So every team board who has ever had the chance at having a soccer specific stadium has discussed this to some point. I think the answer is awfully specific to the geography. But I'd like to see what people in various regions are looking for. For example, we all want great sightlines. But some people feel very strongly about whether their stadium should have a bowl (e.g. Rose Bowl, old Soldier Field, Custcatlan, Januario) or the four sided look (e.g. Selhurst Park, Molineux). Some demand a roof, while others demand that the field not suffer a shade line. Some people want to copy stadiums from their homeland. Others want something entirely American. And then others could care less about any of this as long as they can get a beer and watch the game at the same time, or head to the head and have a monitor in the restroom so that they miss nothing (I don't blame you). I know what I want. I want to be about ten feet from the touch line (like at Selhurst Park), in a 25,000 seat four square stadium (with room in the corners to turn it into a bowl when we need to expand the seating), with a three sided roof (to keep in the noise) covered with solar panels (to constantly generate revenue and clean electricity-y'all in Dallas should do it), and a red brick facade which hearkens back to the firehouses of Chicago of the 1920s.
even though i dont have a team since the fusion are gone this is what i would like: a 4 side stadium, fans close to the field, whatever it takes to make it a noisy stadium, if it were small enough try putting it in a place where there would be a nice backdrop of the local area (ie: i think highbury, or even wrigley (sp?) field for an american example). to make it nice they need their own personality. something unique like the vine (i think) wall at wrigley, a great backdrop (any1 remember those mountains in the background of the Korea/USA WC game?), or a unique architectural design. also the seats should have a color patern and possibly the name of the team spelled in them.
Yeah, I'm hoping the Wizards go with the mountain backdrop if it's not too much to ask. I think what is going to come into play is how desperate teams are to get their stadium built. If every team ends up in last-minute situations like the Crew and Dallas, we could end up with a bunch of 22,000-seaters that have little character other than simply being SSS's. The good thing is that we do have some teams that are in favorable financial situations(KC,Fire, to name a few) that can afford to bide their time, save up, leverage potential suitors, and get something really nice built. Lamar Hunt has experience doing this, as he got the county to build the Truman Sports Complex (1972-Arrowhead/Kauffman stadiums) which remains one of the finest complexes in the country. Several other stadiums were built and abandoned/demolished within this time period. The Kingdome(1978) comes to mind as one of these. So to get to the question at hand, I am hoping that Lamar is holding out for a classier stadium that will stand the test of time. I prefer the rounded corners to the four sides, and would like the stadium to sit in a bowl. I think location is key in KC, and I hope that they resist the temptation to build it way out in the boonies. Although I doubt there is land available, I wouldn't mind seeing it built in the Overland Park/Johnson County business area. This is the suburb/boom area/soccer playing youth part of the city, with tons of corporate offices. Sprint Park? Black & Veach Stadium? Lots of hotels around. I know-it's a pipe dream. Anyway, back to the stadium itself. I wouldn't mind a concrete facade with sculptures and fountains to match sprinkled about the surrounding grounds. (KC calls itself the city of fountains, claiming that only Rome has more) A roof is a must.
4-side but then there could be seats in the corners. As long as it looks like its an insert into the stadium and not a bowl. Roof, needs to have a roof. GRASS! iF ANYONE COME CLOSE TO THAT FIELD WITH SAFE-GUARD OR WHATEVER IT IS I'LL STONE THEM! That is an interesting idea Fuegofan. I'm sure it cost alot more initially than normal electric. But it would be very efficient. If we had extra money we could even recycle water like at Stadium Australia. But anyway, Brick Exteroir, and we can't forget the shakers. (ask around the Fire boards if you dont know)
my dream stadium would for sure be a 4 sider, I just think that for a game like soccer it makes the stadium much more intimate!! There would have to be a roof and for the outside facade I would really love to see something like what was proposed in Trenton with the old factory or business building style used. As for the field and all that I would say GRASS for sure, that field turf crap is just that, CRAP!! Also I would try to put the fans on the touchlines as close as possible, somewhere around 15 feet or so and on the endlines around 15 to 20 feet as well!! The one thing that would really make my day would be to carry over the tradition of the bouncing stands at RFK!!
