FC Cincinnati to kick off season with new food, jerseys, and replacement referees
The newest menu items, according to FCC Co-CEO Jeff Berding, highlight regional cuisine and offer supporters an opportunity to sample something new while they support the team.
“[The food] really covers a lot of different palates in terms of what people want to eat when they come to a game and we try to keep it very locally driven,” Berding stated.
According to FCC, Cincinnati’s vibrant art scene served as inspiration for the white jerseys. In order to create a uniform that reflects their individual style, the team is urging artists and fans to utilize the kit as a blank canvas and draw their own artwork on it.
With nearly 95% of members voting “No,” the PSRA declared on Saturday that its members had decisively rejected a tentative agreement with PRO, citing it as falling short of their expectations.
PRO says it was disappointed by the vote and claims the tentative agreement would have improved pay and benefits for all officials.
The lack of a deal means PRO will lock out its match officials and MLS will have to start the season using replacement referees.
Berding says FC Cincinnati will continue to play at a high level despite the change in officiating.
“We’ll get out there and we’ll play, and they’ll have highly-skilled referees doing their part, which is to call the game,” Berding told WVXU. “At the end of the day, the matches are going to be settled by the players.”
FCC’s opening match against Toronto starts at 2:30 on Sunday.