Revolution Stadium Groundbreaking "12-24 months" Part XV

They can ceremonially throw tea off it at the start of every match.

 

"Dammit, I said 'Tea.' 'Tea!' Now someone throw Teal a life preserver!"

 

Kraft's money may be tight since he bought the Patriots 2 767s.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/20285127/new-england-patriots-first-nfl-team-own-planes

 

Its time for the Krafts to put up a temporary / modular stadium at Patriot Place. I used to be a season ticket holder and now only go to a handful of games a year, and everytime I do, I leave disappointed with the atmosphere there. And this isnt a knock at the fort or the fans. I think all of them are great. It just way to big of a facility for our fanbase. I have to be honest, I enjoyed going to the cup games at Harvard much better.

I think we all know by now its going to be really difficult and a long process to build a stadium in downtown Boston, and I do think that is the right solution. To their credit, the Kraft's are obviously pursuing option and unforunately lost out on the UMass Boston space. But if there is no promising spot that we are currently in negotiations on its time to put up something at PatriotPlace. There's been a big influx of money in this league with the adidas deal and upcoming expansion fees, and the Krafts have more then made back their investment on the Revolution. It's time they do something in return.

What really got me thinking about this is seeing all the pictures from the Patriots pre-season practice with 15,000 fans showing up. Why not build a small 15,000-20,000 seat stadium right outside Gillette. Heck, the Patriots can use it for a couple weeks for their preseason too.

Vancouver put up a 20,000 seat stadium with a 12 luxury suites, a press room, and flood lighting in just 3 months for under $15M (less then one of his planes).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Field

Fortuna Dusseldorf did the same thing in 2011 for $4M
http://www.spiegel.de/international...venues-storm-the-sporting-world-a-743087.html
http://c8.alamy.com/comp/DAJ78R/int...dium-airberlin-worldin-duesseldorf-DAJ78R.jpg

At this point, I think the Krafts owe it to the fan base and it could be ready as quick as next season.

 

Interesting thoughts. Here's a follow up: Given that an Boston SSS seems ever more unlikely, what could be done to improve the soccer experience at Gillette?
Is it possible?

 

More than 10 years ago I suggested to Brad Feldman, among others, that they should build a Columbus-style temporary stadium around the practice field out back. If they ever anticipated a bigger crowd, they could easily enough move the game next door.

He kinda chuckled and said how the Krafts had much bigger ambitions than something like what Columbus has. This was just after Dallas and LA just built their stadiums, and those were considered state of the art.

OK, 10-12 years later and where are we with that?

 

They're not building a SSS in Foxboro. Kraft isn't going to give up making extra money on his existing stadium. I doubt he's ever building in Boston either, but Gillette is his soccer stadium in Foxboro.

The most you can pipe dream on that location is a serious training facility where a USL B team can play its games.

 

I don't think Brad was lying. Trouble is, the Krafts really have no idea how to do urban real estate development.

 

Oh absolutely. They may want to do something, but to decide to do it is actually a different matter entirely.

 

It is difficult, but doable - and it may be more doable and less difficult than building a stadium in the city.

1) Install grass. Figure it the f**k out. If you can do it on a temporary basis for one-off games, then you can come up with a more permanent and cost effective solution that would allow for more soccer games on grass.

2) Retrofit the stadium so that it actually might be an OK place for MLS soccer. The stadium and its surrounding property today are nothing like what they were when they first built the place, so they are clearly willing to make investments in Foxboro. Figure out a way to add elements to the stadium that can camouflage the upper levels, add more permanent and prominent Revs logos and imagery to the stadium. Come up with ways to make the stadium as much the Revs stadium as it is the Pats stadium. It is better than it used to be, but it could be so much better.

3) Run public transportation to the games. I know there was talk about that commuter rail line becoming a regularly serviced station. Do what you can to make that happen, but at least invest in running the trains to and from Revs games. It isn't as elegant a solution as having an urban stadium on the T, but it is much better than nothing and would at least make it easier for urban dwellers without cars to get to the games.

4) INVEST IN THE FREAKING TEAM. Have marquee players that are among the league's best and part of a better and deeper team overall.