What I would want... I already put this is another thread, but I've always thought a stadium should have a sports bar/brew pub under one of the stands. What better place to have your soccer-friendly hangout than at the stadium. Let the Man U groupies meet there to watch the game. Maybe they'd get into the habit of showing up for the games too.
My Own Team. Seriously, grass, natural grass, not this field turf blades of grass junk. 4-sided, brick exterior, although I've seen a couple of new stadiums with a lot of glass on the exterior and they look sharp, a good bar on each side of the stadium, plenty of tv's in the bathrooms, and hot women wearing bikinis as the vendors. Must have a roof.
Re: What I would want... Rapids--brick exterior, located at Broadway and I-25 where the Gates Rubber factory is--and since the don't use it anymore, take that spot right by the Platte, with a mountain view and retain the water tower
Well if MY stadium is the future Fire House I would want a brick exterior for the fire house feel. Plus something like either the old Bernie Brewer area or like at Tampa's Raymond James stadium's Buccaneer town where after a goal a fire truck could come out of a fire house and light up and have a siren blowing...but then that's it...no canned music. Of course a bar and even a hotel would be nice as well, something like 25,000 to 30,000 seats, rectangular stadium, a roof would be nice. But hey, just as long as the Fire get a place of their own i won't really care, but at least try to have a brick exterior with some fire house references, to the place.
A great location... A great idea. And it's histroical since there was a minor-league baseball stadium just North across the freeway for many years. (Before my time, but I've seen pictures.) It wasbuilt of wood and major league teams would play exhibitions there. Good public transportation but I wonder about the parking.
I would like my stadium to have: - 2 sided stadium - chair back seats, no bleachers - wide seats with plenty of leg room - grass berm on each end zone as cheap seats - roof to cover seating - wide field - non-private bar and non-alcoholic bar - wide concourses - plenty of restrooms - plenty of concession stands
Here is my ideal stadium, Queen's Park Ranger's Loftus Road. Capacity 19,000 http://www.footballgroundz.co.uk/pictures/qpr6.jpghttp://www.footballgroundz.co.uk/pictures/qpr4.jpg http://www.footballgroundz.co.uk/pictures/qpr2.jpg http://www.footballgroundz.co.uk/pictures/qpr3.jpg http://www.footballgroundz.co.uk/pictures/qpr1.jpg
Re: Re: What I would want... never seen the area but it sounds like a lovely idea. and the fire stadium with a fire house feel and fire truck sounds cool, gives it an american twist.
http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/europe/spain/catalonia/barcelona_mini_estadi.shtml Someone posted that link in another thread. Put the roof all the way around and it would rock.
That is a nice stadium... in the website they say that it have a 16K capacity.... i think that that thig have at least 22K capacity a nice stadium..... even without a roof
I would love to see a colusium type stadium with big columns like at the White House or other buildings in DC. I think that would be phat. Yes, grass is a must.
What do I want in MY stadium? Twenty-thousand season ticket-holders and a few thousand more walk-ups every game. Fun thread. Great ideas.
Just as long nobody copies it exactly. There are about 1,000 seats in each end which have to be sold with the words "Diabolical view" stamped on the ticket, just so the customer knows what he's in for. If I could improve my team's ground I'd remove the away end roof so that the away fans get wet when it rains.
That's actually why I'd like to see a three-quarter's roof as well. Two other reasons: 1. With the dichotomy of city fans and suburban fans, it wouldn't be so loud over there, so the suburban fans might like that better. 2. Some of us really like being in the elements. It's one of the reasons I go to games is because I enjoy sitting around out of doors with a bunch of other people. I once sketched out a stadium for Colorado Rapids and both ends were open because there are so many people who like to be in the elements, and because the loud city culture is so much less prevalent.
To be unrealistic, the AllianzArena But I'd like a 4 sider with a roof, about 20K seated, terraces behind the goals, standing room for about 3K. Leyton Orient's stadium looks cool, but only holds 13K