Stadium Discussion

[DeGrozz]

I have to find it, but I swear to God, back in the day the original owners of Metro wanted to essentially split the team into a NYC-centric team and a NJ-centric team, but failed in NYC and later sold.

Found something... maybe I'm not going senile yet...

NEW YORK-AREA SOCCER ON UPSWING

The pin-drop quiet that has prevailed over Major League Soccer this offseason will be broken on Tuesday when the New York/New Jersey MetroStars announce plans to build two 25,000-seat stadiums in N…

www.sun-sentinel.com

The pin-drop quiet that has prevailed over Major League Soccer this offseason will be broken on Tuesday when the New York/New Jersey MetroStars announce plans to build two 25,000-seat stadiums in New York and New Jersey.

Why two stadiums? Because MetroStars' owners John Kluge and Stuart Subotnick have exercised their right to own an expansion team in New York that would begin play in 2002. If this sounds like something that could only happen in MLS, it is.

When the league started play in 1996, it gave its original group of investors the option of buying an expansion team for $5 million. Kluge and Subotnick will exercise that option when the league expands to 14 teams in 2002. Philadelphia, Houston and Atlanta are among the most frequently rumored candidates for the second team.

Construction on stadiums in New York and New Jersey won't begin until September with the openings targeted for 2003. The New Jersey-based MetroStars will continue to play at 77,000-seat Giants Stadium, where they averaged a little more than 17,000 fans per game last season. The New York team would probably play at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Long Island until its stadium is built.

Despite appearances to the contrary, MetroStars' officials say their attendance will not suffer because of competition across the Hudson River.
"According to our surveys, 94 percent of our fans are from New Jersey," MetroStars spokesman Chris Brienza said. "In New York, both Queens and Long Island are soccer hotbeds. You've got all the M-imigrM-i groups pouring out to play in Flushing Meadows on weekends, and in Long Island there are about 200,000 registered youth players."

When completed, the two venues will join Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, as the only stadiums built for soccer in MLS. Possible sites for what would become the New Jersey MetroStars are Newark, Jersey City and Harrison. Queens or Long Island are probable locales for the New York team.
Both stadiums would cost between $40-$60 million, depending on whether a roof is included. The Miami design firm Arquitectonica has drawn the plans for the stadiums, which can be expanded to 40,000 seats.

Plans are also in the works for MLS stadiums in Los Angeles, Chicago and Colorado. All three clubs are owned by billionaire Phillip Anschutz.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Am I the only one that’s not blown away by RBA?

I'm in the same boat. Sure, certain aspects of it are nice, but just the narrow concourses that lead to unmanageable halftime and pre-match concessions and bathroom breaks is a big dealbreaker for me. I think perhaps its a bit overrated in the NY metro market just due to its an actual soccer stadium.

The only other soccer specific stadium I've been to was the original Crew stadium, which was just old and yeah, RBA blows it out of the water and Chicago's stadium in Bridgeview, which RBA would also blow out of the water. I'm not going to compare other places I've watched MLS games at such as YS, Lumen Field (Sounders), and RFK.

Based on images and shots of other stadiums around the league on TV, I get the sense that RBA is likely middle of the road currently. But again, hard to completely judge when I haven't physically been to those others.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Found something... maybe I'm not going senile yet...

NEW YORK-AREA SOCCER ON UPSWING

The pin-drop quiet that has prevailed over Major League Soccer this offseason will be broken on Tuesday when the New York/New Jersey MetroStars announce plans to build two 25,000-seat stadiums in N…

www.sun-sentinel.com

The pin-drop quiet that has prevailed over Major League Soccer this offseason will be broken on Tuesday when the New York/New Jersey MetroStars announce plans to build two 25,000-seat stadiums in New York and New Jersey.

Why two stadiums? Because MetroStars' owners John Kluge and Stuart Subotnick have exercised their right to own an expansion team in New York that would begin play in 2002. If this sounds like something that could only happen in MLS, it is.

When the league started play in 1996, it gave its original group of investors the option of buying an expansion team for $5 million. Kluge and Subotnick will exercise that option when the league expands to 14 teams in 2002. Philadelphia, Houston and Atlanta are among the most frequently rumored candidates for the second team.

Construction on stadiums in New York and New Jersey won't begin until September with the openings targeted for 2003. The New Jersey-based MetroStars will continue to play at 77,000-seat Giants Stadium, where they averaged a little more than 17,000 fans per game last season. The New York team would probably play at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Long Island until its stadium is built.

Despite appearances to the contrary, MetroStars' officials say their attendance will not suffer because of competition across the Hudson River.
"According to our surveys, 94 percent of our fans are from New Jersey," MetroStars spokesman Chris Brienza said. "In New York, both Queens and Long Island are soccer hotbeds. You've got all the M-imigrM-i groups pouring out to play in Flushing Meadows on weekends, and in Long Island there are about 200,000 registered youth players."

When completed, the two venues will join Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, as the only stadiums built for soccer in MLS. Possible sites for what would become the New Jersey MetroStars are Newark, Jersey City and Harrison. Queens or Long Island are probable locales for the New York team.
Both stadiums would cost between $40-$60 million, depending on whether a roof is included. The Miami design firm Arquitectonica has drawn the plans for the stadiums, which can be expanded to 40,000 seats.

Plans are also in the works for MLS stadiums in Los Angeles, Chicago and Colorado. All three clubs are owned by billionaire Phillip Anschutz.

