Soccer Stadium boom in the U.S.

#10 Shirt · #1 Posted: **Oct 1, 2005, 3:39 AM**

Ok, maybe "boom" is going too far, but it's nice to see so many teams moving into venues that allow them to become profitable (not renting out NFL stadiums) and provide a nice, intimate atmosphere.

The stadium that started it all: Columbus Crew Stadium - 22,500 - 1999

The Home Depot Center
Teams: LA Galaxy and Chivas USA
Capacity: 27,000
Built: 2003

Pizza Hut Park
Team: FC Dallas
Capacity: 21,193
Built: 2005

Bridgeview Stadium (naming sponsor TBA..likely LaSalle Bank)
Team: Chicago Fire
Capacity: 20,000
Under Construction

Harrison Stadium (naming sponsor TBA)
Team: Metrostars
Capacity: 20,000
Completion in 2007

Earlier design

Colorado Rapids Stadium (naming sponsor TBA)
Team: Colorado Rapids
Capacity: 20,000
Completion in 2007

Also worth mentioning...

Rochester (USL, "minor league" team) has a 12,000 seat stadium u/c right now.

None of them are exactly cutting edge design, but they mark a significant point in the story of professional soccer in the U.S.

It should also be noted that they are all designed with expansion in mind (in the open ends, additional upper decks, or temporary seating on the stage ends).

New stadiums are also being planned in Salt Lake and D.C., but nothing has been finalized.

phillyskyline · #2 Posted: **Oct 1, 2005, 5:22 PM**

Thanx for the pics... out of curiousity which field is the largest on the east coast?

Cirrus · #3 Posted: **Oct 1, 2005, 8:36 PM**

DC is also looking to build a soccer specific stadium in Poplar Point, but it's still in the planning stages. It would likely have a capacity of 24,000.

yarabundi · #4 Posted: **Oct 3, 2005, 5:24 PM**

Montréal also has a soccer stadium announced earlier this year. Sponsor will be local cheese company : Saputo. It'll have 15K seats - not much considering tne extreme popularity of this sport here but it'll be better than nothing.

#10 Shirt · #5 Posted: **Oct 13, 2005, 5:21 AM**

RSL's new stadium in Sandy, Utah. (Just announced today.)
Capacity: 25,000
Groundbreaking spring '06

ThrashATL · #6 Posted: **Oct 14, 2005, 1:15 PM**

Kansas City Wizards are looking at a 22,000 seat stadium in suburban Johnson County, KS. They're currently in the cavernous 78,000 seat Arrowhead Stadium:

Atlanta is also considering a 25,000 seat soccer stadium for a possible MLS expansion team. The current Atlanta USL team is also building it's own stadium as well.

looper121 · #7 Posted: **Dec 16, 2005, 7:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThrashATL

Kansas City Wizards are looking at a 22,000 seat stadium in suburban Johnson County, KS. They're currently in the cavernous 78,000 seat Arrowhead Stadium:

Atlanta is also considering a 25,000 seat soccer stadium for a possible MLS expansion team. The current Atlanta USL team is also building it's own stadium as well.

Hmmm, maybe. These 2 cities aren't likely to have these stadiums any time soon...First of all, KC may lose it's team in the next year, they were only just given another year in KC days ago. It isn't looking good for them as the average attendance isn't where Lamar Hunt wants it. and yes, having them play in Arrowhead is terrible. Atlanta won't have an MLS team for some time, as you posted a USL stadium is in the works...

Evergrey · #8 Posted: **Dec 22, 2005, 6:14 PM**

Rochester should be added to the MLS... they've lobbied for years.. that city is crazy for soccer and now they have a wonderful new stadium.

Raraavis · #9 Posted: **Dec 23, 2005, 11:23 PM**

And College Soccer Stadiums as well

Creighton University Soccer Stadium
Downtown Omaha Nebraska

tuy · #10 Posted: **Dec 23, 2005, 11:33 PM**

And, even though San Jose just lost the Quakes, they are talking about building a new stadium for an expansion team. They have retained the rights to the team name.

