Rumor: Kraft to Build Soccer Specific Stadium in Foxborough?

You realize I'm talking about municipalities up here and out on the left coast, right? The federals will be needed to absorb the debt when we have to push the reset button.

 

They didn't have it then either, that's why the union used so many fresh off the boat immigrants to fill the lines.

I've never understood the whys of the civil war. After living with southerners, I understood it even less. None of the stated reasons are even remotely justified from a historical perspective. Emancipation was a tactic to win the war, not a reason that the war happened. The nearest I can tell is that the civil war was a result of southern stupidity (attacking a union held military installation instead of entering normalization talks).

I have opinions and analysis of this matter, but this is not the place or the time.

 

I thought there was some talk of stadium issues here... I mean maybe I'm just slooooow and this all has something to do with a stadium...

 

All this talk of separate countries within America, next thing you know MLS Rumors will publish a Revs' SSS will be build on tribal land at Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun

 

Well, the reason that all this Civil War discussion came up is that was the first time that a member of the Kraft family (Bob's great-great-great granddaddy) indicated that they were interested in building a SSS. They've been looking for the "just right" location and deal ever since. Kraft faithful know he'll get it done though.

 

I think if they marketed this team equal to the Patriots as Seattle does with the Seahawks, the Revs could survive anywhere. From a business model does it really make sense for the Krafts to move this product from their own facility where they get concessions, parking, bodies feeding on Patriot Place?
If they can some how get to the point where they open up the lower bowl to create an intimate environment, I think the atmosphere would be great. Word of mouth has to spread about this team and it has to do with great players not necessarily a soccer specific stadium. If we have better players, we have a better team, and then more fans. I don't see a SSS solving the problem of atmosphere if you have mediocre players playing.

 

Will opening up the entire lower bowl bring more people out to see the Revs???

Most fans of the beautiful game have already written off the Revs and MLS as inferior product. When a company fails to attract customers in their initial run or disenchants them with an inferior bait and switch of a product that they truly wanted and cared for...it's going to take a lot more than opening up additional seating and marketing to get them back!!

This team needs a complete re-branding and philosophical mind set change to rid itself of 15 years of owner apathy and neglect. Yes, the die hards who LOVE the game even above a team, will support it till the end. But those entrenched and glued to what's going on at Man U, L'pool and Inter Milan have no need or desire to begin following a second rate product, unless some real drastic changes occur.

After seeing the pitiful crowds and lack of interest in Dallas, Columbus and Colorado, I'm not sure if even a SSS on Boston Common would cause a real bump in attendance and/or support.

 

Couldn't agree with u more RevsFanDan; I think it's beyond building a new SSS, which sounds like the easy answer to the basic problems;
Improving the product on the field and marketing the sport itself would go a long way. There's nothing more intriguing then watching a good soccer match with good players. Developing and keeping American players is the answer and not necessarily aging euros.
It's the product that is key . The red sox won't be able to attract fans into
their stadium if there product is inferior and they are in the city

 

Clash of the Titans.

Last night, 8,142 pack into Gillette cavern on a clear mild spring evening. Meanwhile, perennial attendance weakling FC Dallas powers past New England with 8,512 in their latest effort.

Release the Kraken.

 

Agreed; I'm just not sure that the basic problem is a SSS but goes beyond that; I would bet they would have the same issues if the stadium were in Newton/somerville/boston/etc
Its the product that's key; The Bruins have been having the same crowds up until a year or two ago and they are in the city; Its the same concept

 

this is so true. and you can say what ever you want about the red bulls, but they just are not selling well. i would say if they couldve hit 20K through their 1st games that wouldve been good. but its almost as if they have their last year's crowd in RBA. its sad. we need to build passion, but passion is hard to build when u play in a stadium that is made for the pats. id say the answer is better efforts in marketing... like a marketing surge across New England. i looked up ads for every team in mls online and i found great ads for most with one obvious exception.... the revs. not to say they dont have ads, but they just suck last time i remember. they need to be epic and make u exieted. guys i IMPLORE you to watch this ad for chicago fire, it makes you so exieted for soccer no wonder they sold out theyre first week. this is what we need out of new england. imagine instead of cj brown putting the jersey on its our own Taylor Twellman. id make sure to go to games.

link to commercial:
http://theoffsiderules.blogspot.com/2010/04/video-epicly-long-completely-excellent.html

 

That's exactly right; Great marketing of soccer itself and the Revs; You can't beat a great soccer match live (even if 0-0) no matter where it is , the city, foxboro, providence; You'll draw people with great marketing tools and good players
I just don't understand how soccer is considered boring in comparison to Red Sox baseball which is like watching grass grow; No offense to all of u baseball fans; believe me , if the red sox tank this year which unfortunately they could, the crowds will be similar in number; I remember this was the case in the early 90's;
If u build the product, they will come

 

That was a great Fire ad. Wow. Compare to Revs pictures of Shalrie looking like he is mentally handicapped...I actually laugh how they always seem to use the worst picture they can find...a few weeks ago the Boston Globe ran a sports advertisement that used Twellman where it was a great picture, and I laughed because I thought, "Of course, the Revs didn't have anything to do with the picture, that's why it looks great." Give me 1 minute with a stack of Shalrie photos and I could find 50 better than what the Revs use.

Best thing about the Revs experience is the children-friendly environment. But, for me, the huge stadium is a huge turnoff, I go to about half the Pats game and when you then go to a Revs game it comes off bush league, empty, and frankly, depressing. Unlike some others, I don't think the issue is what's on the field or MLS, it is about the stadium and Foxboro. Build the SSS. Fenway Park is fun because it is in Fenway in the heart of Boston. Put it in Andover, Framingham, Foxboro, etc, and you'd loose that city magic.

