RFK question.

[lfcli30]

Last year, there were seats behind the goal (left hand side on TV). This year, the dugout is there, but the seats are not. So my question is

1) Why aren't the seats there anymore?

2) If there's a dugout there, why would you spend so much time to move the seats, remove the roof of the dugout and just leave that ugly dugout there?

[spidergoose]

The dugout is permanent. The seats that the Barra Brava/Screaming Eagles stand on rotate around to become the third baseline for the baseball configuration.

EDIT: A picture is worth a thousand words.

http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2005a/0409_dc_chi_ajm/web_013_ajm.jpg

[dmike]

The dugout is permanent. The seats that the Barra Brava/Screaming Eagles stand on rotate around to become the third baseline for the baseball configuration.

EDIT: A picture is worth a thousand words.

http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2005a/0409_dc_chi_ajm/web_013_ajm.jpg

LOL...... its amazing RSL,Metros,Rapids,KC and perhaps an expansion team is gonna end having a SSS ready before you guys do. Such a pity since DCU fanbase is easily the best.

[wufc]

I've always wondered, just what has made RFK acceptable for soccer, while behemoths like Giants Stadium, Arrowhead, and Mile High have been built just to screw soccer. Was there anything special about its original architecture that made it easy on soccer (intentional or not)? Or was there some significant changes made when DCU was the lone tenants?

[spidergoose]

I think RFK itself has had a lot of inherent qualities that got DCU to become one of the strongest fanbases. We were pre-set up to have good sounding supporters with our partial roof and the bouncing stands. Additionally (and far more important, I think) has been our absolute accessibility by road and rail. It's extremely easy to get to RFK.

[Sanguine]

I've always wondered, just what has made RFK acceptable for soccer, while behemoths like Giants Stadium, Arrowhead, and Mile High have been built just to screw soccer. Was there anything special about its original architecture that made it easy on soccer (intentional or not)? Or was there some significant changes made when DCU was the lone tenants?

well, for one, it's smaller than those stadiums. At it's absolute max capacity (with the North End stands in place, and the temp bleachers in the south end, which have never been used for MLS, save MLS Cup '97) it still only seats 56k and change. In its current state, it seats in the neighborhood of 45k. Secondly, it has a roof all the way around that keeps the sound in.

In addition to that, a good sized field fits inside (I believe the dimensions used have always been 72x115), so you're not stuck with a narrow pitch like KC, and even in the Redskins days, RFK was considered a great "atmosphere" stadium.

On the negative side, it comes with a crippling lease arrangement, much like Giants Stadium, although not as expensive, and obviously, the pitch is not nearly as good now that United is sharing with baseball.

[scaryice]

I've always wondered, just what has made RFK acceptable for soccer, while behemoths like Giants Stadium, Arrowhead, and Mile High have been built just to screw soccer.

Fans

[K]

Here's a brief history of RFK: http://www.andrewclem.com/Baseball/RFKStadium.html

K

[Darth Norteño]

Last year, there were seats behind the goal (left hand side on TV). This year, the dugout is there, but the seats are not. So my question is

1) Why aren't the seats there anymore?

2) If there's a dugout there, why would you spend so much time to move the seats, remove the roof of the dugout and just leave that ugly dugout there?

No offense (even though you're Metro), but it burns my ass every time someone asks about the old seats. To answer your questions rationally, the seats are gone to accommodate an outfield for the Nastyholes...um, Nationals. The seats on the eastern end of the stadium slide into place behind the dugout for baseball. To answer your question irrationally, it's ********ing baseball's ********ing fault, god********ingdammit. Anyway, it was La Norte's old home, and it ignites a small hurt inside of me to think about it.