Alta California · #11 Posted: **Jan 4, 2006, 7:24 AM**

What's behind these boom in soccer stadium construction, especially in pretty whitebread places. It can't be the MLS. Though this would be an awesome asset if the States bid for the FIFA World Cup.

Trantor · #12 Posted: **Jan 5, 2006, 12:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alta California

What's behind these boom in soccer stadium construction, especially in pretty whitebread places. It can't be the MLS. Though this would be an awesome asset if the States bid for the FIFA World Cup.

Sorry to inform you pal, but World Cup stadiums must hold at least 40.000 people in seats.

Anyway, USA has no chance of hosting another World Cup in the next 30 years at least, since it hosted in 1994. The WC, unlike the Olympics, doesnt pay so much attention for money of the host country.

2006 - Germany
2010 - South Africa
2014 - a South American country (100%), probably Brasil (90%), which only hosted the World Cup in 1950 but won it 5 times
2018 - much probably an European country
2022 - I would guess an asian country
2026 - maybe another european country, maybe a South American country (Argentina?), maybe a north american country (Mexico?)

trueviking · #13 Posted: **Jan 5, 2006, 1:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trantor

Sorry to inform you pal, but World Cup stadiums must hold at least 40.000 people in seats.

Anyway, USA has no chance of hosting another World Cup in the next 30 years at least, since it hosted in 1994.

The WC, unlike the Olympics, doesnt pay so much attention for money of the host country.

there are plenty of suitable stadia larger than 40 000 in the states...and if it were not true about FIFA paying attention to the money of the host country, then the U.S would have never hosted it in the first place.

trueviking · #14 Posted: **Jan 5, 2006, 1:37 AM**

vancouver montreal and toronto are buildng soccer specific stadia as well.....the toronto one is in preparation of the 2007 FIFA World Youth Championship

vancouver:

[/QUOTE]

montreal:

[/QUOTE]

a previous version of the toronto one:

Markitect · #15 Posted: **Jan 5, 2006, 1:54 AM**

There is a group of investors trying to land a Major League Soccer franchise in Milwaukee, as well. So far they have a loose proposal for a mixed-use development (retail, hotel, offices, residential) with a soccer-specific stadium (20,000 seats or so) as the centerpiece. They have been pushing for the project to be located right Downtown, though a specific site has not yet been identified. Designs for different sites have been ongoing for several months now, but it's all behind-closed-doors type of stuff at the moment.

CTroyMathis · #16 Posted: **Jan 5, 2006, 5:58 AM**

I'm diggin' that Vancouver stadium.

tuy · #17 Posted: **Jan 5, 2006, 6:07 AM**

With all the interest in building Soccer only stadiums. Look for the MLS to expand. San Jose is already promised a future expansion team. By how many teams do you all think the MLS should expand?

Trantor · #18 Posted: **Jan 5, 2006, 2:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueviking

there are plenty of suitable stadia larger than 40 000 in the states...and if it were not true about FIFA paying attention to the money of the host country, then the U.S would have never hosted it in the first place.

yes, but NONE is one of these "boom" stadiums. ANd you were talking about THESE stadiums shown here being a major asset.

US hosted the WC because FIFA wanted to promote the sport in US, not because USA had money to realize the WC.

Trantor · #19 Posted: **Jan 5, 2006, 2:58 PM**

why the teams in US are franchises instead of CLUBS?

VivaLFuego · #20 Posted: **Jan 5, 2006, 4:37 PM**

Major League Soccer is very weird....I havent followed it in several years. But it is a collective league with revenue sharing and so on, so the teams in less viable markets are propped up financially. There are also strict salary caps both for individuals and for teams. In fact, I believe players sign a contract with the league, not with the team. At least all this was the case a few years ago. Thus expansion isnt so much a question of how the city can handle it, but how the league collectively can handle it. I do remember the league contracted in size losing 2 teams some years back, so be wary of any expansion.

I found it interesting how U.S. soccer is a collective, command-control system while internationally, football operates in a much more free market, a reversal of how things are for most other things in life.