Artistic Rendering of BBVA Compass Stadium, Opening in May 2012
When you started to follow Major League Soccer for the first time in 1996, one of your enduring memories was visiting stadiums that were primarily used for the National Football League or College Football. But when Lamar Hunt used his own money to create the first ever soccer specific stadium for MLS, you felt that a change was coming.
As we look at the 2012 season, most MLS teams are the primary tenants for their current venues. Last night, MLS received another boost in this realm, and it happened for a team whose tumultuous past was influenced directly by their inability to secure a modern venue. But the San Jose Planning Commission gave a sweeping six votes for to nil to allow the San Jose Earthquakes to break ground and build the next great stadium in the history of the sport in the United States.
Since Columbus Crew Stadium was opened on May 15th, 1999, stadiums designed for Major League Soccer have been a priority, especially after the arrival of Commissioner Don Garber. The list has grown in ways that Hunt could only dream of back in the infancy of the league: The Home Depot Center, FC Dallas Stadium (formerly Pizza Hut Park), Toyota Park, BMO Field, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Rio Tinto Stadium, Red Bull Arena, PPL Park, and Livestrong Sporting Park.
In terms of this season, opening in downtown Houston will be BBVA Compass Stadium, as the finishing touches are being made on this great new park in the heart of the city. Let’s also not forget the refurbishment project up in Montreal as Stade Saputo will be expanding their capacity to meet MLS requirements. These stadiums have presented a financial benefit to the teams, giving them facilities that can draw new fans due to their modern qualities without the enormous lease costs from the mammoth NFL and NCAA stadiums.
For the Dynamo, a brand new stadium has been a long sought after goal which will become reality on May 12 of this year. Of course they were the first edition of an MLS team in San Jose, initially as the Clash and then as the Earthquakes. But Anschutz Entertainment Group tired of the process to secure building permits in the northern California city, and moved the team to the Gulf Coast. Finally for the newest generation of the Earthquakes and their supporters, a replacement for the antiquated Buck Shaw Stadium is closer to reality.
Located near the San Jose Airport, it sounded like this would be a fantastic idea for visiting sides to make a short trip and prepare for their match against the Earthquakes. But as always with these new Soccer Stadium projects, there was some apprehension. That pushback came from some local residents who live near the airport, creating a group set against the stadium opening in their neighborhood. Their main concern was the possible harmful noise coming from the drums being beaten by the supporters group. The Council finally shot that protest down.
If these people live near an airport, and also have freight trains going by at night blowing their horns, shouldn’t they complain about that instead of worrying about a stadium filled with soccer fans? Those who were opposed to the idea wanted a study reopened to measure noise, but that idea was dismissed.
Many Earthquakes supporters filled the hall and had their chance to show their support for the new stadium along with owner Lew Wolff and MLS President Mark Abbott. After all that was said and displayed, the council finally voted and agreed to allow the new stadium to be built. There was an appeal from the opposition, but that was denied.
So after all of the soccer-related heartache that has been going on for the last several years in the San Jose area, the supporters of this club can now celebrate the possible final year at Buck Shaw as the club is hoping they will start in 2013.
Finally another crown jewel of a stadium will be built and represent the league, another stadium that will represent home field advantage for our National Team to compete in a friendly, Gold Cup or during World Cup Qualifying. With BBVA Compass Stadium, Stade Saputo, and the new park being planned in Silicon Valley, this is a fabulous time for fans of San Jose, Major League Soccer, and our National Teams.
Now the only two left homeless are DC and New England.
I’d say the Revs situation is more like Seattle. They are in a
ownership group facility that is multi-function. Their home may
suck but it is a home, unlike DCU – in unending limbo land over
their future at RFK. If anything Chivas USA, as a 2nd priority
tenant of HDC, should be on that list.
They should just move Chivas to San Diego.
I have a sinking feeling that in less than 3 to 5 years if DCU
doesn’t get a facility in this area, they may go up the road to
Baltimore.
At $60M, I don’t know if I would say crown jewel. It’s going to be
no frills to be sure. In any case, the main thing is it is a
facility that the team controls. That’s good for the fans and good
for the league.
It may be no frills but at least it’s not buck shaw. Buck shaw is
barely even a college stadium it’s more of a glorified high school
stadium. As far as frills, it is not without them: the Epicenter
will have a better terrace/supporters section behind the goal than
exists in Colorado, Dallas, or Columbus. It also will have some
unique big-money luxury suites to sell to the silicon valley
corporate elite. It will also have a great roof (this is a big plus
b/c many MLS SSS’s do not have roofs or just have mini-roofs that
only cover a tiny section of the stands). That is pretty good
considering it’s 100% privately financed.
