Could the USARL use MLS Stadiums in future?

[Goddo]

Just a thought, with the MLS moving to 20-30k soccer stadiums and the short season length for the USARL, is there scope for using MLS Stadiums in future should attendences rise?

Also, maybe it would be good to use a venue like Red Bull Arena for the Atlantic Cup?

Maybe a Red Bull RLFC? Just spitballing...

 

[PacificCoastRL]

I'm sure the owners of those stadiums would welcome the extra revenue that rugby league could bring, once, as you say, rugby league attendances rise. Without knowing the size of the fields I would venture to say that some of the fields would not be large enough. I would think the soccer specific stadiums would be large enough, but I believe some of the MLS teams play in American Football stadiums which have smaller field dimensions. Finally, and this is something that may or may not happen already, would rugby league teams be comfortable playing on synthetic turf?

 

[whall15]

Most MLS stadiums are owned by the club, are soccer-specific and welcome tenants.

 

[VictoryFC]

Yeah, would be ideal for League games. They are high quality stadiums as well, particularly the ones built over the last 3-4 years. Btw whall15, the MLS clubs may be primary tenants, but a lot of them don't actually own the stadiums (councils do). A few do, many don't.

 

[Goddo]

If the US were to host a 4N or World Cup in say 20 years MLS stadiums would be great venues... would be a good way to reinforce the game there once its a bit more established.

Also, how would US timezones go for such a tournament, concidering the main markets is AEST (Sydney) and BST (Greenwich)?

 

[VictoryFC]

Well, prime time in the US is anywhere between 10am-2pm in Aus. As for the UK, I think they are 3-4 hours ahead. So for them a 8pm game would be at like 12am. Could be wrong but cbf double checking.

 

[deluded pom?]

New York is five hours behind London so an afternoon match, 3pm, would be evening, 8pm, here.

 

[Rhode Island Rebellion]

I'm sure the owners of those stadiums would welcome the extra revenue that rugby league could bring, once, as you say, rugby league attendances rise. Without knowing the size of the fields I would venture to say that some of the fields would not be large enough. I would think the soccer specific stadiums would be large enough, but I believe some of the MLS teams play in American Football stadiums which have smaller field dimensions. Finally, and this is something that may or may not happen already, would rugby league teams be comfortable playing on synthetic turf?

Up hear in the North East and New England we play on Turf... its actually quite nice these days.
Our winters get so cold and our summer so hot.

For Example: The New England Patriots would play on regular grass, however by the end of the NFL season it would get so bad it was too unfair and advantage to the Patriots that the NFL stepped in and required them to put down Turf.

The Rebellion Play on NFL turf @ Classical High School. It was donated to the School from the NFL.

 

[deluded pom?]

By turf I assume you mean an artificial surface RIR?

 

[Number 16]

I guess it's a 3G surface. My club, South London Storm, has one, and it's a dream play on. The only real difference to grass is that the ball, when kicked, really zips along - there's less resistance than on grass.

Also, games tend to be a bit quicker - which is not something this 49 year old really appreciates. Give me six inches of mud anyday!!

 

[PacificCoastRL]

I am assuming that great advances have been made in artifical surfaces over the years. Some of the things that I remember about the old turf were that they were very hard (soccer balls bouncing like super balls) and players getting rug burns and turf toe. Have those problems gone the way of the dodo bird?

 

[The Green Mushroom]

I am assuming that great advances have been made in artifical surfaces over the years. Some of the things that I remember about the old turf were that they were very hard (soccer balls bouncing like super balls) and players getting rug burns and turf toe. Have those problems gone the way of the dodo bird?

Yeah, pretty much. Old "astroturf" fields were, more or less, carpets that were painted green. For lack of a better analogy, most the of the newer artificial fields use their synthetics to make fake dirt and grass.

 

[Number 16]

I am assuming that great advances have been made in artifical surfaces over the years. Some of the things that I remember about the old turf were that they were very hard (soccer balls bouncing like super balls) and players getting rug burns and turf toe. Have those problems gone the way of the dodo bird?

There's much more give on the surface than on Astroturf, but the ball does act differently to on grass.

You don't get 'grass' burns.

This season was our first on the pitch. It was funded by the local Education Authority and the RL Foundation. Most our opponents approached it with trepidation, but once they'd played on it they all agreed it's a fantastic surface for RL.

It's also great to train on - no pre-season slog in the mud.

 

[Cheby]

The turf that RIR refers to is like plastic grass over a bed of little rubber pellets. I think they are actually ground up tires. I can confirm that the Rebellion's field is very nice. The Warriors play on a similar surface.

You can still get burns from sliding on bare skin and the little rubber pellets end up everywhere, but overall it is better than all but the best grass surfaces.

 

[Rhode Island Rebellion]

Thats Why I Rock out in Skins ICE --- (Maybe i can get sponsored by them)

 

[druzik]

While in POland a couple weeks ago doing a trining session with the Lods Magpies, we played on the 3G stuff, it was pretty good over all. None of the players seemed to mind sliding on it and from waht I saw there wern't any 'carpet burn' or anything like that.

The surface seemed to have actual 'blades' of grass with the pellets, as was mentioned probably ground up tires. It also means that games could be still played in the winter months where the snow is melted or has not fallen yet or cleared off.

I remember in 2007 being in Neurenberg when the Gertman RL had a SoO there and the surface was frozen solid, after a about 10 minutes they deemed it to be too dangerous to play on and it end ep being more a game of 'Grab' Rugby league just so people didn't break arms or legs!

 

[druzik]

Here in Champaign, the University football team plays on the 3G surface as well. Here are some images just to give some perspective I guess.

Note: University Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - City of 100,000 people, stadium holds 75,000 ... it is nut how much college football is supported here!

 

[juro]

How long do those artificial turfs last? What is the cost of maintaining them? Just wondering how it compares to natural turfs and whether Australia would ever move to using it...

 

[druzik]

How long do those artificial turfs last? What is the cost of maintaining them? Just wondering how it compares to natural turfs and whether Australia would ever move to using it...

I dont think Aus would ever switch to them since the weather is basically good there and so the grounds are pretty much always in good condition (except for the occasional flood)

As for how long they last.... dunno on that.

 

[billy2]

The new turf laid last year at Ausgrid stadium in Newcastle for the cost of 1.2 million is basically a mixture of real and artificial grass.
I've never seen it up close, but i get the feeling it's basically a thick matt that has spaces for real grass to grow through, but if most of the real grass were to die, it would still look green and be playable.