DC United announces stadium plans. (DC United)

As you all probably saw this afternoon DC United held their press conference about their new stadium venture in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Here are a few notes I jotted down during what I saw from the telecast of it online.

The new stadium will seat close to or about 24,000 and cost somewhere in the ballpark of $195 million. Staying true to most MLS stadiums it will unfortunately have a stage at one end, though the stage will be full of seats during soccer games. I am kind of interested to see how exactly they do that because places like Dallas say they will be full of seats and really a couple bleacher rows isn’t full to me.

Anyways, the deal is just a deal at this point. Nothing is set in stone but definitely more along in my opinion than Popular Point ever was going to be this club in getting a stadium.

The club will be ponying up some cash to pay for it, which is impressive to see right now with the way things are in the economy.

In a smart fashion the stadium will be near a metro stop. At least they made a point to say a few places they are looking at is along side a metro stop. Believe me in DC that is a big thing and it will help get those Northern Virginia fans to it.

Still a lot of work to be done overall here but its good to see this club finally get something in terms of a stadium being built.

I wanted to pass some information on for those RSL readers out there, and those that aren’t. The club announced today some big news regarding their new stadium and when it will be officially be opening.

The new stadium will be open in time to host the club’s final two home games (both which are nationally televised).

RSL will play New York on Oct. 9 and FC Dallas on Oct. 18 at Real Salt Lake Stadium, which the club deemed on Tuesday will be finished enough to host games this fall. Both matches will be nationally televised and will provide Real with high-profile opportunities to unveil its 20,000-seat stadium.

According to RSL president Bill Manning, it had been “touch-and-go” for some time over whether the stadium would be far enough along to be used this October, and he credited Layton-Turner Construction and owner Dave Checketts for helping to make it possible.

As with any major construction project, not everything at RSL Stadium will be finished in October — like RSL’s front offices, for example — but the threshold that Real officials set for being able to declare it ready will be met.

So Dallas and New York are those lucky clubs that get the first crack at RSL on the new digs. Man what is it with New York playing clubs in stadium openers. I believe that makes either two or three for them (Pizza Hut Park and correct me if I am wrong, Chicago).

Below are some updated photos of the stadium, thanks to RSLstadium.com. Again I will say it, the more I see this stadium the more I like it. I cannot wait for a trip west to see it in person one day soon. Congrats RSL fans, its a great looking stadium! Continue Reading…

You know the more I look into this whole expansion to Montreal, the more I get behind it. Sure, I think it should still be a few more years away but after seeing the final product of the new Saputo Stadium today, I’m thinking an expansion bid for the city could come sooner than that.

As you will see below, for a USL side this is a quality stadium. Hell, even for a few MLS teams this would be a quality stadium. Its a cozy 13,000 seat stadium with plenty of room for expansion. Obviously that will have to happen for them to get an expansion bid into MLS.

From looking at the photos, this looks like a blue version of BMO Field in Toronto. I’d like to see exactly how they will add another four to eight thousand seats for when they could join MLS in a years though. It looks like one endzone would easily have to get worked on and maybe add seats in the corners to round out the stadium a bit. Either way I like this little stadium and I bet it will be one of the better venues in the US and Canada for soccer. Continue Reading…