There's little doubt that, when it comes to minor-league sports, Syracuse is a hockey town, with the Crunch one of the area's main draws. If the owners of the Syracuse Silver Knights have their way, though, soccer may grab some of that spotlight.

On Wednesday, Nov. 23, soccer revelers have the chance to experience what a European match feels like, as the city's newest franchise, the Silver Knights, hold a March to the Match. At 6 p.m., soccer fans will be parading from Armory Square to the Onondaga County War Memorial before the Knights' rematch with the Rochester Lancers. The game begins at 7 p.m.

"This is the vision," said Jon Ramin, the team's general manager and brainchild of the event. "I've been doing some research on the Major League Soccer team in Seattle, and they do this all the time. It's become tradition for fans to pile into bars before the game, then march and sing in the streets on the way to the game."

And considering the cutting-edge town that is Seattle, other MLS markets are jumping on the parade bandwagon, including Syracuse. The Silver Knights are working with seven Armory Square establishments to help March to the Match catch on here.

Each of the bars has 40 free tickets to hand out to fans of their choice, as well as scarves and other team schwag. Beginning at 5 p.m., the establishments will be offering food and drink specials before everyone spills out onto the street and follows the bagpipes and drums to the War Memorial, 515 Montgomery St.

"Growing up around here, I frequented a lot of those places," Ramin added. "They all decided they wanted to help start a new tradition around here. And it's probably the best day of the year to do something like this." That's because Thanksgiving eve is widely considered one of the biggest party nights of the year, as just about everyone has the following day off from work and most everyone is home visiting relatives.

David Hoyne, a native of Ireland, owns Kitty Hoynes, one of the participating bars. With an endearing Irish accent, Hoyne spoke about his love for soccer, and related this event to one that happens often in Europe. "This is such a great community event," he said. "Soccer is huge in this area on every level, from youth on up. At our bar, we show quite a lot of soccer on TV, as I think it helps boost the establishment. But growing up in Ireland, I became quite the soccer fan of Manchester United. {The march} is going to bring back a lot of memories."

The Armory Square pub has been a supporter of the Knights since talk surfaced about soccer in Syracuse earlier this year. Anyone who attends any home game can bring the game program into the bar before the next home game to receive a free appetizer. "This has the ability to be one of the great parts of a truly vibrant downtown," Hoyne concluded.

Silver Knights head coach Tommy Tanner owns Woody's Jerkwater Pub, and he is taking the party one step further. Tanner has hired a bus to transport fans who get a ticket at his Mattydale bar (located in the Kmart plaza) to the game. Tanner opened the pub in 2003, and described it as a sports bar during the week, and a nightclub on the weekend. He said that Woody's broadcasts every Knights game on a big screen television and that he feels the fan base is steadily growing. He couldn't contain his excitement for the march.

"It's something Syracuse has never experienced, and I think it will turn a lot of people on to our team," he said. "Hopefully if it works out, we can do it before every game, depending on the weather."

For the true soccer fan, the Silver Knights are not to be missed. With their thrilling opening night 16-15 come-from-behind victory over the Lancers, the Knights have already started building a regional rivalry. Since that game on Nov. 4, Syracuse has been on fire, winning its next two games by a combined score of 41-14. With a 3-0 record, the Knights sit atop of Major Indoor Soccer League's Eastern Division.

"Some fans are turned on by the two- and three-point goal lines," Tanner said, explaining a key difference between indoor and outdoor soccer. "You get these high-scoring games that are exciting for everyone. The word is already out, but the March to the Match, I think, is going to get a whole bunch of people who wouldn't normally be interested involved.

Fans should gather 60 minutes prior to kickoff in Armory Square and march to the War Memorial, following bagpipers, drummers and street performer/acrobat Wacky Chad on pogo stick performing extreme stunts and tricks. These participating bars will have drink specials for March to the Match ticket holders: Al's Wine & Whiskey Lounge, 321 S. Clinton St. (703-4773); Limerick Pub, 134 Walton St. (475-1819); Kitty Hoynes, 301 W. Fayette St. (424-1974); Black Olive, 316 S. Clinton St. (399-5599); and Bar, 400 S. Clinton St.

The bars will start offering specials at 5 p.m., two hours before match time and an hour before the march begins. Each bar listed has 40 tickets, to be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. An hour before the game, those at the bars will spill out into the Armory Square streets to convene before heading up Jefferson Street. Sing, chat and march, and don't forget to bring a friend.

-Neil Benjamin Jr.