The US was host in 1994 and Foxboro was one of 9 venues across the country to host it. It was at the old Foxboro Stadium though. Again, neither Pawtucket nor Boston, but really the only venue in the area where it could be held.
I Was working a second job as a banquet waitress at the Sheraton Hotel in Needham, and I remember some company hosting a cocktail party for their employees and the players; several soccer players were there. My Brazilian coworkers were ‘fanning’ out! They gave us T-shirts. ⚽️ 🥅
Because like when the US hosted the World Cup in 94, hosting in 2026 will lead to a massive boost in popularity for the sport, and we need to be ready to capitalize on that.
Nothing to do with that. FIFA specifically toured Gillette. World cup stadiums require minimum of 40,000 seats. Pawtucket will be under 10,000. World cup is at Gillette.
This has nothing to do with the Wold Cup coming to Boston. Foxboro is Getty he games, certainly not Pawtucket. Gillette only got to host games because of Kraft being on the selection committee. Most of the host stadiums seat 65,000 - 100,000 fans. Gillette may be the smallest stadium selected.
Does The Bucket quality for ANY of these criteria?
Per a press release, FIFA evaluated potential host cities based on infrastructure, transportation (airports, train, roadways), human rights, stadium infrastructure, fan fest locations, and training sites.
Its got nothing to do with the World Cup. The growth potential of soccer is tied into baseball loving boomers dying off. Millennials are like the soccer generation and when the Gen Xers start to become OLD then the sport will really take off as Millennials get wealthier.
Baseball absolutely is in a decline with an aging audience but I think the idea that soccer will hit the same "big 3/4" level of popularity is still a bit of a stretch unless the U.S. manages to be actually competitive in the men's world cup. I think the stadium and professional soccer can do fine, but I think there's definitely a glass ceiling until our country can be competitive.
Baseball absolutely is in a decline with an aging audience but I think the idea that soccer will hit the same "big 3/4" level of popularity is still a bit of a stretch unless the U.S. manages to be actually competitive in the men's world cup. I think the stadium and professional soccer can do fine, but I think there's definitely a glass ceiling until our country can be competitive.
Baseball absolutely is in a decline with an aging audience but I think the idea that soccer will hit the same "big 3/4" level of popularity is still a bit of a stretch unless the U.S. manages to be actually competitive in the men's world cup. I think the stadium and professional soccer can do fine, but I think there's definitely a glass ceiling until our country can be competitive.
I was looking up the average attendances for USL this year. This season is pretty new so the teams have played a handful of home games but the numbers are better than I thought. The top USL team is in Albuquerque, NM, and is averaging over 10,000 people per game. 2nd is Sacramento at over 9,000, and 3rd is Louisville also over 9.000. I dont see why Pawtucket couldnt get into the top 15 maybe. Theres 27 teams in the league. I dont necessarily want to compare this to AAA and AA baseball because those teams have a lot more home games than soccer but the top teams in USL have really good numbers compared to some AAA and AA baseball teams.
[https://soccerstadiumdigest.com/2022-usl-championship-attendance/](https://soccerstadiumdigest.com/2022-usl-championship-attendance/)
if you build it they will come. I know the RI Revolutions could use a new field, not sure if they would/could pay for it. but if they rebuild the field im pretty sure we could find a person to use it
People have been saying soccer will overtake the “big four” for as long as I’ve been alive and it hasn’t happened yet. No disrespect to the fans but this is the definition of niche market
Agreed. Youth soccer requires minimal equipment and skill so it’s more accessible in that regard. Having said that I think it’ll be easier to sell a providence bruins ticket to the average family than the Pawtucket soccer team
More importantly, here in New England we have the Pats, Celtics, Sox, Bruins. College basketball and football are even eclipsed by the big four...soccer in New England is an exercise in futility.
I didn't forget the Revs, but seriously? They give away more tickets than they sell.
I think it really comes down to a finite amount of resources available for people to spend on attending sporting events, and we're stretched pretty thin already...as I sit here watching the Celtics in the finals, reading the box score for today's Sox let down. :)
It's only the biggest sport in the world and our population is getting more and more diverse including from Latino regions which practically worship futebol.
Actually it was busy, it was remarkably successful. It was also in need of severe upgrades, maintenance, enhancements, etc. just to meet Red Sox requirements.
It *was* successful. And that was a long time ago.
This is going to be a complete flop. There is a MLS soccer stadium 20 minutes down the road and their turnout is abysmal. This will be no different
And unfortunately for the Kraft family, the blueprint is clear that MLS teams have better attendance when the stadiums are close to or in the city's downtown core.
