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Buffalo Bills moving to Austin?


TexasMan

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What is the minimum width and length of a professional/international pitch?  I know there's no precisely prescribed dimensions, but surely you can't just build a stadium that's 20 meters x 40 meters and say, "This is our field of play!"  

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1 minute ago, Lobo said:

What is the minimum width and length of a professional/international pitch?  I know there's no precisely prescribed dimensions, but surely you can't just build a stadium that's 20 meters x 40 meters and say, "This is our field of play!"  

I’m sure the soccer nerds here will square me away, but my understanding is there is some leeway in pitch size, where with football, there is not. 

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Yes, I know there's leeway.  I've seen different sized pitches.  What I can't find easily on google is what is the bare minimum size for pro/int'l?  The box and the goal and the center circle is always the same, but the other dimensions can vary.  But surely there's some minimum and probably some maximum (though I doubt that's ever been the issue given construction costs).  

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Soccer seems pretty stable at this point but, in the event the team goes belly up or moves, having a stadium that can’t even be used for a high school football game seems shortsighted. TDECU in Houston was built for the Dynamo and also has Texas Southern and some high school football games. Seems a much better use of money. But I know nothing about the Austin team or building so if it was privately funded they are free to build whatever they want, whatever size they want. I just like planning for all contingencies. 

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7 minutes ago, Mitch Hedberg said:

Soccer seems pretty stable at this point but, in the event the team goes belly up or moves, having a stadium that can’t even be used for a high school football game seems shortsighted. TDECU in Houston was built for the Dynamo and also has Texas Southern and some high school football games. Seems a much better use of money. But I know nothing about the Austin team or building so if it was privately funded they are free to build whatever they want, whatever size they want. I just like planning for all contingencies. 

They paid for their own stadium and, rightly, gave no shits about any uses if they left. 

 

 

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they should absolutely build it to their standards.  But considering how real estate savvy Eddie and Precourt are...it seemed like an odd choice that if...and god forbid/big hypothetical/don't plan to be so pessimistic...Austin FC ever left here or the league folded or whatever...it was a curious choice to have the thing specifically designed so they couldn't sell it as anything but a professional soccer stadium.  Our franchise is fine, the league is fine, but a few changes here and there and it could be repurposed for American football, an outdoor concert venue, reconfigured (starting with seat removal and leveling) and turned into the new Austin Convention Center: Domain Edition, etc. Again, we don't have to worry about that in Austin, but several stadiums in other MLS markets would do well to heed what could happen if they need to fold/move and their stadium is actually owned by the ownership group.  

Again, we have the luxury of judging because our stadium and franchise are doing well.  Fuck it, let's try for the bowl game anyway.  You're telling me we can't lure away a bowl game from Mobile, Alabama?  Who gives a shit there's too many bowl games.  It's just free money and cool pre-bowl week activities for Austin.  If you're worried about a few thousand extra people in town between Christmas and New Year's, you're doing your intra-holiday drunk week all the wrong ways.  

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1 hour ago, Lobo said:

Yes, I know there's leeway.  I've seen different sized pitches.  What I can't find easily on google is what is the bare minimum size for pro/int'l?  The box and the goal and the center circle is always the same, but the other dimensions can vary.  But surely there's some minimum and probably some maximum (though I doubt that's ever been the issue given construction costs).  

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csb/ Last year's Euro Cup.  Was going to watch ESP v. SUI.  Invited my neighbor to come with (was just getting back out to sport watching events during Covid).  He's part Swiss, so thought it'd be fun.  He texts back and says something like "Soccer sucks, who gives a shit?  Besides, I'm busy."  So I wrote back, "Cool, what you got going on today?"  He texts back "Taking our middle kid to her soccer team's double-header in Round Rock."  Cool, cool.  

I can't get into professional football.  I'm cheering for Austin FC but it's hard even two seasons in to give a shit.  But I love international competition.  Day drinking, ethnic slurs, beautiful fans, passionate competition, it's got everything I love.  I'm glad we landed an MLS franchise, even if you don't like football...it's gonna be great for our economy

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16 minutes ago, Hate said:

Lol…nothing funnier than US soccer fans acting like they are better than people who couldn’t care less about soccer.

