We may have only recently arrived at a place where Major League Soccer’s facility situation has reached long-desired stability, but it looks like the next phase in venue development may already be upon us.
It was just 10 years ago that Major League Soccer was still a league of renters, with precious few clubs that had a building to call their very own. In fact, exactly 10 years ago, Crew Stadium in Columbus was the one and only. (The Galaxy’s Home Depot Center opened in June of 2003.)
So in a relatively short amount of time, Major League Soccer’s facility situation has improved enormously. Sixteen of 19 teams perform in facilities build or remodeled specifically for Major League Soccer, the degree to which that has added stability and stature cannot possibly be overstated.
Most of the grounds are of the 20,000-seat variety, which has always been about right. As each structure was pieced together or refurbished over the last 10 years, the planning typically included ability to expand – although that need for “more” always seemed to be in some far-away, distant future.
But is it so far away?
Today comes word that Philadelphia is thinking about expansion. The details are here, courtesy of the Philadelphia Business Journal, but the long and short is that the Union could use more seats and certainly more of those revenue-generating suites at PPL Park.
Not every club is ready to begin thinking “more,” but a few could fill stand to add some seats and suites – and isn’t that something else?
