PGE Park Ranks 1st in SB Nation's Stadium Rank

by Geoff Gibson on Feb 7, 2011 8:24 AM PST

SB Nation's soccer editor/columnist Jeremah Oshan decided to, over the weekend, create an objective list concerning MLS stadiums based on a unique scale he created for just such an article. It's nothing scientific, just a fun piece about which stadiums are best given their location, soccer-friendliness, attendance, and price. It's quite a good read if you're interested in the various stadiums from around the league and, overall, I agree with Jeremiah's list, especially since he placed PGE Park in the top spot.

It makes sense, in my opinion, that PGE would be so highly ranked. I mean, for those of you who are Portland born and raised, you might not realize just how amazing we have it here. Yes, our field isn't going to be grass, the singular drawback in my opinion, but everything else is far and away pretty amazing:

Down-downtown location. Many stadiums like to use "downtown location" as a selling point, but PGE is literally as downtown as you can get without being in the financial district.
Convenient MAX stop located, literally, about 50 feet from the park. It's not a "10 minute walk" as some stadiums tout, it's a 15 second walk, pending crosswalk/intersection traffic.
This is our stadium. Sure, we'll be sharing with the Vikings football team and some high school teams around the area, but when you visit PGE you know whose stadium that is. Timbers territory.
Old school charm. PGE, upon completion, will be the oldest soccer specific stadium in the U.S. For all intents and purposes we are the "Wrigley Field" of soccer.

Of course, we won't know how truly great it is until our first home game, but still, I think the remodel speaks for itself: PGE is going to be one great place for footy.

Anyway, check out the full list to see how everybody played out. The worst stadium shouldn't be of surprise to anybody.

[MLS Stadium Outlook]

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Comments

That's a pretty sweet honor

Considering the fact that it’s still under construction.

If this is based off of the old state of PGE, I’m surprised. It definitely felt like a baseball park with soccer stripes on it.

I assume it won’t feel like that starting this year, but we don’t know yet.

"I have something 95 percent of all those All-Stars only wish they had: a World Series ring. If I had to choose between that and being an All-Star, it would be no contest. I’d grab the gold ring and never look back." -Tim Salmon

by BruinHalo on Feb 7, 2011 8:50 AM PST reply actions

Not baseball...

It’s based off our new projects as a soccer specific stadium.

RCTID - Stumptown Footy
Moderator of /r/MLS

by Geoff Gibson on Feb 7, 2011 8:54 AM PST up reply actions

What it's based on

Without getting too much into it — I’ll ask you read the article for the full context — but I basically tried to make realistic projections for teams either building new stadiums or retrofitting current ones.

Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, North American soccer editor SB Nation and of course follow me on Twitter

by Jeremiah Oshan on Feb 7, 2011 9:32 AM PST up reply actions

I love it

I think your projections are realistic and are great metrics to base your your rankings on.

by Ryan Gates on Feb 7, 2011 9:53 AM PST up reply actions

Yea, nice articles

I mentioned in the comments section of the article: my favorite part of reading them wasn’t the actual rankings, but to see how many teams are actually in a pretty solid situation with their stadiums. Contrast that with when the league started – wow.

by pecorasc on Feb 7, 2011 10:20 AM PST up reply actions

At least you were kind enough to not suggest that United's stadium would be better if it was in Baltimore

That would have taken me in to dark new depths of Sounders hatred.

(It might be a shithole, but RFK is our shithole!)

by Brendanukkah on Feb 7, 2011 11:32 AM PST up reply actions

I think calling it the "Wrigley Field of soccer stadiums" is pretty unfair.

There’s not nearly the history of the sport in Portland, or in that stadium. Plus, I don’t think it’s as much of a craphole.

But there is one thing that’s similar: Both stadiums have had football shoehorned into them around their primary tenant.

Wherever you are, here you go.

by thehemogoblin on Feb 7, 2011 9:53 AM PST reply actions

It has a long history of sports for sure with soccer mixed in

First Soccer Game at PGE Park October 21, 1893

Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.

by Kejsare on Feb 7, 2011 12:27 PM PST up reply actions

Cool story.

It seems the Astorians, despite losing five-nil, still had a great time supporting their team. I bet there was beer.

by The Stoic on Feb 7, 2011 6:26 PM PST up reply actions

Watching the construction

on the webcam has been fun. The amount of energy that will be going through the new place is going to be amazing. Adding another 5 thousand people is going to make Portland one of the loudest places to play.

Real grass would be sweet, but with the American Football also using the field, (Go Vikes!) it just makes more sense to use Field turf.

I’ve been to Wrigley, it is indeed a craphole. Great setting, but really worn out and decaying, or maybe it’s the stench of the Cubs….

by HikinGDub on Feb 7, 2011 10:01 AM PST reply actions

All this from a Sounders blogger, too!

Nice to see some objectivity coming from a Sounders blogger. I know that probably got some nasty feedback from the ECS folks.

by tallperson on Feb 7, 2011 10:05 AM PST reply actions

Any rumors on when the name comes down?

I’m actually a little surprised we’re a month into 2011 and there’s still a PGE sign up there. I’d have thought someone would have wanted to be the new sponsor by now.

by Disclaimer on Feb 7, 2011 10:09 AM PST reply actions

I bet the PGE Park naming contract isn't expired yet. And I'm wiling to bet it will be a very quick switch to the new name.

by pecorasc on Feb 7, 2011 10:15 AM PST up reply actions

No need to switch the signage when the change will cost $$.

Best to leave the name up just to make it easy.

Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.

by Kejsare on Feb 7, 2011 12:29 PM PST up reply actions

It does seem like that,

but everyone kept talking like the old contract expired on December 31st. I guess maybe that wasn’t true.

by Disclaimer on Feb 7, 2011 10:38 AM PST reply actions

Oh, I didn’t hear that. Maybe it rolled over for a certain number of months until a new partner was found. Any guesses who it will be?

by pecorasc on Feb 7, 2011 11:08 AM PST up reply actions

It expired on Oct 1, right after baseball season ended

and rumor has it Widmer will be the new naming sponsor but nothing official has been announced yet.

by pdb on Feb 7, 2011 11:27 AM PST up reply actions

Let's be honest

It’s still not a soccer stadium. It also hasn’t hosted one MLS game yet. Doesn’t sound like an objective ranking to me.

But the location is second to none, and the atmosphere is passionate and intense to be certain.

by thrilliam on Feb 8, 2011 7:12 PM PST reply actions

Did you catch this link?

First Soccer Game at PGE Park October 21, 1893
Yes, not a complete exclusive soccer stadium. Look, it was built for dog racing! But in the history of the site it has held Elvis, Pele, ski jumping, band concerts, Rose Festival events, baseball [many HoFs have been there], football, soccer, badminton, tennis, religious revivals, KKK rally, Mormon gatherings, Presidential visits, etc.

If you still think it’s not a soccer stadium, you’re right. It’s a civic stadium that has hosted just about anything. Except that now, it will be soccer stadium.

I have my own personal complaints about the study, but I can’t let the “not a soccer stadium” slide.

Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.

by Kejsare on Feb 8, 2011 8:00 PM PST up reply actions