Wrigley Field instead of Soldier Field for The Fire

Discussion in 'MLS: Commissioner - You be The Don' started by DaveBrett, Jul 10, 2019.

  1. DaveBrett

    DaveBrett Member

    Nov 28, 1998
    Austin, Texas
    Soldier Field is an American football stadium, so the dimensions are more suited for soccer. And Wrigley Field has baseball, which makes it more difficult to schedule MLS games. But Wrigley Field has one huge advantage over Soldier Field: it's in a better location for soccer. Most Chicago soccer fans live on the north side. Fans on the north side would be more likely to go to games if the team played at Wrigley.

    Yes, of course I know the Cubs might never accept sharing their stadium, even for a few years. But at least MLS should talk to the Cubs about this. Maybe the Cubs would accept the Fire playing part of the season there?
     
  2. JasonMa

    JasonMa Member+

    Mar 20, 2000
    Arvada, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why are you assuming that A. Most fans are Northsiders, B. They won't pick up new fans at Solider Field, and C. They haven't already talked to the Cubs?
     
  3. DCW531

    DCW531 Member

    City SC
    Jan 31, 2017
    St. Louis, MO
    Will the renovations allow for a full size football field? last time they tried football there, they only played one direction , as one endzone was deemed unsafe by the NCAA. Standard football field length (120 yards) is ok for soccer, width is much smaller. 53 vs 70 yards. Don't know if Wrigley could accommodate a decent sized pitch if football barely fits now.
     
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  4. It's called FOOTBALL

    LMX Clubs
    Mexico
    May 4, 2009
    Chitown
    A polish vs italian club friendly was held there in 2012
     
    mschofield repped this.
  5. DCW531

    DCW531 Member

    City SC
    Jan 31, 2017
    St. Louis, MO
    Maybe i should have said MLS or FIFA minimum sized pitch, instead of decent sized.
    NYCFC plays on a MLS minimum 110x70 in Yankee stadium, and has been questioned on its size in the past. Busch Stadium in St Louis has hosted a world cup qualifier, so i assume they can fit a FIFA minimum 110x70 also. Both of these stadiums are bigger than Wrigley. For a one-off friendly you would probably be ok with slightly smaller (105x68 or similar).
    Was just curious if it would fit.
     
  6. KCbus

    KCbus Moderator
    Staff Member

    United States
    Nov 26, 2000
    Reynoldsburg, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No.

    As has already been pointed out, the Wrigley Field dimensions don’t allow for a full-sized pitch. Better to play in a stadium where the field is actually, you know, suitable for the sport.

    Plus, we’ve already seen how cramped things are at Yankee Stadium, and how different the game is. Not to mention the horrible optics, and the seats are designed to face home plate in a baseball park.

    It’s just a bad idea.
     
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  7. DaveBrett

    DaveBrett Member

    Nov 28, 1998
    Austin, Texas
    I acknowledged that in my original post. The field dimensions at Soldier Field are much better for soccer. But field dimensions shouldn't be the only consideration.

    Soccer doesn't look that good at Yankee Stadium, and NYCFC could probably find a more suitable field for soccer somewhere in the NYC metropolitan area. But they still play at Yankee Stadium because it's such a good location.
     
  8. DaveBrett

    DaveBrett Member

    Nov 28, 1998
    Austin, Texas
    A. I don't live in Chicago, but I have friends who do, and they say that all the fans are northsiders. Maybe my friends are wrong, but that's what they have told me.

    B. Maybe they will, but the team has already played in Soldier Field, and it wasn't a big success. Why not try something new and different?

    C. Perhaps they have. Neither you nor I would know about that.
     
  9. It's called FOOTBALL

    LMX Clubs
    Mexico
    May 4, 2009
    Chitown
    There's no way the Fire would afford what Ricketts would want. He has a multitude of reasons to price it sky high. It's just not gonna happen.

    Be patient and see how Soldier Field works out. The rebrand to Chicago FC might make a difference, who knows. Maybe new kits with a skyline design on them.
     
  10. DaveBrett

    DaveBrett Member

    Nov 28, 1998
    Austin, Texas
    You may be right about that. I don't know. But at least MLS should approach the Cubs about it.

