RFK Stadium Conversion

[Puckguy14]

I'm watching the A's play the Nationals at RFK. So how does RFK convert for soccer then? And does MLS allow the dirt in the field of play? This is the first time I see baseball in that stadium, I'm so used to DC United or the Redskins look.

[slapshot]

I heard that the pitcher's mound is situated on a hydraulic platform. The mound is lowered and covered with some turf patch when the United play. I haven't heard anything else about the rest of the dirt infield. I don't know any other soccer games that were played on baseball fields. Colorado Rapids maybe, before Invesco was built?

[WSU151]

I heard that the pitcher's mound is situated on a hydraulic platform. The mound is lowered and covered with some turf patch when the United play. I haven't heard anything else about the rest of the dirt infield. I don't know any other soccer games that were played on baseball fields. Colorado Rapids maybe, before Invesco was built?

Rapids played at old Mile High even when Invesco was being built.

[slapshot]

I just wasn't sure if the Rockies had moved to Coors Field before the Rapids started playing. There might have been one or two seasons of overlap, so the baseball diamond would have still been laid out at Mile High.

I don't know many other baseball/soccer combo fields. I think Rochester had a soccer team that played at Frontier Field, but I think the soccer orientation was across the outfield (from what I remember from a game on TV).

[WSU151]

I just wasn't sure if the Rockies had moved to Coors Field before the Rapids started playing. There might have been one or two seasons of overlap, so the baseball diamond would have still been laid out at Mile High.

It was a good guess at least. Rockies moved into Coors Field in 1995. Rapids started playing in 1996.

[Dilbert]

Oh soo close. Heres a keychain just for tryin.

[jWilson4mvp]

..but in the end we know that RFK is a really crappy place

[Puckguy14]

I'm assuming Redskins owner Daniel Snyder wants a high lease paid for the DC United to play or is it that FedEx Field can't fit a soccer field in there.

[DEAD!]

I'm assuming Redskins owner Daniel Snyder wants a high lease paid for the DC United to play or is it that FedEx Field can't fit a soccer field in there.

It must be the rent. You can definately put a soccer field in FexEx. It's like the MetroStars playing in Giants Stadium or KC playing at Arrowhead.

One more thing, I know the Rochester Rhinos of the USL first division play in baseball stadium,

but they will play in a soccer friendly stadium soon.

http://www.rhinossoccer.com/stadium/

[MadmanLA]

If you take a look at this diagram at Clem's baseball site, it shows that the 3rd base side stands are moved to the left and left-center field part of the stadium, pretty similar to the seating configuration the Redskins had when they played at RFK.

Clem's Baseball: RFK Stadium

It's a pretty cool site, and I visit it pretty frequently, and he does update each stadium page from time to time. The "dymanic diagram" feature on many those stadium pages (the ones that were/are mutilpurpose), you could see the change from a baseball to a football/soccer configuration.

[cyandlux]

For one thing the city of DC owns the stadium, hence all the delays in getting the Expos in there, but i haven't seen a Uniteds home game on TV this year, so I couldnt tell ya.

[OMMF]

I'm assuming Redskins owner Daniel Snyder wants a high lease paid for the DC United to play or is it that FedEx Field can't fit a soccer field in there.

It must be the rent. You can definately put a soccer field in FexEx. It's like the MetroStars playing in Giants Stadium or KC playing at Arrowhead.

One more thing, I know the Rochester Rhinos of the USL first division play in baseball stadium,

but they will play in a soccer friendly stadium soon.

http://www.rhinossoccer.com/stadium/

Don't forget the Portland Timbers (1st div USL)

[Breakwood]

The problem is that Rochester's frontier field still has dirt when they play soccer there

[cyandlux]

But they're builing a soccer only in Rochester, I think it opens next season....in time for

MLS? Plus MLS gets away with so many things FIFA would never allow just 'cause they want

soccer in the US to work.

[LMU]

The only reason that DC United isn't moving to FedEx is because they claim to capitalize on playing in DC, and don't want to lose a chunk of their fanbase by playing in the suburbs.

[TBGKon]

from what I hear, Timbers soccer in PGE Park is a great setup

[Bernd]

The dirt infield at RFK is covered over with turf when converted to soccer.