'Kraft family looks to build soccer stadium in Boston'

Boston Globe

In a recent Boston Globe article, Victor Matheson, professor of economics at the College of the Holy Cross and former Major League Soccer (MLS) referee, comments on the Kraft family’s proposal for a new soccer stadium located outside of Boston’s urban core.

The Kraft’s bid calls for a new, preferred size soccer stadium that would seat 18,000 to 22,000 fans. Currently, the New England Revolution shares a home with the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

As the article states, “The Revolution are among the few MLS teams not playing in a soccer-specific stadium. Many of the other stadiums are relatively small, intimate venues; the Revs, by comparison, are unable to fill a massive football stadium, despite logging their highest attendance this season in six years: 16,681 on average.”

The relocation of the Revolution has many advantages. In addition to selling more appealing premium seats, the urban location will be more adventitious for a younger crowd. According to Nielson Media Research, four in 10 MLS fans are 34 or younger, compared with 24 percent of Major League Baseball fans.

Matheson adds, “You’re targeting young professionals — the ones who grew up playing soccer and now want to watch, drink beer, and sing songs. Those are the passionate fans you want.”

The Krafts, owners of the New England Revolution and the New England Patriots, have made many attempts to build a stadium in Boston.

This "Holy Cross in the News" item by Cristal Steuer.