Any idea when Boston can start to sign players or how that will work with poaching existing NWSL players? Guessing it happens after the season, curious how the league allows them to fill a roster
They had an expansion draft in December 2023 last time, but with the new player agreement, I'd expect significant changes. The higher salary cap might also allow the team to do more sooner. Bay FC hired their head coach in September 2023 for 2024 play, and started announcing players 6 weeks or so after that. We do have a GM: Domènec Guasch, so I would expect a coach announcement as early as June. Most of the Euro leagues will wind up their seasons next month.
Shocking, politics in Boston are impossible to navigate, even if you have money. Looks like the construction costs have doubled from original numbers (think Big Dig) and the Wu vs. Kraft mayoral race has made things more contentious. One misstep after another for the franchise, will be lucky to survive in Boston for more than a few years. On a positive note, Gillette will be a professional environment even though it will look mostly empty. Boston area really needs a soccer only stadium.
They had no need to. Kraft owns Gillette so there's no value in moving to a smaller stadium since they've already got all the control they need. While they are working on a new stadium, they did average over 29k last year and are sitting a bit over 22k so far this year (their attendance really picks up with the warmer weather).
The Revs actually have good attendance but the atmosphere is lacking. 20000 people in a 65000 seat stadium feels empty. Krafts have been “trying” to build just outside of Boston in Everett but they hit one roadblock after another. Same reason the Legacy are trying to use White stadium with all sorts of rules and public use agreements, it’s impossible for anyone to agree on how, when, where to build a privately owned stadium. It’s embarrassing to think a pro team needs to share with the public schools, doesn’t have priority and can only use on agreed times. Feels very minor league.
I know Kraft has been trying to build their own soccer specific stadium but has been hit with endless roadblocks.
There were some obvious opportunities around 2014/2015 (the city expressed interest in doing a Widett Circle capping project of some sort even after the Olympics bid died, no one stepped in and the T took it, and there was Suffolk Downs after the casino bid fell through, then Amazon fell through, and now it's going to be apartments and *sigh* more life sciences space), but Kraft just never seems to do enough to get anything done. It never gets beyond talking about talks, and it looks like it is going that way again with Everett. He's got no plan, got no negotiating positions, and isn't willing to even discuss a starting point let along concessions.
Maybe with Legacy FC starting up it could give Kraft some incentive to push for a SSS again? This way it would have more than just the Revs playing there
Different ownership with Legacy and Revs. It would be great if they could work together and combine for a true soccer stadium that would serve both teams. Revs have been playing in Gillette since their opening season and doesn’t look like their is any incentive for it to change. Legacy has a lease with the city on White stadium and feels and, my impression is, they like the partnership with the public schools. I’ll support either way but feels like the NWSL will regret this franchise award sooner than later.
Swanboats and the emerald necklace. It's the direction they should have gone in the first place. Legacy was the second bad naming choice, but I don't expect it will go away soon.