Nothing is new other than added ownership weight. They are still speculating about D.C. &/or Baltimore. Don't get your shorts in a knot over this non-news!
I hope not. That has more or less been the plan for the past 8 years or so. . . 8 years of a stadium not getting built. Meanwhile teams like Houston haven't spent any time thinking about how they were going to outdo NY, they built something nice on the budget they had, and most importantly it has been built. DC supporters don't currently sit behind the goal. It's quite possible this changes in a new venue, but also possible that it doesn't. I'm kind of hoping it doesn't.
The thinking I've heard is 20-21K range to facilitate a "hot ticket" and better atmosphere rather than RBA situation of empty seats even with good crowds.
Meh hot tickets, MLS keeps talking about hot tickets, it will get hot when the product is hot. I personally think 25k is perfect for DCU and 30k is for the future in mind. There will be games that will be certain sell outs and they will wish it were a 30k stadium. It is very ambitious to want 30k EVERY game when in reality DCU is usually a 18-20k draw. Still, there will be times they will wish they had an extra 10-12k in seating because the demand will be big enough. US national team games and friendlies with the likes of Man U, Barca, Real, etc. will sell the place out well enough. If the NY rivalry comes back to its glory days I can see this being big crowds too. By the way, I love that Volkswagen Arena, WOW!!! Truly stadium porn for any MLS team to dream about.
Well, any club could sell 30k tickets on a good day. The key is to get a stadium that will be filled for most match days, and 22-25k seems a good fit for DCU. Those 5,000 people that they wish they could sell tickets to can go and improve TV ratings by watching it on TV
Today from VW Arena - same jersey sponsor will probably like to pay for naming rights for new DCU stadium. I think La Barra Brava should be behind the goal with standing room only to increase overall capacity of new stadium.
Because it has worked. They probably will have too much perspective on the issue to actively 'wish it were a 30K stadium'.
If and when a stadium happens, I really hope that supporters continue to get great seats and they stay with the loud side/quiet side configuration, though I doubt very much that they will.
Yeah, I don't know what the real odds are, but I agree with you. I think it's a positive for 'team branding' (even if it originates from something of an accident; hey, much of what becomes culture starts that way) that the supporters are so 'front and center.'
People get far too hung up on stadium sizes. It is foolish to think you can just build a 30k stadium and throw tarp on 10k seats and think that will be the end of it. Stadiums have huge maintenance costs and building a bigger stadium is extraordinarily more difficult. You not only need to build a bigger structure but you need to buy a lot more land in order for those people to park. Infrastructure becomes more difficult you get far more NIMBYs talking about noise or environmental impact. To think all you need is some tarp and all is fixed is naive. I say this to the NYC team and DC fans, if they are going to build IN the city, then they need to build small. Don't calculate for growth that we can't guarantee. Build in stages. It will be more cost effective, it will be done quicker, and it will allow ownership to invest more money into the team and not sink it all into the stadium. You won't be able to make up all the lost cash in events alone. There are lots of other options to play friendly games in both of those cities, you can't hope that friendlies will make the stadium financially viable. There are plenty of examples of teams in Europe who sunk too much money into stadiums and it really hurt them. Build a great small stadium and build out if needed. You might loose out on a few thousand potential seats sold, but your overhead will be much lower and the market will drive the price of the tickets up if there is demand. MLS doesn't need oversized stadiums at this point.
Since the Dynamo have a 22k stadium that we have grown into quite nicely this stadium I have an interesting perspective on this issue. I think you need to give yourself a little room to grow into your new digs. The Dynamo were averaging around 17k last season and are now regularly selling out a 22k stadium this season. DCU is one of the most storied MLS franchises, I think you guys should build a 24-25k stadium, you will sell out the first few games and as MLS grows you will grow into this stadium, it's still small enough to create demand for big matches and get secondary events. Don't think about what you need right now but what you need in about 5 years. At the rate MLS attendance is growing DCU should be able to regularly sell out a 24 to 25k stadium buy 2016. The new stadium and plans by the new ownership alone are going to bring you some new fans in the coming years.
That said, 22k is a number the Dynamo had beaten several times for playoff games. That was, in Houston's case, a good guide that a 22k seater had a shot at getting the scarcity effect.
I can't picture MLS ever being a hot ticket. At least not in DC. I also think atmosphere should happen organically and not be forced by stadium configuration, or some other hairbrained scheme by the FO, or developer. With that said, I do hope a new DC stadium has standing room only sections behind at least one goal, where the most diehard fans can go. This way, La Barra Brava and Screaming Eagles can stay in stands towards the middle of the pitch where they can throw beer at each other, and sit down quietly if they want. If the team moves to Baltimore, I will just start supporting the NASL team coming to Loudon County, or the Richmond Kickers.
I wanted to go to the Sporting KC - DC United game coming up this weekend and checked for tickets a month ago and could only find a handful of single seats. I'd call that a hot ticket.
Its a really strange comment isnt it? Its as much a hot ticket in many markets as NBA is in many of their markets. Similarly, its not a hot ticket in some markets, much in the same way that its not a hot ticket in some NBA markets. To say MLS will never be a hot ticket item defies evidence which says that it is already a hot ticket item in many markets. DC's "hotness" is clearly affected by the stadium they play in, and Im sure the commenter realizes that. Anyone remember Kansas City Wizards? Did they ever become a hot ticket item? I also feel 20-22k is great for DC. 25k would be fine and they'd justify it, but I much prefer to see teams really choke demand until its blue in the face. Its not a new revelation, but the image of no empty seats gives the league major credibility. Finding that balance for seating capacity can be a tough task.
They sold out most games at CAB.. That's really what makes me a little worried about what is going to happen in San Jose when they build their stadium. KCW was in a small ballpark as well, but they were selling out most of their games, but San Jose rarely does. They bring out numbers for the big games for sure, but there are more "small" games and I wonder how San Jose will be doing with those games several seasons after they open their new stadium.
The north side (the 3rd base line) had seats until 2005 when the Nationals arrived and altered how RFK Stadium was primarily used. And there were also south side temporary seats that the NFL used in RFK Stadium up through 1996 (MLS's first season). I don't know if MLS ever used those southern end seats in season 1 of DC United at RFK, but those stands were there and sold as tickets during the 1996 Summer Olympic soccer games.
San Jose have had one attendance below 9,000 this season, against DC. The rest have been above 9,000, and in most cases above 10,000 (stadium cap 10,500). Anything around 10,000 should be considered a sell out for them. And by that measure, SJ "rarely" selling out doesnt seem quite right.