It always cracks me up to see Americans become die hard fans of European soccer teams and posting their chants and shits on social media.  It all feels so forced.

I don't mean to say that US soccer fans are faking it, especially towards the USMNT and MLS, but when it comes to Euro leagues, I just don't believe they can give that much of a shit at the end of the day, and it's a way to show how cultured they are.

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20 hours ago, GopherRock said:

The Bears bought Arlington Park Racetrack last fall, so it's only a matter of time before the Bears are playing in the 'burbs. 

Arrowhead, Lambeau, and Joe Robbie/Hard Rock have had extensive renovations in the last 10 years, so none of those are going anywhere anytime soon. Lambeau may as well be a new stadium. No idea on the future of the Superdome.

The next NFL stadium problem is Washington. FedEx Field is the perfect embodiment of Daniel Snyder's ownership (large chunks missing upstairs, full of untreated sewage, and rotting from the foundation).

Good point on Chicago. A little sad to see the oldest stadium go, but Soldier Field doesn't have the same level of love that Wrigley Field or Fenway Park do.

Now that the Washington team has a new mascot, the city of WDC might be interested in getting them some land.

 

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As a life long Vikings fan, I'm incredibly jealous of Green Bay, Chicago, Buffalo, KC, Cleveland - anyone with a real winter that plays outdoors.  I'd bundle up in my Carhartts and pack some flasks for a late December snow game every got damn year, as would most of the faithful.

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11 minutes ago, Pam Cummings said:

Outdoor stadiums are a nice novelty but i'd think they would wanna use the venue for more than just football.

This is why I find the NY/NJ stadium to be confounding. What's an extra couple hundred grand when paying $2 billion for a stadium? You would think they could be put to use regularly for large indoor events. Just strange to me that it's not domed. Buffalo I sort of get considering their fanbase's reputation and I doubt there is much need for indoor events of 70K+ in Buffalo.

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2 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

It always cracks me up to see Americans become die hard fans of European soccer teams and posting their chants and shits on social media.  It all feels so forced.

I don't mean to say that US soccer fans are faking it, especially towards the USMNT and MLS, but when it comes to Euro leagues, I just don't believe they can give that much of a shit at the end of the day, and it's a way to show how cultured they are.

I love soccer itself but I'm by no means an expert in it. I don't really care too much about MLS because I know it's an inferior product when compared to the world's other domestic leagues. I've always loved international competitions, most notably the World Cup (of course) and the Euros. My preferred domestic league is the EPL because it's the most competitive top-to-bottom as most others have one or two superpowers and 18 or 19 ankle-biters (like the Big 12 actually).

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I like watching our local minor league and semi-pro clubs. It's more about the atmosphere and drinking beer while enjoying a game. I appreciate soccer but am not a loyalist. As far as I can tell, the rabid EPL guys have a built-in excuse to start drinking at 8am at the local soccer themed bar to follow their team. I don't quite get it, but I sort of get it.

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2 minutes ago, C-Man said:

I love soccer itself but I'm by no means an expert in it. I don't really care too much about MLS because I know it's an inferior product when compared to the world's other domestic leagues. I've always loved international competitions, most notably the World Cup (of course) and the Euros. My preferred domestic league is the EPL because it's the most competitive top-to-bottom as most others have one or two superpowers and 18 or 19 ankle-biters (like the Big 12 actually).

Careful in talking about the ankle-biters in the B12, particularly over the last decade

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1 minute ago, C-Man said:

I love soccer itself but I'm by no means an expert in it. I don't really care too much about MLS because I know it's an inferior product when compared to the world's other domestic leagues. I've always loved international competitions, most notably the World Cup (of course) and the Euros. My preferred domestic league is the EPL because it's the most competitive top-to-bottom as most others have one or two superpowers and 18 or 19 ankle-biters (like the Big 12 actually).