    By the way, one of the greatest games in the history of the North American Soccer League was played at Wrigley field. A 1981 regular season game between the Cosmos and the Sting. Cosmos won 6-5.
     
  11. DCW531

    DCW531 Member

    City SC
    Jan 31, 2017
    St. Louis, MO
    I think they play at Yankee Stadium because the Yankees hold an ownership stake? do they not?
     
  12. DaveBrett

    DaveBrett Member

    Nov 28, 1998
    Austin, Texas
    Yes, they do. I'm sure at this point the Yankees would like to have their stadium back. But NYCFC can't move out because there is no other stadium that is large enough and centrally located. It would be perfect if NYCFC could build a new stadium just south of Yankee Stadium.
     
  13. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You want games at a stadium that is worse for soccer than Yankee Stadium. At some point the dimensions become small enough to veto the idea without considering anything else.
     
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  14. canammj

    canammj Member+

    Aug 25, 2004
    CHINO, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Since we are talking soccer at baseball parts, since the White Sox Park is newer, are the dimensions any better for soccer?
    I also wonder down in St Louis, when soccer is at the Cardinals place, were the dimensions "acceptable" just in case the new MLS wants to play outdoors on grass rather on turf in the dome until their own place is done?
     
  15. DCW531

    DCW531 Member

    City SC
    Jan 31, 2017
    St. Louis, MO
    They have held a USMNT World cup qualifier at Busch, so i would assume it's Fifa minimum at worst.

    Here's a link to a older St Louis Post Dispatch article, lead image shows a 120 yd x 80 yd pitch fitting, not sure how accurate the image is....

    https://www.stltoday.com/sports/oth...cle_994ba434-9ed8-5852-a8b0-83c3300f2ea5.html
     
  16. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It does fit a Football field.

    I don't know about soccer.


    [​IMG]
     
  17. canammj

    canammj Member+

    Aug 25, 2004
    CHINO, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    =====================
    Wow, even that looks tight, just looking at the distance between the rear of the end zone and goal post on the left side of the photo.
    The scoreboard looks like this was a Northern Illinois vs Toledo game- are they in the same conference? Was this a league game or non-conference game? Wonder what the attendance was. Interesting photo, thanks !
     
  18. jmplautz

    jmplautz Member

    Jul 28, 2007
    Madison
    Northwestern played a couple of American Football games at Wrigley, one of the endzones was a hazard because the outfield wall was right at the back of it. But, I agree that the area is your target audience. Young. Affluent. Time on their hands.
     
  19. DCW531

    DCW531 Member

    City SC
    Jan 31, 2017
    St. Louis, MO
    Yes, it was a little tight. They didn't use this endzone.[​IMG]
     
  20. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That looks Photoshoped.
     
  21. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They're both in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), which has 12 teams. There's 1 in New York (Buffalo), 6 in Ohio, 3 in Michigan, 1 in Indiana (Ball State), and Northern Illinois.
     
  22. DCW531

    DCW531 Member

    City SC
    Jan 31, 2017
    St. Louis, MO
    jmplautz and It's called FOOTBALL repped this.
  23. It's called FOOTBALL

    LMX Clubs
    Mexico
    May 4, 2009
    Chitown
    Funnily enough, that end was used when a pick 6 was run back. He didn't hit the wall, tho
     
  24. mschofield

    mschofield Member+

    May 16, 2000
    Berlin
    Club:
    Union Berlin
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Games at Yankee Stadium, at least on a screen, verge on unwatchable. MLS has a lot of great stadia right now, using another horrible one might not bring the average down below pretty good, butstill, why?
     
  25. xtomx

    xtomx Member+

    Chicago Fire
    Sep 6, 2001
    Northern Wisconsin, but not far from civilization
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Well, the Fire have been virtually unwatchable ('on screen" and in person) for some time now.

    However, that still does not mean I would want them to play in that rat infested, piss-stained, crap hole that is Wrigley Field.

    It is a terrible, terrible place and really inappropriate for a soccer team.

    Soldier Field is way better than Wrigley Field.
    (Former) Comisky Park would be better than Wrigley Field, but would also suck balls.
     

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