If they did all of those things, they'd have a better product playing on a better surface in a better and more accessible facility. While I'd rather have a new urban stadium and a better team, I would gladly take this because it would be proof that they are serious about the sport and the team, and not just looking for a revenue stream during the NFL offseason.

 

None of the other things matter if they don't do this. Win stuff and people will come to Foxboro.

 

That's only partially true. Some of the best Revs teams ever had some of the lowest average attendance numbers in team history. It helps, but even if the team is winning and averaging 20,000 a game, the experience at Gillette is still subpar in its current form. If winning would somehow get them to average 40K a game, that would be great...but it won't, at least not right away. IMO, the only way to get the Revs out of MLS 1.0 mode if they end up staying in Gillette forever is through a combination of all of those things - grass field, investments into Gillette to make it more MLS/Revs friendly, public transportation running to the games, and a team that features some real star players (sorry, Diego does not count) and is a deeper and better overall team.

 

I'm watching the pregame for the Brighton & Hove Albion EPL opener against Man City. It's got a 30k-seat stadium that makes me want to cry, in a city with a metro population smaller than Worcester.

 

I love Falmer Stadium.

Nashville's renderings are for a 30k stadium as well
https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/08/14/nashville-mls-expansion-bid-stadium-plan-renderings

 

So.... There will not be a stadium in Boston. Lets plop it back down in Foxboro. I know we have talked about this before..... but... we now have word that Commuter rail services will be commonplace in Foxboro starting in 2019. We have the space. Kraft wants to keep the tenants at Patriots place happy.... This makes perfect sense now. Build it on land he owns, it will benefit the Tenants, and we now have a Commuter train running daily to the stadium. Makes perfect sense.

We all get what we want. We can always move big games to the razor.

 

Build this in Foxboro and they will come...

 

Noordlease type stadium would be great right across from Rt 1... or perhaps where the practice fields are now. Minus the water it looks like it is there already

 

Excuse me? What we all want? How about a stadium in the urban core (doesn't have to be in Boston proper...Revere, Everett or Somerville would do just fine)?

I grew up in Foxboro and my parents are still there, so I have nothing against a trip out that way, but I am averaging about 1 game attended per season in the past 5 years. Building a SSS in Foxboro won't change that.

 

At this point I don't see it happening. Best chance is in foxboro. With public transit beginning daily in 2019 it makes sense to the krafts to keep it in house.

 

A SSS in stadium is unlikely to draw me back regularly from Rochester. A stadium on the T in Boston/Somerville/Revere/etc. is likely to result in me bringing my son for a game or two per year.

 

I have probably thought about or asked these questions before (this has been going on for a while), but they are meant to be honest questions.

Why would the Krafts build the Revs a new stadium in Foxboro when they already have Gillette? Would a Revs stadium in Foxboro be on the same property as Gillette?

What problem(s) get resolved by building the Revs a new stadium in Foxboro? Can those same problems be solved equally well for less than $150M in Foxboro without building a new stadium?

What are the greatest problems faced by the Revs off of the field? What role does the lack of a Revs stadium or the current stadium play in those problems? What are other ways to address those problems outside of building a stadium?

How would a new stadium in Foxboro impact the value of the Revs? How would it impact the resale value? How would a stadium in a different location impact the Revs value? Resale value?

How does the value of a stadium project over time in Foxboro as compared to a different location?

What is the capacity of the current Patriots/Soccer/Special Events train that runs from South Station and Back Bay station? It used to be 2,000 which is approximately 10% of the current average attendance for the Revs. How much of an impact on attendance does one realistically expect from such a train?

What will be the capacity of the trains that visit Foxboro daily beginning in 2019? How often will these trains run? How much of an impact on attendance does one realistically expect from such trains?

 

I think the main problem a SSS in Foxboro solves is the turf. A SSS would have a grass field which would improve player recruitment and the watchability of the game.

 

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017...ed-know-about-atlanta-s-mercedes-benz-stadium

Someone shoot me! Ultimate despair. A group that GETS IT and one that doesn't.

 

I am so jealous I almost want to cry

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/feat...r-photos?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social