What would you like in a new stadium?, v. 7.0

Luxury suites earn $. Concerts earn $. Don't expect the owners to lose money just so you can check off your personal pet peeve list.

With a climate like California a roof isn't as important as in other parts of the country, but it would be nice to have a roof over at least the west stands to block the late afternoon/evening sun.

There's also the question of the use of a roof for acoustical reasons. If this venue is being used for concerts, expect a roof similar to the HDC or Rio Tinto. Roofs make for louder crowds at soccer matches, and for better music concert venues. That alone could justify the extra cost.

 

False. Do we really have to have this discussion again?

I know this has been posted before in the San Jose Earthquakes forums; apparently we need a reminder:

 

Looking at Blackball's comment I saw the bit about HD Video screens at concession stands. This isn't baseball, or even American football, fans getting out of their seats and getting a hotdog during a half is not exactly something we want to facilitate or encourage.

I think that maintaining an exciting atmosphere is something that needs to be a top priority. Lets be sure that we don't end up like Arsenal, whose new ground is nicknamed the Library due to its flat atmosphere.

And high walls are crap. On an uncrowned field, the view from standing height in the front row is just fine. It isn't a problem for me if the seats a few rows back are better than the front row as long as the view from the front row is good too.

 

Picture from the inaugural game:



The capacity is 24,000.

 

I always try to be mindful of what might hurt the atmosphere at a match. Emirates Stadium's concession set up is first rate, but the atmosphere sucks. At the San Siro, "La Scala of football" (where I watch all my games), The atmoshere is amazing and intense, although unfortunately smoke-filled, and their concession booths are crap. Nobody gets up during the halves to go get crap from them. I wouldn't want the stuff they have even if I didn't care if I missed some of the game. I can't say that the two things are correlated but I suspect that it might be. I'm sure we probably wont have HD tvs at all our concession stands, but not for the above reasons, just because it comes down to the bottom line.

As for the stage thing, I really, really, really hope that we never have one. Unless it can completely disappear for games, I really don't want it. Luxury boxes are fine because they make money and they're out of the way anyway, but a stage is awful.

And that Malmo stadium would rock. Obviously we can't expect that size, but its overall design is good.

 

All good points! And when I went to Craven Cottage, the HDtv's were so fans could watch other games in progress while in line _before_ the game started.

 

Luxury suites only make money if they sell. Are the Rev's selling a lot of suites at Gillette there Ralphie? I think there is a minimal market for them here.

Re: Concerts making money, I understand your point and it makes sense in other markets. I don't it makes economic sense in the south SF Bay area. We have multiple smaller venues (Villa Montalvo, Mountain Winery) and for 5k+ the Shoreline Ampitheater which I think would always be a better acoustically than a stadium.

The Quakes FO & Lew are going to get the stadium up with a pretty minimal budget. I'm only suggesting things I think will make a better game day experience, and be a better use of the the budget they have (vs suites / stage / roof)

 

Why not do a sort of rotunda like they have on the bottom deck of AT&T park. From the conession stands, you can still clearly see the field. Having TVs around the rotunda would also help greatly.

 

I had to double check my understanding of the word Rotunda after reading your post, then I looked up AT&T park and I finally figured out what you were getting at. Anyway, I think that this is not unlike the whole luxury box thing. If it doesn't interfere with the atmosphere then its ok, but if its is conspicuous, and has some of the less dedicated spectators interfering with other fans' viewing experience, then I'm not in favor of it. I can see how its great for baseball. But baseball games take forever and there is a lot of downtime involved. I think for us it would be better to have the concessions set up so that people would be able to get their snacks without any problems at halftime, rather than setting up facilities that allowed spectators to keep one eye on the game while they focus on their sandwiches and flatten the stadium atmosphere. Although there are people who want to go to games and get a meal while the game is secondary. If the same sort of out of the way spaces that luxury boxes usually go to is replaced with game-view cafe's and table seating, then there may be some money to be made there. What I really don't want is a section space that is prominently viewable by TV audiences and players on the pitch that looks more like a bunch of douches outside of a starbucks that seem to be treating the match as peripheral and novelty when they should be engrossed in the match.

 

First, sorry for the confusion. Thats what I've always have called it and heard it being called.

Second, amen.

 

Maybe there should be a separate thread titled; What are we likely to GET in a new stadium?

 

Where's the fun in that!?

 

That looks great. Very sweeping.

 

I am very envious

 

What a dumb-ass roof. It's gonna leak like hell!

 

I don't think it's supposed to keep out rain, just keep the ball from being kicked into the street.

 

The real action is going to be on the monkey bars above the field, where Red Bull's chimp-like supporters will be climbing around throwing feces at the Barra Brava.



(Ok, that made me feel better about the awesome stadium they will have.)

 

I am a bit envious like RobsterCraw, but I've also consciously decided to be optimistic and ethusiastic. After seeing the empty stands in Rio Tino, and knowing what low turnout the Red Bulls get now compared to their new stadiums seating, I think a full 15k stadium will be great. I know you like a roof Goodsie, but I feel like it'll be a better game-day experience if that money goes into other aspects of the stadium so that, size aside, it's much nicer than BMO or Columbus.