in 2000 with the Mountain Climb Slide inflatable and the Penalty Kick Wall. The Human Foosball, South Trust Hot Shot speed kick, and Jump Castle inflatables return from 1999. Young fans can get their faces painted all afternoon and enjoy the Clowns. Adult fans can relax in the shaded Picnic Area adjacent to the Fun Zone and young fans can also visit the Childrens Playground Area in the north side of the park.
At 12 noon the 2000 Battery squad will conduct a free clinic for young soccer players in attendance. The clinic will feature demonstrations of the Penalty Kick Wall and South Trust Hot Shot speed kick games by Battery players in the Fun Zone and skills stations set up on the game field. After the clinic the Battery players will be available for pictures and autographs for young fans at the north side grass berm area of Blackbaud Stadium. Season tickets will be available for purchase at the Stadium, with some premium West Stand Club seats and midfield East Stand Box seats still available. All reserved seats that are already sold to the growing number of Battery season ticket holders will be marked with a "red card". The three Lions Club membership is sold out for the 2000 season, but the expanded Battery Club has memberships available for purchase. Season tickets start as low as $60, and include a Major League showdown with the Tampa Bay Mutiny on May 1.
Battery Team News: As the 2000 A-League regular season kicks off on Saturday April 8 on the west coast with a game between the San Diego Flash and the US Project 40 team, the Charleston Battery has received high expectations in the A-League Review. In a poll taken of the 25 A-League coaches, the Battery are the consensus pick to win the Atlantic Division, with the Rochester Raging Rhinos winning the Northeast Division, the Minnesota Thunder winning the Central and the San Diego Flash winning the Pacific. The Atlantic Division is widely regarded as the most competitive division in the League.