But do you feel a love for any one squad or do you just enjoy watching the high level of competition?

The World Cup makes sense to me as a sports fan.  An American die hard Chelsea or Man U fan doesn't (with some exceptions that definitely don't apply to the people I know who are fans of specific European squads).

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6 minutes ago, nnm said:

Careful in talking about the ankle-biters in the B12, particularly over the last decade

I mean figuratively, if not necessarily on-the-field. There's a reason why the SEC wants us and Oklahoma and nobody else. There's a reason why aggy does not want us anywhere near the SEC.

 

5 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

But do you feel a love for any one squad or do you just enjoy watching the high level of competition?

The World Cup makes sense to me as a sports fan.  An American die hard Chelsea or Man U fan doesn't (with some exceptions that definitely don't apply to the people I know who are fans of specific European squads).

Both now but it really started with having interest in international soccer. I was backpacking through Europe in the summer of 1996 during Euro '96 and it was awesome. I became a fan of England around that time, partly due to that tournament so it was only natural to watch England's top league. Most people new to non-MLS domestic leagues are advised to pick a side to root for using whatever criteria you choose and roll with it. It personalizes it better. I settled on Liverpool as the big club who hadn't won a big trophy in a bunch of years and Steven Gerrard was my favorite player for England's national team. It didn't hurt that it was owned by Tom Hicks at the time -- and then was bought by the Fenway Sports Group. (The Red Sox were my AL team for many, many years after Roger Clemens burst on the scene there in '84 and Fenway Park is a magical venue. I'm not near the Sox fan I was since winning that second title in 2007. I've also been in Dallas for 20+ years and have adopted the Rangers as my MLB team for better or -- mostly -- worse.)

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21 hours ago, nnm said:

The Ballpark was a mistake from the beginning. It was a Camden Yards clone, built in the nostalgia afterglow of the revitalization that followed from Baltimore’s new stadium. And it was (is) a beautiful retro-style ballpark. 
 

The problem is, IT’S IN TEXAS!!!  No new pro facility should be built without a roof and A/C in Texas. Especially for a freaking summer sport. It was a disaster from day 1. 
 

Minute Maid and Globe Life don’t have one tenth of the character of The Ballpark. And no one cares. At least one can go to a July game at those venues without stroking out. 

Globe Life Park was kitschy and boring. It had artificial character but didn't have the natural character of an urban neighborhood nor the character that comes from winning a lot of games. Globe Life Field is no better for those same reasons and honestly just seems cheaply designed with little attention to detail. Minute Maid Park is the clear best of that group because of where it's located, a design that used old Union Station really well, and a winning ball club 

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I’ll actually be sad to see Rich Stadium go away as that was the site of my first Grateful Dead concert. I was there in June of 1993 which was just 6 months after the Oilers fiasco there and the Cowboys killing the Bills in SB 27. It was a little strange being a Texan on that field, but it was a great show and I didn’t give football much thought once the band started.

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1 hour ago, Pam Cummings said:

Outdoor stadiums are a nice novelty but i'd think they would wanna use the venue for more than just football.

That's the best reason for taxpayer funded stadiums to be indoor facilities.  Almost regardless of climate, if you want to maximize public use, you need that protection from the elements.

But god damn it, football is meant to be played outside.

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1 hour ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

Yeah, you'd think as a fan I'd rather be indoors come November... and a shot at hosting a Super Bowl

those buffalo fans love those cold games.  they're crazy, i'm sure you've seen the shirtless ones in 20 degree weather. 

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24 minutes ago, Sal said:

Globe Life Park was kitschy and boring. It had artificial character but didn't have the natural character of an urban neighborhood nor the character that comes from winning a lot of games. Globe Life Field is no better for those same reasons and honestly just seems cheaply designed with little attention to detail. Minute Maid Park is the clear best of that group because of where it's located, a design that used old Union Station really well, and a winning ball club 

And the Barnpark at Arlington has those ugly Rangers uniforms.