 

Red Bull Arena has been averaging close to 15,000 per game; not incredible numbers for a new SSS; I think the issue is deeper than a SSS;
If Krafts look at that and know they can average 13k on an annual basis, would it make sense for them to invest in another facility rather than what they have now?
Again, I think the issues of soccer outreach run deeper than building an urban SSS

 

I think everyone agrees there's plenty of other issues, but the Revs have done a 15-year study on the long-term feasibility of a Foxborough location and the results are unmistakable - the team needs to find a new home.

The franchise could get everything else right and it still would have the nagging problem that fans of the team and the game aren't enthusiastic about hiking out to Foxborough to see a game.

 

Don't get me wrong..I believe your facts are true and wish we could get a stadium in an urban setting.

However, their gridiron team sells out whatever home games they schedule at Gillette..and big time international games get a good turnout. Sure we hate the drive...but, if for the last 15 years we had a team that even resembled something akin to a real squad, with real people affiliated with the org that truly KNOW and CARE for the Sport, then the drive would mean nothing.

I honestly believe it's the credibility of this team as a second rate outfit with an owner who really only cares for his first born and MLS's image as 2nd or 3rd Division, when their quality of play is matched up to other leagues in the world.

Some of the markets as we see by the attendance numbers have a long way to go to get people to believe in the product again. People who watch the EPL, Serie A or La Liga, week in and week out, aren't going to plunk down the cash and take the time to go root for, what they believe, is nothing more than a glorified college squad.

The stadium in downtown Boston, however awesome it would be for US, the Choir, isn't going to bring in many new sheeples, who can get top notch "tele-evangelists" on HD in the comfort of their sofas each and every week...

 

Dan I understand what you mean about the league's credibility and improving the level of play would certainly help, but you have to remember the Pats only have 8 home games a year. Each game is an event. The big international games are single events. It would be harder to get them to keep coming to see even those big name international teams if they played the same amount of times in Gillette as the Revs do.

 

I know..I was making a half hearted attempt that if the right event is at Gillette people will come..LOL

This attendance problem cannot be just because the Revs play an hour outside of Boston..and that an SSS will solve all the problems!

My take has always been..almost from day one back in 96. This ownership had no idea what they were doing and NEVER brought in anyone who actually did. You can't count Stevie because as a coach/manager he really did the best he could with the resources he had.

Now, if you couple his failure at a championship with an Org. that did everything right in making the environment dedicated to the beautiful game..then he prob should have been fired after the 2nd MLS cup loss. But, that never happened. Which to me is just the icing on a cake that the ownership never ever had any sense at what they were doing and still don't.

Fans know when an organization is really trying. And building an SSS in Boston or in Foxborough is just not going to do anything. Something more has to happen...

 

Including Billello?

So, you think Nicol should have been fired after his 2nd MLS Cup game?

Hmmm, interesting.

 

He's a step in the right direction but the jury is still out.

He's applying "Grady Littleism" logic to MLS, which would probably hold water for any of the other Big 4 teams in Boston. If the coach/manager just isn't getting the job done when it comes to winning championships why keep him? Coaches have been canned for failing to play with enough style in spite of winning (see Mourinho at Chelski) so generalizing the "get it done or there's the door" mentality is not altogether unheard of worldwide either.

Not saying I agree with Dan but he's got a point; many organizations may have axed Nicol for not winning MLS Cup possibly after the 3rd try (right or wrong). Within MLS an organization like DC or LA almost certainly would have.

 

But part of the product is the atmosphere. And the "experience" begins when you initially purchase tickets, to your trip to the game, to the walk to the stadium, to the food and drink available, to the product on the field, to the fans around you, and then the traffic going home. All of this together determines whether someone had a good time at the Revs or not and whether they choose to spend their $ in the future to do it again.

An SSS properly placed an built will greatly improve the entire experience of going to a Revs game. There is no way to separate this aspect from the play on the field. They are all intertwined.

If you are Mr. Kraft and you decide you want to increase attendance, you can spend your money in several ways:

1. Better marketing (will only help if the product is what people want to see). Not a long term solution.

2. Make small changes to improve the experience (i.e. free parking, better relations with fan groups) It helps somewhat but not on a scale to make a difference).

2. DP or two (no guarantee that even if they do great, the cost will be worth it)

3. SSS (same risk as # 2 but x 50 when it comes to initial cost) Experiment being carried out throughout the league with variable success.

 

By itself, at Gillette, you're just treading water with these two. 500 fans come in to back fill the 500 who've decided it's not worth the effort any more. Stuck on status quo with 8,000 of your best friends.

Has the potential to change the picture for a short period. What was the shelf life of Beckham, a few years? Player finds of that magnitude are not coming to Foxboro. And once they're gone, hello 8,000 again.

This is the only option for long term viability, AND must be couple with options 1 and 2. Having the option to use #3 at the same time would mean getting off to the best new start possible.

 

Football's an anomaly. It manages to make people sit around for three hours to watch 10 minutes of actual action too. Guys who never played the sport in any organized fashion watch it obsessively instead of sports they did play and liked playing. Football exists in its own universe. About the only transferrable lesson it offers is make sure you've got high production values when you televise it.

And the Revs spent the better part of a decade putting an awfully good and entertaining team on the field. People didn't come to see it. I was one of those people who didn't come all that frequently. It was a pretty simple equation for me. I could spend a summertime Saturday having fun and then DVR the game OR I could go to Foxborough, which isn't near one other thing I want to do. I've discussed getting seasons tickets with a couple of friends, but none of us are going to do it while the team plays in Foxborough. None of us want to head out there more than 2-3 times a year.

Also, while I'll watch most of the Revs games this year on TV, I'm probably going to spend more money on the Breakers.

 

I'd like to coin a new phrase: Urbansnob.