[nas] Leiweke on fan enthusiasm

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LEIWEKE  (of AEG) on the impact of a soccer specific stadium on the Los Angeles Galaxy:

 

 "Based on what we've seen at The Home Depot Center, what we can tell you is

 that we built an intimate stadium. We have 27,000 seats out there, we

 average 22,000 and we had 23,000 the other night. The energy that our

 players feel from that crowd and the emotion the crowd generates by being in

 a small, soccer-specific stadium right on the field gives it a very European

 feel to the game. I've always felt that what we have missed in this country,

 and it's no offense to Invesco because it's a great place to play soccer and

 it's one of the most beautiful facilities in all of sports in North America.

 But the reality is that when you put 20,000 people into a 60,000 seat

 stadium it's very hard to get the atmosphere and emotion. And soccer more

 than any other sport thrives off the emotion of the crowd. The crowd is more

 involved in this game than any sport we're involved with or that I've ever

 seen.

 

If you don't create the right environment in the right facility, then

 you can't create that enthusiasm for the fans and without that enthusiasm

 you're missing half the sport.”

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That last part is very cool to hear from the business side of things. I wish HSG would embrace that idea NOW for Dallas – another year in Southlake oblivion before the manna of Frisco in 2005…I dream of soccer played on just green grass…