Photo by Paul Frederiksen.
Last week, the big soccer question around town was whether Byrd Stadium in College Park would make a suitable temporary home for D.C. United in the event that they felt the need to extricate themselves from their current financial dilemma at RFK Stadium. Suffice it to say, the conversation has picked up a lot more steam in the last few days.
Yesterday, Steven Goff reported that Major League Soccer helped distribute a survey in the Baltimore area which queried about interest regarding a current club relocating there (namely, United) or the league expanding to the city (far less likely).
“We are busy looking ahead to the future of our league,” MLS chief marketing officer Russ Findlay wrote in the e-mail. “As a part of this planning, we are conducting research in Baltimore to help determine the viability of the market as a potential future home of an MLS club.”
Fans are asked, among other things, how likely they would be to attend matches if a current or new team moved into a soccer-specific stadium in the Westport area of Baltimore. The state of Maryland, city of Baltimore and Maryland Stadium Authority have approached United about moving into proposed venue in Westport, which is near Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium. The plan is still in the very early stages.
However, “we’ve been saying this could happen,” United President Kevin Payne told the Insider. “This isn’t a game. This is serious. This isn’t a bluff. Part of it is trying to understand what that means for our business.
The majority of United fans are considering the survey as the first legitimate shot across their bow — prior to yesterday, the city and county of Baltimore had expressed interest in bringing United up Interstate 95 and had conducted some stadium studies, but the survey represents the first real occurrence of the league performing such “due diligence” regarding the team’s possible relocation.
In response to such overtures, a group of United fans have banded together to form Keep D.C. United, a group that is hosting a petition (text below), which has gained 1,057 signatures to date.
Greetings,
I just signed the following petition addressed to: District of Columbia Mayor and Council.
—————-
Keep D.C. United in D.C.Uniting the District behind the Mayor’s “One City” vision means accentuating and supporting the things that unite us.
For over 16 years, D.C. United has helped unite the District with its play on the field and service in the community. Development of a soccer stadium at Buzzard Point helps keep D.C. United.
A soccer stadium at Buzzard Point means:
* Jobs and economic growth through construction, retail, and services for a part of town that has too often been forgotten.
* More than just soccer. A stadium would not only host D.C. United and international soccer matches, it could also host high school and college sporting events and community/cultural festivals.
* Economic development done right. Developers would seek community involvement through out process and D.C. United has an unwavering commitment to the community through its many outreach programs such as United Builds, United Read, United Drives and United Soccer Club.
—————-Sincerely,
[Your name]
Of course, the problem remains the same as it always has been: in the absence of new ownership willing to build in the District, the team needs financial help — likely from the city — to built a new stadium, and that isn’t looking likely anytime soon.
