The only question is how to do this and still keep the sightlines? I don't know how much it would cost to get the city to budge on that. Really, Jeld Wen is genuinely my favorite stadium in MLS bc of it's history and unique design. Throw in the TA and it's-
Heading out to Portland vs. Seattle game September 15th. It'll be our 2nd year in a row going from MN. Any recommendations for pubs besides the obvious ones (Bitter End)?
That's like asking a Minnesotan if there are any good lakes for fishing besides Minnetonka. You're lucky to get tickets for this tilt. I'd hit any of the nearby microbreweries, if I were you. Kells is good also, and you can talk shit with the Sounders fans on the free bus to and from the game.
What about expansion on this side? Take out the "new" roof and expand. Rework agreement with the city on providing "street level" viewing.
I think there are concerns about how steep the incline will need to be to see the entire field and depending on the size it may go over the sidewalk and into the street, which does include the MAX. I don't know if this is correct, but the neighborhood is looking for an open feel into the stadium from the street, not only just the possibility to see onto the pitch itself. An imposing structure would really make the street feel much more narrow. There is something to be said about having the seats covered from the rain in Oregon. And I have no idea if there is enough support for there to be a second level there. Lots of speculation on that side and no real answers that I can provide.
Portland is close to being able to get 30k crowds regularly, but their stadium won't let them. Putting an upper deck on one side is the only real option they have, outside of just building a new stadium all together.
Tear the whole thing down (except for any parts that are historic that) play in a temporary stadium and build something like the Estádio do Bessa (look it up I'm on my phone and can't upload pictures) it looks like it wouldn't take up much space at all and seats 28000.
Most of the stadium is historic (3 sides). Only the far side stands and some of the stands under the MAC's balcony are new. Also you can never have it totally enclosed on all sides like that bc of the Multnomah Athletic Club. Any plan that obstructs or attempts to disassemble that structure is a non-starter from the go. Of all the real-life options, Estadio Vicente Calderón seems to be the best model, which would still require a major concession from the city to build in that area.
Sort of related. Did I hear that the field is being widen or lined out for 74 yards wide now? What is it currently and also how long is it currently. Did I hear this on NBCSC recently? With the plastic field a little long and wider would help the pace of the game a little. My concerns of course are how close the advertising boards are and players running full speed up to and along the touch lines.
It was 70 yards in width this season. And it is not plastic. It was tweeted out by the same announcer on NBCSN [who is/was a local Portland radio guy, in fact, was in the TA back in 2004] and Wilkinson confirmed the change which was agreed to a few months ago, we are just hearing about it now. I see your concerns, but there is space to move the boards back farther. There are a few yards between the boards and the wall.
I love how for almost 2 years we had it pounded down our throats that a 70 yd field was the widest that could fit in the stadium footprint. The pitch met fifa regulations for width, (barely), they had to maintain the sightlines on the west side, they had to meet the fifa mandate for open space along the side touch lines, and that the curve of the stadium in the North end would prohibit any attempts to widen the pitch. Any other words.....quit complaining about the 70 yd width it's the best we can do! Now it comes out (from a Gavin Quote) that the pitch was narrow because it was designed that way from the start ON PURPOSE. Becasue the team was brand new and young they wanted a pitch that would promote a compact playing style. So........YOU LIED TO US and everyone else.
Lied, or tried? The stadium renovation's effects is still a work in progress. Look, you can spin #GWout in any way you want, but the matter is that there are clear physical restraints to the playing surface. In order to feasibly widen the field they will be reducing their on-field seating arrangements which reduces a revenue stream. Lengthening the field is nearly physically impossible unless you want the goal mouth on the south end touch the seats and the north end corners give 3 feet of space. There is "room" but how much are you willing to remove to achieve it?
I love our rivalry and the passion for MLS in the pac northwest, but come on portland, dissapointed to see continous support for upgrading this stadium, put pressure on the city/county to build something else that you can get 60,000 fans in, isnt portland tired of being small time? build something big, show the rest of the world how crazy Timber fans are, Seattle/Portland can be even bigger then now, cascadia can become a huge hot bed for fans and players, but portland needs and must have something bigger, Timber fans are well worth it
I have never been to Jeld Wen stadium( I hope to make the trip in 2013), but i think it is one of the better stadiums in MLS. I really like the stadium( but not as much as the Clink), I just hate the timbers. I don't think Portland can get as many fans as we do in Seattle, but I can see them getting around 25,000+ if the timbers start winning. So I think expansion would work.