Funny how how Seattle has the best stadium by a long shot, it was
built for soccer, but NEVER gets listed. Since day 1 ( and the
Sounders were the first major event there ) I have thought I can’t
believe we have a $500 million stadium for the Sounders. Sure it is
shared, but it fits better for soccer than for football in the good
seats.
Your half right. It was built with soccer in mind, not primarily
for soccer.
Seattle would probably be listed more often if not for their
field-turf.
Big Whoop! Seattle wasn’t the first to design an NFL stadium
w/soccer in mind. Soldier Field was also renovated w/Soccer in
mind. At the time the Fire were tenants and Soldier Field hosts
lots of sold out soccer exhibitions. Gold cup. WCQ, and etc.
Well then Soldier Field should be mentioned too, if it were the
best stadium in MLS………………………..It isn’t however,
as it isn’t even a stadium in MLS……………..Seattle’s stadium
was build for football, both kinds, and IS the best stadium in MLS.
Seattle has plastic grass. Its actually the worst field surface for
soccer. The game is hardly the same played on plastic. Ask soccer
players what they would rather play on. Not plastic. Such
artificial surfaces put extra strain on knees, ankles and lower
back. What Seattle has is a good coach and fan base. But stadium??
200 million dollar Red Bull Arena is certainly near or at the top.
why are we talking about NFL stadiums? dont tell me theres
nostalgia. about centerlink field (SSFC home ‘turf’ pun intended)
it has plastic grass which is horrible, both for players and on tv.
and second its not a soccer stadium. yea it was built with soccer
in mind but that doesnt mean its the best. when a team plays second
fiddle to a NFL team than that doesnt have a good look on SSFC. i
know they have a good realationship with Seahawks but there should
be a stadium tailored for Sounders. theres no reason they cant
build a 35k stadium easy. (Cosmos wants to build a 30 k stadium
minimum) but centerlink field is american football first, soccer
second. that doesnt fly well with me, thus doesnt make it the best
soccer stadium. IMO Red Bull arena, Sporting park and Saputo stade
are the best. id say Jeld Wen stadium too but something about those
hipsters i just dont like
“theres no reason they cant build a 35k stadium easy.” There’s
plenty of reasons, but I’ll name three: 1. Pizza Hut Park 2. Toyota
Park 3. Gillette Stadium Three shining examples of how attendance
suffers when you have to build your stadium out of the city, which
is where any “easy” SSS would have to go “in” Seattle. There’s
simply nowhere to plunk one down in the city limits at less than a
nightmarish cost. Renton is the best-case scenario, and that’s a
good 20 minutes from both the city itself (1/2 hour during rush
hour before weeknight matches) and from its most populous suburbs.
Hell, San Jose is making their stadium cheap and small because it’s
in San Jose, and it’s in San Jose because there’s nowhere to build
for even a remotely reasonable cost in San Francisco.
San Jose’s stadium will cost 60M and will seat 18k and while it
will be nice, it will be built with economics in mind. But kudos SJ
fans, this is well overdue, but does it really make sense for the
Sounders to spend at least 120 million for a 40k in a much less
centralized area when the turf does not seem to diminish the zeal
of Sounder fans? Seahawks Stadium has good sightlines for a sizable
soccer field and there are no NFL markings during games. The
Seahawks have had to make concessions as well. The endzones aren’t
deeply colored and the crown on the field is a soccer crown and not
a higher NFL sized crown. Sure it might be worth moving if
attendance falls in the 15k range for the foreseeable future but
the grass complaint is like whining about one’s supermodel
girlfriend because she is too tall. The field turf does need
replacing and will be replaced but the only player I’ve heard that
won’t play on it is Thierry Henry and that suits me fine. The last
catastrophic injury in the stadium was Conor Casey and while I
wouldn’t want that to happen to anyone, if it had to happen, I’m
glad it happened to someone on the other team. Oh yeah, it happened
on grass.
They should put in the hybird pitch like they have at Lincoln
Financial Field in Philly.
Interestingly enough they also have the same hybrid pitch at Old
Trafford and the Emerites
Ummm 35000 would barely handle the season ticket holders. Sounders
should be around 40k this year.
Well now matter what Columbus Crew Stadium is the Fenway Park or
Soldier Field of MLS,
Too bad Crew Stadium is barely half full on game days, have they
ever had an avg for the season of more than 15,000 fans? According
to Wikipedia, NO! Not sure a team should have been put there. Win a
title and still can’t draw consistent fans. Good thing your title
game was at HDC, who knows whether you would of sold out or not.