Rough start, it took them a year to get rid of the Odor from their indoor stadium.

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That's the best reason for taxpayer funded stadiums to be indoor facilities.  Almost regardless of climate, if you want to maximize public use, you need that protection from the elements.
But god damn it, football is meant to be played outside.

I think the Vikings gave up on of the best home field advantages in the NFL when they moved indoors in the 80’s. They haven’t been back to a Super Bowl since they moved indoors.
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6 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

It always cracks me up to see Americans become die hard fans of European soccer teams and posting their chants and shits on social media.  It all feels so forced.

I don't mean to say that US soccer fans are faking it, especially towards the USMNT and MLS, but when it comes to Euro leagues, I just don't believe they can give that much of a shit at the end of the day, and it's a way to show how cultured they are.

You mean you weren't caught up in the soccer craze of the 1980s that assured us that soccer was the game of the future in America?!

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15 minutes ago, Tex Pete said:

You mean you weren't caught up in the soccer craze of the 1980s that assured us that soccer was the game of the future in America?!

Soccer was big in the U.S. in the 1920s, but with the creation of FIFA and their position of overlord of all things Soccer, a country compromised primarily of European immigrants or their children were not enthused about having a European based governing body, so soccer died out and the NFL slowly became a strong #2 behind baseball. 

Soccer is far and away the youth sport with the greatest participation and will continue its steady rise to the top in this country as the NBA and the NFL continue to try to spread their brand and sport (American Football) to other continents. 

No one is required to be a fan of any sport, but it’s comical to deny soccer’s continued ascent. 

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It's fun to watch at a high level, but yeah---lower level competition is excruciating to witness.  Still, I can sit through an Austin FC or Bundlesliga match easily, but can't make it through 10 minutes of an NFL or NBA game.  Maybe the 2026 World Cup will give the sport another 'false boost' in the United States.  

As long as Russia doesn't get to compete in 2022 Qatar.  But I'm guessing we'll have some Putin sympathizers who proclaim, "I don't care about soccer, but it's unfair to the Russian players to bar them from the World Cup.  Not their fault, let them play.  But I'm not gonna watch!"  If it were up to me, I'd let the Russian squad assemble at mid-field for their Group Stage opener and shoot every one of them in the back of the head as a message to their families.  But you got your damn floppers and yellow cards 'n shit. 

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3 hours ago, Reese Bennett said:

Fuck soccer and fuck si. I'll never forgive either for this cover, which should have been Dream. (And you know it would have been the Knicks on the cover if they had won.)

Usa Ernie Stewart, 1994 Fifa World Cup Sports Illustrated Cover Acrylic  Print by Sports Illustrated

The average woman thinks you hold grudges too long.

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Yeah, but think of all the jobs that new stadium will create for those kids in foster care.  

Is the being treated like shit by NFL owners part of it for the fans?  Like a schadenfreude kinda thing?  

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This is why I find the NY/NJ stadium to be confounding. What's an extra couple hundred grand when paying $2 billion for a stadium? You would think they could be put to use regularly for large indoor events. Just strange to me that it's not domed. Buffalo I sort of get considering their fanbase's reputation and I doubt there is much need for indoor events of 70K+ in Buffalo.

The league and the city should have made funding contingent on a dome. That kind of money for such limited use. ATT has something going on almost every day, mostly private. It’s constantly busy with business meetings and conventions. The fans will figure it out when they see what the tix start selling for. I want a roof, sushi big screen, warm restrooms, concierge concessions. Fancy seat.
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17 hours ago, Hate said:


I think the Vikings gave up on of the best home field advantages in the NFL when they moved indoors in the 80’s. They haven’t been back to a Super Bowl since they moved indoors.

I agree 100%.

I've had to stand outside for several hours in the cold of the northern plains on many occasions.  It's just a matter of wearing more clothes and not being a bitch.

If I could go back in time to any sporting event I wasn't alive for, some of those old Met Stadium games would be at the top of my list.

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