Apparently not for MLS's ASG needs and preferences (relative to other available options since 1996). And it apparently ranks second even within the KC market currently. (Not at all to take away fom the point that "Arrowhead is one of the finest stadiums in the country.")
Considering they awarded MLS Cups and All-Star Games to RFK Stadium, Giants Stadium, the Sun Bowl, Foxboro Stadium, Spartan Stadium, and hell even the Rose Bowl, I beg to differ. To be fair, Giants Stadium was comparable, but the rest are (or were) much worse facilities. And Arrowhead was a much, much cheaper facility to use. Yes, the ASG is a reward for Livestrong Sporting Park, but the fact that Kansas City was overlooked or bypassed for the first 17 ASGs and 16 (awardered, not earned) MLS Cups in a league that had only 10-12 teams for most of those seasons, is a valid point of complaint. Even Orlando and San Diego have hosted All-Star Games. A then record 37k+ for the Costa Rica WCQ in 2001 and the 50k+ for the Manchester United friendly in 2010 show that Kansas City will turn out for marquee events.
However they were hardly alone. It took a new stadium in Denver as well, despite the brand new Invesco Field, before they got an ASG (and they never got a MLS Cup either).
Differ all you want, but I can understand the league's preferences to play the earlier ASGs in bigger markets (and not in "flyover country"). Glad KC (specifically and the league as a whole) has an awesome and appropriately sized venue at LiveStrong Sporting Park, but I don't think complaining now about the first 17 selections does anything to help support how good and appropriate and "deserving" the 18th selection was. Yes, if MLS really wanted to they could have opted to go to (a smallish market in) the middle of the country for any of their earlier ASGs and played in a ~40-70% full Arrowhead. But I can certainly see why they went with the ASG elsewhere until LSP was available and proven to be a venue that will sell out. It was a combination of the market and the too-big NFL stadium that was not drawing MLS to select KC for special events. Now that the new and right-sized stadium is in the market, KC has shown to be an awesome spot for all sorts of soccer events. Sure, if only the 2013 ASG were actually a "marquee event" or more specifically an event to which MLS would need to or be certain that they could (at this point) sell 37k-50k tickets. The reality is that the league will be very happy to show off the ~20k that come to that great new venue for this ASG.
wasn't there a post upthread quoting garber saying the league wants marquee events in SSSs, to incentivize/reward the construction of SSSs? makes it sound like MLS has chosen commitment to its SSS policy over 50k crowds, even if specific teams or USSF will choose bigger, non-SSS venues to hold a larger ticket-purchasing crowd.
By going to smaller SSS ASG's are guaranteed sell outs considering, a large % of STH. I garuntee that out of towners and locals as well are going to have a hard time finding tickets. With a sell out crowd they can set a higher price point for tickets. These tickets are double what a league game is. It justifies raising the price point further for subsequent years. It is kinda what sporting did when they did a deal with livestrong. KC just didn't give money to the foundation, it promised a % of sales on everything in the stadium, being somewhere around 1.5 per year. That is the value before a single game was even played. We shall see shortly if it went up or down with the stadium name rights, possibly at the draft.
we need this game to get more attention. it is essential. revenue can be huge from this if we can get over 1 million viewers. maybe a double header? if we could find a way to get the previous years champions league teams to play each other THEN have the MLS all star game directly after that would be awesome.
Remember when the MLS All-stars in 2012 beat Chelsea (the current UCL title holders)? That was awesome. (Or are you talking about CONCACAF's Champions League finalists, and not UEFA's?)
Not exactly. It was renovated to the tune of $375M a few years back. Also, Jimmy Hoffa is not buried in one of the end zones.
What does that have to do with the similarity of Giants and Arrowhead Stadium? Guess I need another cup of coffee.
It has to do with the "dissimilarity" of the stadiums with respect to their locations/markets. I was hoping to tie it back in a bit to the discussion earlier in this thread as to why Giants Stadium was used previously by MLS for an ASG (or two) and Arrowhead was not selected/used for such an event. As a market, there are lots of reasons NY/NJ gets preferential treatment (and extra use, be that for NFL games or MLS "special events") relative to say a place like KC or Denver.