04/25/24
January 29, 2005
A unique stadium-share: Both DC United of MLS and MLB's new boys the Nationals will call RFK home for the next three seasons. Their plan requires three days to change the field from baseball to soccer, then two days in reverse; in other words, no baseball games for six days--and 18 home matches are scheduled, plus a couple more if the defending champs make the playoffs. Additionally, groundskeepers "plan to permanently grow huge, deep trays of grass in another location" to temporarily cover the infield dirt for United matches. Can it work?
posted by billsaysthis to general at 04:43 PM - 10 comments
The baseball players are not going to like it one bit. Here in Rochester, the local soon to be MLS team plays on the same field as the AAA baseball team. No matter how hard the grounds crew works, it causes problems in the infield. But, the Nationals and United might have more money to work with.
posted by jasonspaceman at 07:04 PM on January 29, 2005
Soccer is a second tier sport in America. It's only a matter of time before the needs of the baseball team will outweigh the other considerations.
posted by rapidroy at 07:42 PM on January 29, 2005
Here in Rochester, the local soon to be MLS team Did you get some secret memo? I think Rochester lost its best shot when Salt Lake City got one of the new franchises.
posted by billsaysthis at 08:15 PM on January 29, 2005
Why don't they just have DC United play at FexEx Field or something for a few matches during the season?
posted by jasonbondshow at 03:32 AM on January 30, 2005
Is FedEx Field wide enough?
posted by salmacis at 06:17 AM on January 30, 2005
It says right in the article that FedEx field is too suburban, and hard for their mainly urban-based fans to access. Hell, it's hard for anyone to access.
posted by thewittyname at 09:48 AM on January 30, 2005
The tray thing has been done before; it was first done for World Cup 1994, if I remember right. So it is doable. The rest, who knows.
posted by tieguy at 03:42 PM on January 30, 2005
i used to go out and watch the (now defunct) canberra cosmos in the australian soccer league. they shared the ground with a (now defunct) team in the (now defunct) national baseball league. they left the diamond in front of the main stand and put the soccer pitch somewhere in the outfield. all i remember is that it was a loooong way away.....
posted by owlhouse at 08:03 PM on January 30, 2005
FedEx Field can't be that hard to access, seeing as the Redskins manage to sell it out every game..
posted by salmacis at 05:33 PM on January 31, 2005
I hope so... I like DC United. Oh, and screw baseball...