Great find, very interesting stuff.

 

[Kjbert]

When you're sitting in your seats the place is great. Anything outside of that is garbage. The concourse is dangerously narrow. If you've ever been there for a match that's 100% sold out (USMNT, USWNT, Derby) it's almost impossible to walk around pre-match or at halftime. The lines are ridiculously long for concessions, and the parking situation is horrible. But again, as a place to watch an actual match, it's great.

that’s how I feel. Nice sight lines. Amenities stink.

 

[Kjbert]

I’ve been to RBA, Bridgeview, Houston, Philly and Kansas City. I feel like I’m missing one.
KC was the only one where I felt it had anything redeeming. The others aren’t mirror images but they’re essentially lego sets and a soccer pitch.
They’re all especially boring when you’ve been to an English stadium.

 

[Schwallacus]

I’ve been to RBA, Bridgeview, Houston, Philly and Kansas City. I feel like I’m missing one.
KC was the only one where I felt it had anything redeeming. The others aren’t mirror images but they’re essentially lego sets and a soccer pitch.
They’re all especially boring when you’ve been to an English stadium.

I've been to the below stadiums for games, and agree with you. Most MLS stadiums were LEGO sets. Portland was nice- not that it was amazing/mind blowing, but it wasn't one of the LEGO set stadium that you accurately described. Had an actual soccer feel/atmosphere to it.

• Philly- Navy LEGOs
• RBA- Blue/Red LEGOs
• Chicago (pre-Soldier)- Not quite LEGO, but damn close. Slightly enhanced LEGO? Middle of nowhere location.
• Colorado- Maroon LEGOs, weird space behind one of the goals.
• Portland- Nice stadium, but does have that baseball feel to it. Incredible atmosphere, interesting layout. Narrow-ish stands in the older area behind supporters section.
• Orlando- Purple LEGOs. Similar bathroom layout to RBA, aka there are none.
• Munich (Allianz Arena)- Heaven

 

[Fantazma]

When you're sitting in your seats the place is great. Anything outside of that is garbage. The concourse is dangerously narrow. If you've ever been there for a match that's 100% sold out (USMNT, USWNT, Derby) it's almost impossible to walk around pre-match or at halftime. The lines are ridiculously long for concessions, and the parking situation is horrible. But again, as a place to watch an actual match, it's great.

an area that is just gravel and dirt cant be called a parking lot ....lol


a lot of SSS feel cookie cutter but i guess the trade off is that hey at least they have one. Id like to visit Minnesota's though i think that one looks different enough to visit.

 

[Gotham Gator]

My understanding is that some of the newer ones are better - San Jose for example.

 

[Kjbert]

My understanding is that some of the newer ones are better - San Jose for example.

yes. I think this is a good observation.

The archdiocese of Trenton built a bunch of Catholic Schools back in the late 70s and early 80s. They bought the blueprints for one gym and built 11 of them across our archdiocese.
That’s how I feel about RBA and Philly etc

 

[mgarbowski]

The one thing RBA has over 1st Gen MLS stadiums is the roof. It’s not some amazing design but it provides good coverage and helps with sound.
Other than that it has little to recommend it. Well, I’ll grant that the field has always seemed of above average quality

 

[moogoo]

Agree with the rest. I hope our stadium has the wide open concourses and amenities of YS (but more modern). RBA is ok to watch games in but a nightmare to do anything else - including getting there.

 

[DeGrozz]

Anything come up at the mayoral debate tonight? Guessing a lot of us were pre-occupied with the Knicks, but....

 

[Antidote P. Smiley]

Anything come up at the mayoral debate tonight? Guessing a lot of us were pre-occupied with the Knicks, but....

Not a peep on the Stadium from what I heard and I suffered through 99% of the “debate”.

 

[DeGrozz]

Not a peep on the Stadium from what I heard and I suffered through 99% of the “debate”.

Appreciate it!

 

[Seth]

Anything come up at the mayoral debate tonight? Guessing a lot of us were pre-occupied with the Knicks, but....

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www.thecity.nyc

 

[Jon]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1400190794150170629

Who's got that Bloomberg Law subscription?

 

[Buckley]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1400190794150170629

Who's got that Bloomberg Law subscription?

Saw this on Bloomberg Law as well. What’s left then? GAL relocation and then just figure out the deegan off ramp. I feel like those are the three big ones, and obviously there will be 646253853 little things in between

 

[Jon]

Saw this on Bloomberg Law as well. What’s left then? GAL relocation and then just figure out the deegan off ramp. I feel like those are the three big ones, and obviously there will be 646253853 little things in between

Deegan seems like it'll be the biggest sticking point but what do I know? You would think there's enough places in the Bronx to move GAL to. Things seem to be moving at a much faster pace over the last couple of months.

 

[Fantazma]

Saw this on Bloomberg Law as well. What’s left then? GAL relocation and then just figure out the deegan off ramp. I feel like those are the three big ones, and obviously there will be 646253853 little things in between

the ramp is a huge issue i think. You have to find a way to redirect the traffic to the deegan without congesting the area too much.

 

[DeGrozz]

the ramp is a huge issue i think. You have to find a way to redirect the traffic to the deegan without congesting the area too much.

Hasn't the 153rd street ramp been closed for a while? Been driving into Yankee Stadium for games and getting off at Maccombs Dam Bridge - 161 (used to get off at 153 because it was an easier in and out to the highway).