With action at Santiago’s new FIFA standard football stadium, the first season of the newly created Dominican Football League (LDF) opens in the Dominican Republic this Sunday, 8 March 2015 with the inaugural game between the Cibao Futbol Club and the Atletico Vega Real at the PUCMM football field at 3pm.
Tickets are for sale at tuboleta.com.do
Felix Ledesma, spokesman for the league, forecasts attendance to the games will be better than most expect. Tickets cost much less than to see a Dominican Winter Baseball League game, and prices range from RD$50 to RD$250.
10 teams are playing in the new league that has the support of the International Football Federation (FIFA).
Unlike baseball and basketball, football is the new sport and is mostly regarded as a sport of the elite, with the most followed tournament sponsored by Coca Cola at private schools nationwide.
However, the new professional league promises to change that and turn football into a popular sport, right up there with baseball. A promotional campaign will be unfolded during the five-month long season.
Dominican Football Federation president Osiris Guzman says the tournament is the result of 10 years of building the sport in the country through children and youth categories at the schools. He said that the key factor in these achievements has been the good relationship between FedoFutbol and the Football Confederation North, Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf), which has been the initiative’s main advisor.
The teams bring together around 300 players and are:
Atlantico Futbol Club (Puerto Plata), Club Atletico Vega Real (La Vega), Club Atletico de San Cristobal (San Cristobal), Cibao Futbol Club (Santiago), Moca Futbol Club (Moca) and La Romana Futbol Club (La Romana). Santo Domingo is represented by four teams: O&M Futbol Club, Club Atletico Pantoja, Club Barcelona Atletico and Bauger Futbol Club.
See the games schedule and ticketing information at: http://eventos.tuboleta.com.do/eventperformances.asp?evt=97
http://www.balompiedominicano.com