Denver NWSL stadium plans put Colorado Rapids' home to shame | OneFootball

The City of Denver and its incoming NWSL expansion team on Tuesday unveiled plans for a new, soccer-specific stadium in the city's urban core.

The 14,500-seat venue about three miles south of downtown will be the second stadium purpose-built for an NWSL team that also plays in an MLS market.

And unlike in Kansas City, where both Sporting Kansas City and the KC Current play in facilities that are near the top of their class, the new Denver plans would create a destination that is objectively ahead of the Colrado Rapids' Dick's Sporting Goods Park in most meaningful metrics.

That's not the Rapids' fault per se. Colorado opened their home ground 20 years prior, back when getting a stadium for soccer built anywhere was still a major accomplishment.

The Commerce City, Colo., venue was only the fifth such stadium to open in MLS. And at the time, MLS ownership had to be willing to compromise to get anything done, or otherwise settle for being in unsustainable rental agreements in cavernous NFL stadium.

But Denver's NWSL plans highlight the way MLS 1.0 clubs like the Rapids can fall behind if they don't work hard at updating their facilities or potentially relocationg if the opportunity arises.

Here's how the venues stack up in several key metrics:

Location

Denver NWSL Stadium

The construction site at the intersection of Broadway and Interstate 25 is about three miles south of downtown.

Dick's Sporting Goods Park

The Rapids' home is about 10 miles from downtown by car. It's a little closer if you wanted to take a very long walk or a medium-length bike ride, about eight miles total.

Transit Links

Denver NWSL Stadium

The construction site is already served by an RTD light rail station, with the ride from downtown scheduled to take 17 minutes.

Dick's Sporting Goods Park

The bus ride from downtown takes roughly 90 minutes on a non-matchday, and requires a transfer plus a walk of more than a mile. It's unclear if there is special service run by public transportation on matchdays. Some supporters groups have run private party bus rentals from downtown.

Where to pregame/postgame

Denver NWSL Stadium

Broadway and the adjacent Platt Park and Washington Park West neighborhoods are home to more than a dozen locally owned restaurants and bars within a mile of the proposed stadium location.

Dick's Sporting Goods Park

Tailgating is probably your best bet, and there is ample parking at the facility. Walkable indoor establishments are sparse, however, and most are of the chain-restaurant variety: A Church's Chicken and Subway on Quebec Ave., a Taco Bell and Panda Express on 56th street.

Atmosphere

Denver NWSL Stadium

Based on the initial renderings, the entire three-sided seating bowl will be covered with a cantilever-style roof that is common among newer MLS grounds and most modern stadiums in Europe and elsewhere. That should amplify noise within the ground and also help keep fans in the stadium when it rains or snows. The fourth side will be a picnic area, similar to San Jose's PayPal Park.

Dick's Sporting Goods Park