You are talking about the first MLS team to ever sell over 10,000
season tickets. The team that built the first Soccer Specific
Stadium. The reason for Last season was that the fans were still
pissed about losing GBS and Hejduk.
fact of the matter is; wish they could draw consistently over
15,000 and they don’t. 10,000 season tickets that’s great, but if
not much more come after those die hard fans then you still have
almost a half empty stadium. Portland, Seattle and perhaps Philly
have started a standard in not only numbers but with the level of
enthusiasm amongst it’s fans. The rest of the league needs to catch
up and keep pace. As a Galaxy fan, we have the numbers; but L.A.
fans can be too laid back and as a whole I wish we could reach that
level of enthusiasm that Angels City Brigade/Riot Squad (Galaxy
supporter groups) bring to our HDC every game.
The Crew organization is having a very good off season and is
addressing attendance issues. They just landed a new Jersey Sponsor
with Barbasol which will run for the next 5 years. In addition they
have a new TV contract with Fox Sports Ohio and will potentially
reach several million more viewers (from 1.5 to 5.7). These are
huge deals that will spark additional interest, more sponsership
and grow the fan base. The Crew established an aggressive ticket
sales campaign that started last fall. They have surpassed last
years season ticket sales. There is more buzz and excitement this
off season than in recent years. Crew stadium is still a great
venue to watch soccer and the turf (real stuff) is managed
extremely well.
This is good to hear, Jeff. I wasn’t writing to simply “bag” on the
Crew, just pointing out their attendance issue. I hope they can
boost those numbers up. Not only am I a fan of the Galaxy, but I’m
a fan of the league and I’m rooting for you guys. Good Luck on the
upcoming season.
Well said Daniel and thanks.
I love the ”Toyota Pak” in Chicago, too bad the stadium is alway
empty…
Stadiums could be empty for several reasons. Downtown stadiums are
expensive to build and difficult to authorize, so they’re built out
in the burbs. This limits some fans from attending. Stadiums may
also be empty (at least in Ohio) because people are BROKE. Season
tickets equates to disposable income and that’s in short supply
these days. Finally, I think some teams suffer from a severe lack
of effective marketing, resulting in low awareness and low
attendance, especially from walk-up attendance. If each team signed
a DP with a cultural / ethnic connection to the city in which he
played, that might help boost attendance but again that is only
temporary and again it requires money. I have read many, many
Euro/SA fans who say that if MLS would sign players from their
respective country, they would go for those sole reasons. Not the
best way to boost attendance but one way. Funny how it always comes
down to money. God I hate money. Now if I can just get that stadium
built in Boston……
You made some valid points. I agree about the fact that teams
should signed a DP with a cultural / ethnic connection, if you take
the case of the Chicago Fire, a DP from Poland would really help
the attendance issue, I mean Chicago has the songest largest Polish
population after Warsaw… Here in Montreal, an Italian DP would
really help, the Owner is Italian and Montreal have a huge ethnic
Italian population.
A must read for all you Central Planning advocates.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204778604577241530297197836.html?mod=e2tw
I have to admit, I never thought that MLS would develop this
quickly. It is discouraging however to reside in the New York area
and sit amongst 7,000 empty seats a game. Although the atmosphere
is still better than Giants Stadium. As some of us await the return
of the New York Cosmos we have to endure attending matches over in
Harrison, New Jersey half heartedly supporting a club that is an
advertisement for a beverage favored by Austrian caffeine junkies .
That being said it could be worse, I could be a Masshole who’s only
footy fix is in Foxboro.
By the way, what is with the open end in the artists renditions of
the new San Jose stadium? It looks terribly amateur.
Something that I do not understand is… There are at least a few
cities/investors willing to invest major dollars (+40 mil) get to
MLS………..What if they create a new league, save A LOT of money
and invest it in their teams/stadia instead of giving it to the
cartel????……………….with the lack of credibility of MLS by
soccer fans all around the nation, they would be more relevant than
MLS in no time!!………multiply +40mil by the potential
investors, can you imagine what the potential of the new league
would be??…………..question # 2 : Why haven’t the NASL thought
about it and try to atract them? Why doesn’t NASL pull the trigger
and go pro/rel???? MLS has been taking their best teams without any
consideration of them anyways!……………….What would happen
if NASL announces, league is open to any cities/investors that
meets certain criteria, once we have more than x teams we will
implement promotion and relegation………………I do understand
why MLS will never implement pro/rel, just look at their leaders
and find out who their buddies are…………….What I do not
understand is why NASL (which is against the ropes now) do not do
it?!?!?!