Have the Nats ever had a game at Arrowhead? If not, then why? If they can play at the Cotton Bowl and at Gillette, Arrowhead ought to work. Is it because they are afraid they wouldn't get enough fans? I know there are a lot of venues standing in line to get a Nats game, but this would be awesome. Michael
I've had a few drinks and my brain is a little foggy. But, I believe US played Costa Rica in a WC qualifier in the last round and the attendance was around 40K. Which was pretty pathetic. I've never much considered KC to be a "soccer town."
"Pathetic"? Excuse me? Every US soccer fan pretty much considered the KC qualifier to be an all around success. So much so that when conversations about where the qualifiers will be this time around KC is mentioned by almost every person.
Yes, we all enjoy half filled stadiums with a weak supporting atmosphere. Do really believe what you typed?
New England has a large stadium and they get crowds about that big. RFK holds about 45K, and I recall a game against Honduras where the atmosphere made it an away game.
Sure, as along as there was a pro-us crowd. If you would have put that game anywhere else it might not have been so. Hell there were only 45000 people there last night in Dallas which is huge market compared to KC.
52K, and the atmosphere was spirited, but not an away game. In no way did it resemble the atmosphere at KC. KC was a morgue compared to RFK.
i'd much rather have 20k less with a pro usa crowd than 60k with even a 50-50 support stance. besides, i'd be willing to bet if we got costa rica again in the final hex we'd top 50k this time.
I've been to many games. There is a great feeling when US is the majority fans in the stadium. But, the KC game was one of the weaker environemnts I've been in. The other stadiums I've been too do have more fans of the opposing team. But, Lord did we have fun. I reallly don't mean this to be a knock on KC. But, of all the games I've been too, the atmosphere here was the weakest.
I'm not. I just felt the atmosphere at the game was less than I would expect for a qualifier. And, the original post asked why aren't there more games at KC and I just think they're a lot more deserving venues.
Yes, and if I remember right this was a mid week game too which never draws well in any stadium. This was a very good PRO USA Crowd. I remember how everyone was ranting on about how great the atmosphere looked on TV and the smoke bomb kicked ass and the big ass flag. I don't remember hearing one negative comment on this board or anywhere else about the crowd or atmosphere. You should really stick to what you know, if you weren't there, you should have been.
I was at the qualifier against CR in C-bus and it was just as weak. But that probably had more to do with the 0-0 draw. The places you have been to see games do they get alot of NATS games? Becuase that was our first and some of the fans here in KC just suck and don't get it. I don't think they knew that it was ok to get up and yell.
I've got to sign off for the night. I apologize to anyone who might be offended by my comments. I didn't intend for them to be offensive. I don't want to diminish anybodies support for our team. My point, if I really had one, was that KC didn't offer, for me, the excitement that a normal WCQ game would. It is my perspective - nothing more than that. FWIW, I'm from DC. The Honduras game was about a tense I've ever been to. And maybe this is my own fault, but it might be conducive to me, as a fan, to have people rooting for the other team.
It's okay folks... he's a moron... just ignore it. 38,000 in Arrowhead... and that place was rocking! Atmosphere was amazing. Largest midweek qualifying crowd in U.S. soccer history. Those of us who were there know how amazing it was... And something tells me Jose is talking out of his SS... he wasn't there.
Tense, sure because the game was very important and there were a lot of goals that kept the drama high. The point is though that the home team didn't have the advantage from the crowd. Hell Earnie Stewart even complained about it after the game. That should be enough to tell you what the people who really matter thought about that crowd. So you guys keep hosting games where the visitors are supported more by the crowd than the home boys. We'll keep the crowd on the side that matters here in the midwest.
i can respect josep's opinion on where he'd like the games to be played. granted, his reasoning may be a bit faultered, and i'm sure we're a bit biased due to our love of all things kc. spoon is right on the money though. that being our first big nats game here left a lot of unregulars not knowing what it was all about. with soccer gaining more of a stronghold here, it will only be better the next game we get. either way, i'm sick of boston and dc getting so many of the qualifiers.