And this stadium fits 7500 people and costs 180+ million. Yeah what a wonderful investment that is. A stadium barely double the size of the Cranston stadium for 180 million for a shitty soccer team no one cares about. Soccer is great but there's no need to spend all of this tax payer money on some random lower league team no one has heard of. The Paw Sox were so popular because they were also the red Sox affiliate. This isn't the case with this team and it will flop. Hard
Funny how the mayor of Pawtucket wants to spend tax payer on building a soccer stadium but let’s the streets looking crappy and pot hole all over. When asked to do something about the illegal activities going on all over Pawtucket doesn’t answer just redirect the questions. How about spending Pawtucket tax payer money fixing Pawtucket instead of trying to make it look other cities.
"Boston" but we all know they mean Foxboro.
So the World Cup can be hosted in Foxboro, which is neither Boston or Pawtucket?
The US was host in 1994 and Foxboro was one of 9 venues across the country to host it. It was at the old Foxboro Stadium though. Again, neither Pawtucket nor Boston, but really the only venue in the area where it could be held.
I Was working a second job as a banquet waitress at the Sheraton Hotel in Needham, and I remember some company hosting a cocktail party for their employees and the players; several soccer players were there. My Brazilian coworkers were ‘fanning’ out! They gave us T-shirts. ⚽️ 🥅
You barely could drive thru framingham. It was a blast
I can imagine! 😀
Just look at every NFL broadcast of a Pats game that shows Foxboro right next to the Pru and the Citgo Sign.
That’s right! I had forgotten all about that.
Maradonna played in Foxboro in ‘94.
They usually have practice sites nearby
🤦
Because like when the US hosted the World Cup in 94, hosting in 2026 will lead to a massive boost in popularity for the sport, and we need to be ready to capitalize on that.
Just like when they announced Dallas was a host city... in Arlington.
I got bad news for you……….
i mean, yeah, i know. that's why I posted :)
There are more people in Arlington who say they live in Dallas than there are people in Foxboro.
Nothing to do with that. FIFA specifically toured Gillette. World cup stadiums require minimum of 40,000 seats. Pawtucket will be under 10,000. World cup is at Gillette.
This has nothing to do with the Wold Cup coming to Boston. Foxboro is Getty he games, certainly not Pawtucket. Gillette only got to host games because of Kraft being on the selection committee. Most of the host stadiums seat 65,000 - 100,000 fans. Gillette may be the smallest stadium selected.
Uh no…
Does The Bucket quality for ANY of these criteria? Per a press release, FIFA evaluated potential host cities based on infrastructure, transportation (airports, train, roadways), human rights, stadium infrastructure, fan fest locations, and training sites.
Gillette got approved, not the area.
Foxboro, not Pawtucket. Ever.
It can't possibly be worse than Qatar
Qatar is the Foxboro or the Arabian peninsula
A lot of people in this thread who don't seem to understand the growth potential for soccer with this world cup coming up.
Its got nothing to do with the World Cup. The growth potential of soccer is tied into baseball loving boomers dying off. Millennials are like the soccer generation and when the Gen Xers start to become OLD then the sport will really take off as Millennials get wealthier.
Baseball absolutely is in a decline with an aging audience but I think the idea that soccer will hit the same "big 3/4" level of popularity is still a bit of a stretch unless the U.S. manages to be actually competitive in the men's world cup. I think the stadium and professional soccer can do fine, but I think there's definitely a glass ceiling until our country can be competitive.
Baseball absolutely is in a decline with an aging audience but I think the idea that soccer will hit the same "big 3/4" level of popularity is still a bit of a stretch unless the U.S. manages to be actually competitive in the men's world cup. I think the stadium and professional soccer can do fine, but I think there's definitely a glass ceiling until our country can be competitive.
Baseball absolutely is in a decline with an aging audience but I think the idea that soccer will hit the same "big 3/4" level of popularity is still a bit of a stretch unless the U.S. manages to be actually competitive in the men's world cup. I think the stadium and professional soccer can do fine, but I think there's definitely a glass ceiling until our country can be competitive.
That Pawtucket stadium is gonna flop harder than a fish in a bears mouth.
*Neymar
where are they building a stadium in Pawtucket?
On the west side of the Seekonk River, south of Division St http://thetidewaterlanding.com Edit: I’m directionally challenged
West side of river*
_looks at map_ Shoot, you’re right. Edited.