Are you high? The stadium's a jewel. It has history and integrity,... and has just been renovated. I don't think most Portland fans would soon trade it for some cookie-cutter upgrade. Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it.
a jewel? wow, its a converted minor league baseball stadium, what makes it a great experience is the fans, Port/Sea fan support is best in the country, everyone else is second class in comparison, hoping someday both teams are getting 60,000 a game.
The failure of four minor league baseball teams since 1956 contradicts this statement. Also dismissing the fact it was never a baseball stadium to begin with.
You want to have people outside wanting tickets. What you dont want is to expand and fill the stadium sometimes and not other times. You want tickets to be something of a luxury. The Timbers are still young in terms of MLS age and ownership is smart to allow demand to develop over a significant amount of time before even considering expansion. A lot of businesses are fully capable of producing enough product to meet all demand but they dont because good business says you want people wanting your product and not able to meet it. If you create more product, you reduce the value of your product. A lot of NFL teams could expand to 100k seat venues and likely sell all the tickets but they dont because it is good business to want people outside the gates wishing they were there to experience the game. "you think" you can get. You have to keep a demand and set a point where tickets have value. As I said before, you want people outside wanting tickets. You want people buying tickets in advance because they cant walk up and get them. You also want people at home watching on televisions. TV contracts bring far more money than the gate and TV ratings are a struggle for MLS. The league needs teams like Portland who are drawing a full house to have fans not able to get tickets so they watch the games on TV. They also need demand so they can keep tickets at good prices. I was there in April and thought it was a fantastic venue. I see no reason why they need to explore something else. I also beg to differ about everyone being second class in comparison. There are a lot of great fanbases in this league. Contrary to what you belief, Seattle didnt invent great fan experience.
If expansion is not possible then first team ticket prices will have to go up, but there can be cheaper tickets for US Open cup, Timbers u23/reserves & Portland Thorns women's team. Im mosing to Oregon next year and wont be able to get a season ticket but ill join the Timbers army, go to as many first team games as i can but will also go to US open cup games and the u23 team in the USL premier development league aswell as away games which i can get tickets too. Possibly even Potland Phoenix game too.
The ownership doesn't want to alienate the fanbase by raising ticket prices on a team which has yet to make the playoffs. I'm sure the ticket prices will go up, but the owner is making good choices by not exploiting the fans this early on in the team's MLS history. Reserve team, U-23, friendly, and now women's team games are a great way to satisfy the extra demand for the time being.
Do the u23 team get much crowds? and would anybody bother travelling to support them or the Reserve team?
Games are spread around town at local area high schools and the crowds are decent. Attendance has gone up every year since the team was formed. This is skewed slightly though because the few games at Jeld Wen have been partnered with Providence and local schools as part of a "health and wellness" day. Im assuming tickets are free because that is the only way they are getting 8,000 kids there on a school day. The only away dates that are focused upon to any degree are to Kitsap. The first team and the U23 team have played them several times over the years. I can speak personally that the staff treat us well and appreciate our rowdy behavior as long as no one takes it too far. I have shaken hands with several Kitsap staff members and they always thank us for coming and the thanks is reciprocal. I try to attend as many U23 games as possible. I enjoy them and the soccer is of a high quality for the level.
different question. Assuming land and financing were not issues (they generally are), if Portland were to build a completely new stadium, how big would they go for? Is it simply a case of, take the current size stadium + waiting list = build? In comparison to say KC, HOU, SLC and SJ, all stadiums in that 18-20,00 range. Market size matter ? Houston is a huge city population wise, but the stadium is not much larger than KC-SLC-COL, much smaller markets. Would Portland build as a small market stadium or build based on actual , real life attendance/ soccer history ? I know this issue is not a real issue, as I assume the rebuild at Jenweld makes that stadium last another decade or more. But even at some point, does the stadium need to be replaced because age of the internal organs so to speak ? Or during the rebuild, is the new side new enough, that you only then have to rebuild the oldest part of the stadium? And how would you do that during a season. = Don't get me wrong, love the stadium, but I just saw pictures of Uof H Robertson being torn down. I have been to both and there were some similarities. - I like old stadiums. I have been to MLS games in about 17-18 different stadiums and on my road trips i go to the old places over the SSS as i figure the SSS will be around awhile. Thats why I went to the old Cotton Bowl, old Soldier, old Mile High and other stadiums MLS has or will move from like RFK, Robertson, Old Meadowlands, Sullivan in NE etc. Don't get me wrong, still have see games at SSS and newer places, just enjoy the older places for what they were.