The San Siro..... http://www.goal.com/Dettaglio.aspx?idAlbum=0&idTipo=4&id=6058&showNav=True&showBack=False http://www.goal.com/Dettaglio.aspx?idAlbum=0&idTipo=4&id=6059&showNav=True&showBack=False http://www.goal.com/Dettaglio.aspx?idAlbum=0&idTipo=4&id=6423&showNav=True&showBack=False As I watched these clips I began to imagine the Home Depot Center 15 years from now, already expanded to a 60,000 capacity stadium of lights which holds the two famed powerhouse clubs of MLS. The Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA. By this time Chivas USA will have won its fare share of MLS titles and the Galaxy having their own distinction of not only being the most decorated club in North American history but also the only MLS team to have won the famed Copa Libertadores in 2012. Can you imagine being in the stands with the flares blazing, the massive explosions felt throughout the stadium and the massive banners flowing over your heads? I hope that these video clips will someday resemble what the city of Los Angeles can create with these two teams. Anyone else out there care to endulge in their visions of the HDC and our two teams?
Re: Our City and it's Cathedral in 2020? I doubt very much that the Galaxy and Chivas will still be sharing the same stadium. Either Chivas moves to one of the football stadiums, or relocates.
I can't see the HDC being that big. I read something about it being expanded by 5K. Not sure there's any way to make it any bigger than 30k.
I agree w/ PZ.. It would probably cost too much money and take too much time to expand by more than 5k. Would probably be easier to tear it down and build a newer larger stadium. But if that happened, imagine the parking horrors!
I know for a fact that Los Angeles is already considered the Mecca of American Soccer. The Rivalry between Galaxy and Chivas will only grow and get stronger. Currently Galaxy dominates the rivalry but I am glad to hear that Chivas is upgrading their team with quality players. Remember Galaxy and Chivas are MLS. I could only see the home depot being expanded between 35,000 or 40,000.
Los Angeles can't be the real mecca because the national team can never play in L.A. and get a crowd of people cheerign for them :-( In fact recently they haven't been able to get a crowd at all...
*Los Angeles is the only city in the U.S. that has hosted the World Cup Final of 94. *Los Angeles is currently the only city that hosts two MLS teams in the same city and stadium. *Los Angeles is also home to the U. S. Soccer Federation - National Team Training Headquarters. *Los Angeles is also home to the The David Beckham Academy at The Home Depot Center which let me add that there is only one in the U.S. *Real Madrid only picked one team in the MLS to play against and guess where the team is from? "That is right Los Angeles". * Los Angeles also hosts the most sucessful team in MLS (Galaxy), Most attendance, revenue etc... * The best player in the U.S. (Landon Donavon) decided and wanted to play in the best city that is suited for soccer and that is "LOS ANGELES" * They dont call the home depot center "The Cathedral of Soccer" for nothing. I suggest you do your homework and reply with facts of what city you think is the true mecca. Good Luck
Yes. We are getting to know more about Vergara and his organization because of this adversity. Being able to handle tough times will be important.
What are you an idiot of some sort? L.A. hater?????? I've lived in L.A. my whole life I love the Galaxy, and L.A. is no soccer mecca.
I know (not for fact, but by your posts) that LA flows through your veins. Having posted that, if there is a US mecca, LA is it. It was the 1984 Olympic Final (France vs. Brazil?) that got people around the world to first notice Los Angeles as a soccer city. The crowd at the Rose Bowl for that final was, and I believe still is, the largest for a Men's Final. Add this to LASN's list, and Los Angeles has more history than Oneonta. Regarding expansion of the HDC... PZ, did you and I read the same thing about the HDC's capability to be expanded? That in addition to the grassy area at the north end being capable of seating approx. 3000, an additional tier could be constructed on the east side for another 3000-5000. This was just weeks before the celebrated opening, IIRC.
Ardent Galaxy and US team fan here--and I've found the crowds in Salt Lake larger and more enthusiastic, esp. for USMNT game. Crew Stadium was good for MNT games also. But HDC should host USMNT only after qualifying is ensured. Just can't count on the crowd. It would be great to have the excitement of,say, Azteca or Roma, where we've seen wild wild games.
Excitement of Roma=refs getting hit with lighters and getting knocked out. Not what we want. U.S. shouldn't play at HDC but not because of teh loudness of the crowd. The crowd can be very loud, its just that they will be loudly cheering for the other team as this is Los Angeles.
Matches against Canada and Jamaica should be safe in SoCal. Some creative sales management (say, reserve the first 22,000 seats for Galaxy e-mail subscribers or something) should help keep it that way.
Well for those types of game teh HDC does get a bit dull unfrotunately. FOr example U.S. vs Denmark. And wasn't there anotehr lowly attended game tehre too?
The LA Galaxy and the HDC in 2020? IMO, one would have to say that aside from the HDC being built, 2005 has got to be one of if not the most significant years for MLS since it's inception. With Chivas USA and RSL, with FC Dallas's new home days away, with Chicago, Colorado and the Metros pretty much guaranteed stadiums by 2007, with Real Madrid, Chelsea and Milan playing our clubs..... .......I mean ,even though as a whole this league is still way in the red, can we collectively say that MLS is here now and forever? Can we now truely begin to look towards the future? Can we invision what the Los Angeles Galaxy will look like in 2020? Will they be one of the MLS's super clubs? Will they be in Carson or will we have since moved into our new 65,000 seat stadium next to Staples Center and left the HDC for the goats? Where do you see our club in 2020?
U.S. v. Denmark was a meaningless friendly. It was about as big a deal as the USWNT v. Iceland. The last meaningful games I can recall were years ago at the Rose Bowl. There were the US matchs in World Cup, and I think there was the Mexico v. US game in the Gold Cup where Lalas visiously drove his groin into poor Ramon Ramirez's knee. And that's stretching things to say the Gold Cup is "meaningful" I've got to say, my own feelings about the Nats have cooled a lot because my national team doesn't have the guts to schedule a meaningful game here. Its one of the things that makes me more interested in Club Soccer than the Nats.
Friendly games are becoming less meaningful. In Ireland and England friendlies it is virtually a different team in the second half.
I thought I'd read that the total capacity of the stadium would be about 34,000 with a second deck built all the way around the north end, taking the place of the grassy knoll. I also understand that the actual capacity of the stadium right now is about 29-30,000, but AEG agreement to build the stadium kept the "official" capacity to 27,000. I would love to see Chivas succeed (except against the G's) enough that AEG would want to expand and then fully enclose the stadium - then the place would really rock. I think this could happen within five years just from how the G's are drawing, and sooner if Chivas starts to draw. By 2020, MLS will be a solid 18-20 team league, ranked just below England, Germany, Spain, and Italy, with the typical team being stronger than the teams from the bottom half of the table of those leagues. MLS teams will compete in the Copa del Mundo Nuevo which will supplant Libertadores. Imagine the Galaxy and Boca Jrs or Santos on a Wednesday! The place will rock!
Chivas has nothing to do with the Galaxy outside of sharing the stadium and playing games. When the Galaxy can sellout 95% of their games AEG will consider expanding the stadium to include more seats, regardless of how Chivas does.