Major League Soccer or Multiple Listing Service

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October 6, 2016

MLS INFORMER

Major League Soccer or Multiple Listing Service

By Brian Trusdell

Soccer News Net Writer

The joys/pains of home ownership

The countdown toward eliminating one of MLS’ last vestiges to its creation has begun.

The city of Washington, according to the Washington Post, has handed over the Buzzard Point property near the confluence of the Anacostia Rivers and Washington Channel – just to the southwest of the Nationals' ballpark -- to D.C. United to begin building its new stadium.

If and when it is completed and open for business in 2018, United will be the last of the original 10 teams to move out of the NFL/college football canyons the league was so derided for in its inaugural year.

The construction would actually fulfill the original vision of its founders. Alan Rothenberg and his early cohorts felt that teams would need their own stadia to generate the revenue to survive but pulled it from the pitch to investors thinking that the price tag would scare them off.

The more than half empty stadia with games played on artificial turf with football lines was the all too often consequence of the early days. And despite the 15-purpose-built or renovated (Portland) stadia, those issues linger. New England still plays in an NFL cavern, a newer one, but an NFL cavern. Atlanta will follow the path of its Revolution brethren.

Vancouver and Seattle have remained in their NFL mansions (although the Sounders do quite well in theirs notwithstanding turf and lines).

The worst situation is New York City FC’s situation at Yankee Stadium.

But even D.C. United likely will experience pain with its new stadium. The new building isn’t projected to be ready realistically until June 2018, requiring a long season-opening road trip. Of the seven MLS teams that faced similar situations, only one – Columbus in 1999 – came out with a winning record. Toronto broke even.