It's a picture of Stanford modified to have the field at the approximate level that it would be at the new Epicenter in relation to the grandstands.
Because Stanford Stadium's primary use and primary tenant is their football team. And the new design was made to be the best possible width and grandstand distance from the sidelines for pointy ball. I don't think soccer was really much more than an afterthought. And as they proved last year they can still hold international friendlies at Stanford. The only thing they can't host is a World Cup game, and frankly I can see their point. Why build their private stadium for one or two soccer games they may or may not get for a World Cup the US may or may not get when they've got a the school's primary tenant that plays there almost a dozen times a year. Particularly when the stadium's 50,000 seat capacity almost certainly disqualified it from WC use already. Honestly we lucked out in 1994 that they elected to use Stanford Stadium at all, as even then we had no other stadium capable of hosting a WC game since Candlestick was still an abomination back then, and the Coliseum even less suited to soccer since it was pre renovation. What the Bay Area needs is a new NFL sized venue that is built to at least fit a WC soccer pitch like Dallas, New England, etc... all have.
Update: The plan (for 4 additional fields) now looks to be a certainty. http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_14360350?nclick_check=1
Outstanding news for the South Bay soccer community. And one more piece of the Earthquakes soccer complex falling into place. Now we just need the crown jewel, the stadium.
No shovels in the ground for the SSS yet, but at least we have an SSTF in the same location. Hopefully that won't be the end of it.
"Nutrilite Training Facility Grand Opening" (Friday, 4/30/10) Eduardo smacks a header in a game of over-the-net soccer (John Todd) A photo gallery of the event can also be viewed here. -G
"Earthquakes open new training facility" (Friday, 4/30/10) GM John Doyle cuts the ribbon with the invited dignitaries. Left to right: David Alioto, Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop, Michael Crowley, John Doyle, Soccer Silicon Valley president Don Gagliardi, Amway’s Nutrilite product manager, and Keith Wolff. Photo: Jay Hipps, centerlinesoccer.com -G
Videos of the event, courtesy of poster DougO: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPUSF6aVIuM"]Arrival[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34vw5Ishfsc"]Entry to the ground[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMLI8N21Xbc"]Speeches part 1[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwRjaQjVtEs"]Speeches part 2[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL40gorSvpE"]Ribbon Cutting[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpEpjueTkEw"]The Field[/ame]
good job.... Now get that SSS finished.... RBs... you're on the clock for the next training facility.....
Hopefully soon. As of this posting, the RB's Wiki page states that the team recently built one in Hanover, New Jersey. Is that info accurate? If not, then I hope that RB build one soon. -G
Red Bulls need new training ground ASAP... NYPOST This was back in March.. I am like Petke who said, Build the stadium Wolffman..