Well, 3,500 is half of the scarcity equation. There's been no real demonstrated demand at that level since 2000 in that market, though.
Scarcity is only part of it. I would say that creating a better environment for watching soccer is another factor - it's a bit build it and they will come but that's also too simple. I would imagine they have a business plan that would involve increased marketing efforts to increase attendance at the new stadium.
Well, I do hope the Riverhounds can fill some seats. For sure the location of the new stadium is much more high visibility for the team and an exciting destination for fans and players then the current location. Though I sort of doubt they can sell all 3,500PSL seats. I for one plan on trying to catch a match or two on my trips back to da 'burgh 'nat...if tickets are available to walk ups. Pittsburgh just has such a long historied tradition in American Soccer.
I don't believe they're requiring PSLs for all 3,500 seats, are they? There are only 3,500 seats in the place. PSLs are sold in three tiers of seating within the main grandstand: tier one includes seating sections at center field; tier two includes seating in mid-field sections; and tier three includes the outer-most seating sections. A limited number of seats throughout the grandstand have been reserved for PSLs and are selling fast. **PSLs are not valid for Pittsburgh Passion Women’s Football home games and team-related events as well as rugby games. Additional exceptions are subject to change if necessary. "The purchase of a PSL is a financial assest that has the potential to increase in value." --- Well, that's a bit tricky. Wait, what?
Aww...really? OK, I will bite. A quick Google reveals: http://www.beadling.com/about/history/index_E.html http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/pittsburgh.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Amateur_Cup (note 1926-1927-1928, 1930, 1954 etc) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmarville_Hurricanes (U.S. Open Cup Winners 1952, 1956) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Strasser https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/the-history-of-soccer-in-pittsburgh.1450860/ Oh and let's not forget the 1970s! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_Spirit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_Miners
Okay, it's a long and storied history that almost no one is aware of. 1952 and 1956 Open Cups? Of course, what was I thinking?
You didn't cover that in American History in junior high? How well I remember being so enraptured by the tale that I would fail to hear the "beep" of the film strip sound track, so I would fall behind as images of the vanquished Philadelphia Nationals remained on the screen while the soundtrack played Lindsay Nelson's immortal call of the final seconds of Harmarville's defeat of Schwaben of Chicago!
Oh, I remember seeing that movie! Sean Connery was the improbable team manager and Russell Crowe played the hardnosed Coal Mine foreman and midfield captain and leader! Good stuff...Legendary!
Not saying they still don't have to sell the team and tickets, because they do. But I think the new location will help alot. It's must more centrally located and close to major highways. For a change they should be able to draw from both the north and south hills areas. I'm also out of the area and hopefully can make it down to a game next season when home for a visit.
Well, it's certainly presenting the sport in the right way. It's a huge upgrade from a high school football stadium with permanent football lines on turf. That part of the battle, certainly, will be won with this and that can't hurt.
Repping this because my rep button is not showing. Central location, high visibility, soccer specific (mostly) and...this isn't even a sentence! I quit.
Nov. 20 for field and grandstands, and end of the year for the entire stadium to be finished. http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/...scheduled-sign-signs-team-wilke#axzz29NYH2sTm
Installation of Grandstands and Turf Field Begin at Highmark Stadium Progress is looking pretty good on this stadium. Stadium officials say the facility will be operational by the end of November. If you haven't checked out the webcam of the stadium, do so - the time lapse feature is pretty cool and shows that the main grandstands and press box are up. I really hope the Riverhounds fill this thing regularly next season.
I like seeing stands, but boy is that thing shoehorned in between the road and the tracks. (removed the "screenshot", which is really a live snapshot from the webcam )
The new stadium is planned to seat 3,500. That's pretty decent attendance for USLPro, right? So as long as the pitch itself is big enough (at least 75 x 115 yards), 3,500 seats is probably enough, at least until the fan base grows. I bet they could squeeze some more seats in there too. Maybe on the near end facing the stadium cam? Or even on the opposite end? (But they'd probably have to buy some more land for that, yeah? In any case, a 3.5K soccer specific stadium, in downtown (or at least very close) is great for a USLPro team. Perhaps in a few years when the game has grown more in the States and the Riverhounds have grown their fanbase they'll need more seats. But for now, this should be a huge improvement. And good luck to the Riverhounds. This is a pretty big undertaking for D3 team. I'm impressed. - Mark
The fact they have their own yard is huge. One that appears like it's going to be a great setting and intimate...even better. Pittsburgh hasn't drawn over 3,500 since 2000 in Division II. If they'd have drawn 3,500 a game this year, they'd have ranked fifth in the league behind Orlando (6,604), Rochester (6,268), Wilmington (4,265) and Charleston (3,947). The league average was 2,686.
Yeah, I read your page on USLPro attendance. So I knew that 3.5K would be a good attendance number. Of course, it's also the max they can draw, so maybe they have a few sell outs, and a few games with not so good attendance (bad weather, mid week games, conflicts with something else in Pittsburgh, and so on), they aren't going to average 3.5K, but they won't need more seats until they regularly sell out their new digs. It's exciting in any case, and very ambitious. Hopefully, other USLPro sides start to emulate this effort. (Some of course already have, and some have sweet deals where they are now, like Wilmington). - Mark
Actually, Wilmington's not really a sweet deal. It's a high school football stadium, basically. It's amazing they're able to do what they do despite not presenting the sport in a proper environment. I don't know what the economics of it are, and if they're doing well financially, then, okay, fine. But they're a real success story and the club really matters to the community there. They've had trouble getting a new baseball ballpark built. I don't know that Bill Rudisil and his partners would pony up for a new yard of their own (especially if they're making a go of it financially where they are), but they'd be a model franchise in their own place.
I myself think 3,000 is a reachable average for a D3 team for prosperity. If we can average 3,000 as a league, that should be good at the third tier. And I think end zone seating could be possible here. But Pittsburgh really needs to work on their fan base before that even becomes possible.
Orlando Rays, yeah, you're right. I'm both pumped by their new stadium and thinking years down the line too. There's a lot to like about USL, but I still worry that the league is not well run and that they need better, more serious leadership. - Mark