I pretty much agree with everything that's been posted so far, but, I would add an addendum to #3 - Rugby union and Aussie Rules as the other sports. Maybe invite the Barbarians and Bulldogs (respectively) to play a game or two in the new digs. I don't think there is a stadium in the US big enough to host regulation AFL, but the American teams don't play the regulaltion game just yet. But, the Rugby should fit nicely inside the field. The AFL Grand Final is usually shown pretty late in the US, but LIVE, maybe the scheduling gurus could manage a home game for that evening... post-game Rapids and the Grand Final. And Newcastle. Sounds good to me.
Just a reminder Azteca is actually in America de Norte. Mexico is on the same continent hard to believe I know.
"Just a reminder Azteca is actually in America de Norte." Haven't seen the newest target list at Strategic Air Command I take it? On edit: Forgot the ;>) , don't want an international incident.
Don't forget all the other things that will be happening at the stadium BESIDES the Rapids. Concerts ... Lax ... High School sports ... Dodgeball. Anyway, that thing will be running from Spring till late fall probably with events at least every weekend all weekend. If they were to run it themselves ... it'd be no different that a pub at the pepsi center.
There are some awesome suggestions on this thread. Especially the first one that suggests that Mexico is not in North America . I hope the powers that be give them serious consideration. I just remembered that FIFA really wants to see MLS move the season to Aug-May like most of the world's leagues. It is hard for me to imagine, will we be able to change? I guess they want it done sometime in the next 7 years, if that is correct there should definitely be some design consideration for play in the dead of winter. Like possibly a sliding roof or semi enclosed stands and Hott Tottie dispensers . I would still want open areas everywhere but even the new stadia accross the pond are changing their traditional design to address these problems. I think it might have to be an all weather stadium.
If MLS does switch to August - May (which, I think would be a truly bad idea), then I think that the stadium has to be equiped to handle winter conditions...such as a sliding roof or something like that. I highly doubt that families are going to head out to the new digs when its 10 degrees outside and 5 inches of snow on the ground (although I guess its more likely to be 60 degrees and sunny). The other problem, of course, is that I don't think MLS can compete with the NFL and NBA (and the baseball playoffs early on). Heck, we struggle to compete with the Mammoth, featuring Gee-Fence and the Biggest Player in the Game, One More Time. Too many MLS teams are in cities that can have winter weather conditions for a winter game...Colorado, New York, New England, DC, Chicago, Columbus, KC, Salt Lake. Even Dallas on a really bad day. If MLS moves to the winter schedule, then the beer better be REALLY good.
These are all awesome suggestions... It's just a matter of whether the people designing and building the staduim know what a truly good soccer experiance should be... And hopefully they do. Hopefully they check in here sometime! lol I cant wait for the opening night of that game... I'll be in the supporters section no doubt!
i havent really read about ur stadium deal but is it planned to open by the 2007 campaign? or when is the exact date its expected to open? any drawings or previews of the stadium? capacity? srry for the questions im just a lil curious thx
Since HOK is designing the project, I expect some soccer experts are working on it. http://www.hoksve.com/SVEnoflash.htm
fromw those pictures on the Rapids site, i think our stadium will be one of the best in MLS along with Chicago. Crew Stadium isnt that great and looks more like a high school stadium. Pizza Hut park is completley exposed to the Texas sun and heat. and i think from the pictures our stadium should be even nicer then HDC. oh i also forgot something, i want our stadium to have Colorado written out on one stand and Rapids on the other.
I would settle for either Colorado or Rapids spelled out in the seats. It would make great photo ops for the team for promo material and fans when they tour the stadium. Now how likely is it? I hope we can be the first. If not you know SL will.
That's ridiculous, why would anyone laugh at that? It's really cool. It'd be nice if you had some reason behind your post, but whatever.
As long as we're daydreaming, how about a whitewater theme park-type ride? Or some way you could go tubing? The Rapids' Rapids. Like a huge moving moat around the stadium! People could come to the games early in bathing suits and get drenched. And on that note, and tied in with the marketing thread, why don't the Rapids sponsor some kind of whitewater event during the season? Appeal to kayakers: "If you like rapids, maybe you'll like the Rapids."
Yeah, that would be great. It should be easy to have a few rows of seats that are a different color, if the good people of Commerce City don't have a problem with it. KSE may have to agree to change them back if they ever left.
Don't be knocking the park that built all parks!!! Without Crew Stadium ... we wouldn't have the Arsenal.
Agian, some good ideas for the stadium. On the topic of the bar, i don't see to much of a problem with making a profit. Your rent is paid and there are several televised events if promoted correctly that should draw a good crowd. At least I hope a better turnout than Brooklyns. (Rapid away games, WCs, EUROs, Champions League finals, Olympics, Gold Cup, FIFA video game tournaments) Not to mention several special events. I've also read a study on BS once that compaired score lines with field size. The statistics showed that a thiner field produced a game with more goals were as the wider field resulted in fewer goals per game. So Rapids, may have an advantage with alltitude, but at what cost? 1-0 scores. The family section is a great idea. I would feel bad when I would jump out of my seat excited/frusterated and yell something in the heat of the moment to see a 6yr old girls soccer team two rows back. 1. seats near to field 2. bar 3. supporters section 4. rapids history & trophey room 5. tailgate kick around lot spot location 6. free parking for reserve matches 7. student and soccer player discounts on week day matches 8. good mass transit to stadium from downtown. 9. family section
there should be a students discount for all games. what do you guys think about making the supporters section all bleechers with low priced tickets similar to what the Rockies do with the rockpile. something like $4-6 for a ticket.
I agree that a winter schedule would be a terrible idea. I'm a huge soccer fan and while it would be nice not to lose players for callups, I would think twice about coming to any game that was below freezing. Most people probably wouldn't even have to think once. It's not nearly peopular enough to do something crazy like that. A soccer pub would be my first choice of extras
Expect to see this in Bridgeview Stadium, with at least FIRE spelled out. I heard a rumor that after we announced that, Dallas said they were going to do it, too. That said, I don't care if all the teams do it. Gotta admit--I always wanted a rock garden at one end with rushing water through it for the Rapids stadium. I think it could, if done correctly, look cool. However, there isn't enough water in Colorado to justify it. To combat the cold and snow that will hit the field, instead of electric coils under the field (the usual method of warming the field) I'd like to see geothermal used--much cheaper for the team and fewer resouces used. I'm afraid a retractable roof is cost prohibitive at this point. However, they could design one so that it could be installed at a later date.
So long as it isn't bitterly cold, I'm crazy enough to do it. But while we do have some cold stretches, very cold sometimes, more often than not it's 30 - 50 degrees around here in the winter. I've been to two "bad weather" games here, that I can think of - 1998, (where it rotated between rain, freezing rain, and snow at 25 degrees - I believe this set the league record low attendance mark) and the 'Mutts game earlier this year. Besides, European leagues do cancel games due to excessive cold or snow, I don't see why we couldn't here. Other than the very low attendance factor. If for no other reason, we need a pub at the new stadium so I can use my new tagline, "Blimey! It's xx degrees outside, I'd better get down the pub!" [cue laugh track]