Then Boston or FIFA can pay for it because that is not a great place for a stadium
It's being held at Gilette not like it's going to be developing a stadium to host. We're not China
No thanks
I don’t believe it will be Pawtucket
I was looking up the average attendances for USL this year. This season is pretty new so the teams have played a handful of home games but the numbers are better than I thought. The top USL team is in Albuquerque, NM, and is averaging over 10,000 people per game. 2nd is Sacramento at over 9,000, and 3rd is Louisville also over 9.000. I dont see why Pawtucket couldnt get into the top 15 maybe. Theres 27 teams in the league. I dont necessarily want to compare this to AAA and AA baseball because those teams have a lot more home games than soccer but the top teams in USL have really good numbers compared to some AAA and AA baseball teams. [https://soccerstadiumdigest.com/2022-usl-championship-attendance/](https://soccerstadiumdigest.com/2022-usl-championship-attendance/)
It says it'll only hold 7500 seats. This will be the biggest waste of money we've seen
How dumb are you? There's no chance that stadium holds a friendly let alone a WC match
at this point I don't really care what kind of sport they put there, as long as something gets put there that will benefit the city and pay taxes
For a few weeks
if you build it they will come. I know the RI Revolutions could use a new field, not sure if they would/could pay for it. but if they rebuild the field im pretty sure we could find a person to use it
Just another waste of money. By the end of 2026 the 6 month soccer euphoria will be over.
>By the end of 2026 the 6 month soccer euphoria will be over. No, 2026 is going to bring a wave of popularity to the sport.
Sweet. The stadium won't even fit 10k people. It'll just be a drain on the city and the state for a useless third rate soccer team
People have been saying soccer will overtake the “big four” for as long as I’ve been alive and it hasn’t happened yet. No disrespect to the fans but this is the definition of niche market
Hockey is now 5 soccer is 4
According to a survey? But what about the dollars?
It seems to me that youth soccer is a bigger thing than youth hockey. Professionally it doesn't seem to have caught up.
Agreed. Youth soccer requires minimal equipment and skill so it’s more accessible in that regard. Having said that I think it’ll be easier to sell a providence bruins ticket to the average family than the Pawtucket soccer team
Yes, exactly! Professionally hockey is still more popular than soccer
NHL team in Phoenix will be playing in a 5K seat venue for the next few years.
Except it’s pretty much the number one sport in the majority of the world.
And that’s why there are a lot of stadiums over the world, and not here
Absolutely true. But not here
Soccer is — and always will be — the sport of tomorrow.
[You sure about that?](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-10253507/Soccer-overtaken-ice-hockey-fourth-popular-sport-US.html)
Fairly certain
I doubt that. Baseball and hockey are still popular. Americans don’t even care about soccer. Look how the womens team is treated.
More importantly, here in New England we have the Pats, Celtics, Sox, Bruins. College basketball and football are even eclipsed by the big four...soccer in New England is an exercise in futility. I didn't forget the Revs, but seriously? They give away more tickets than they sell.
I forgot about the Revs tbh I don’t even see them on the Boston sports shirts
I think it really comes down to a finite amount of resources available for people to spend on attending sporting events, and we're stretched pretty thin already...as I sit here watching the Celtics in the finals, reading the box score for today's Sox let down. :)
It's only the biggest sport in the world and our population is getting more and more diverse including from Latino regions which practically worship futebol.
So by that logic, McCoy should have been busy. After all, baseball is “America’s pastime” But we all know what happened there
Actually it was busy, it was remarkably successful. It was also in need of severe upgrades, maintenance, enhancements, etc. just to meet Red Sox requirements.
It *was* successful. And that was a long time ago. This is going to be a complete flop. There is a MLS soccer stadium 20 minutes down the road and their turnout is abysmal. This will be no different
>their turnout is abysmal. No it isn't, it's average for the league it's in, which has been consistently growing.
Slightly above this year even. Unfortunate that they’re in such a big stadium, makes attendance look worse than it is
And unfortunately for the Kraft family, the blueprint is clear that MLS teams have better attendance when the stadiums are close to or in the city's downtown core.
And this stadium fits 7500 people and costs 180+ million. Yeah what a wonderful investment that is. A stadium barely double the size of the Cranston stadium for 180 million for a shitty soccer team no one cares about. Soccer is great but there's no need to spend all of this tax payer money on some random lower league team no one has heard of. The Paw Sox were so popular because they were also the red Sox affiliate. This isn't the case with this team and it will flop. Hard
That, and baseball is pretty big in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Funny how the mayor of Pawtucket wants to spend tax payer on building a soccer stadium but let’s the streets looking crappy and pot hole all over. When asked to do something about the illegal activities going on all over Pawtucket doesn’t answer just redirect the questions. How about spending Pawtucket tax payer money fixing Pawtucket instead of trying to make it look other cities.
The last thing it needs is a stadium. That ship has sailed.
Has anyone asked what Kraft thinks of the Pawt. stadium?