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Besides the obvious issue of finding space for the stadium and parking and relocating the existing businesses and homes that you would be displacing, the Boston public transit system isn't designed to accommodate the nearly 70,000 fans that would trek in town to see a game. Boston has 3 major sports play within the city limits, having 1 play outside the city is just fine with me.
I also agree that moving the stadium to Providence would have been a great boost to the city. On the what's done is done front, I like what they have done with Patriot Place in terms of restaurants and shopping so that the space isn't sitting entirely empty 300 days a year.
Something i think would be cool is if the New England Patriots and Revolution (MLS) Build a stadium in Boston. Its just strange seeing a professional American Football team playing way out in Foxbrough. I mean i think it would be cool seeing a football stadium in Boston like somewhere around the Boston Children's Museum. I think Boston deserves the Patriots in the city.
Also the Revolution: In my honest opinion Boston is a big soccer city and i can see the Revolution being really successful in Boston and maybe be like the Seattle Sounders of the East Coast.
Tell me what you think about how it would be like if the Patriots and Revolution played in Boston?
At one time, the Patriots were actually named the "Boston Patriots", from 1960-70, and they had an emblem of an American Revolutionary War soldier hiking a football on their helmets. The problem: they never had a permanent home for very long; they used Nickerson Field, Fenway Park, and even Harvard Stadium for the their home games, thus the need for permanence.
That is a legit argument of the stadium being empty for 300+ days but they could have the New England Revolution Play at the same stadium and that would make the stadium more useable plus a 70,000 seat stadium in Boston would be a great venue for concerts.
That's fair, but to be honest, I don't like the Revs in a 70k+ stadium. MLS isn't/ will never be as popular as NFL football. They deserve their own 15-20k person stadium and there are plans to build one in Somerville. It would be much better for the MLS team to play in a small, packed house than a massive stadium thats less than 1/3 full.
Concerts at major stadiums are great, but in New England, there are only 3.5 months where an outdoor concert is feasible (and there's no WAY the Patriots play indoors, so a roof is out). In addition, there are a number of great places for outdoor concerts already (Fenway, Comcast Center, the current Gillette, etc). What's more is that a concert in an NFL stadium draws far more people in from a regional area. The outdoor concerts at Gillette do REALLY well and are easier to get to.
Finally, part of the fun of an NFL game is tailgating. You can't do that in Boston as parking would need to be garaged, and it's just not the same.
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Also the stadium would bring people to the area that i mentioned. The city could build shops and stuff around the stadium and people seeing the game will walk around before and after the game and spend there money.
I understand this argument, but you're talking about 10 or so games per year (and the occasional concert/revs game assuming they play there). Boston has two areas that are already heavily influenced by sporting events (Lansdowne St. near Fenway, and Canal near the Garden). Business have a hard time there, but do OK due to volume for games. Both of those areas are more centrally located and have more game traffic than a football stadium would.
That neighborhood that you suggested is building up very fast now. It doesn't need a stadium, and I think it's probably better without one.
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I also think it would be awesome just having a NFL team IN Boston. they could be renamed the Boston Patriots. That right there would Heat up the Boston - New York rivalry
I don't know about that. Whether it says Boston or New England in front of the team doesn't matter. All Boston area teams are supported by New England regardless of the name. The Jets-Pats rivalry is pretty hot right now anyway. Furthermore, the Jets don't even play in New York.
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Originally Posted by snatale1
Lived is Boston my whole life (minus the last 2 years), there is NO good spot anywhere in the city, or Metro area for something like Gillette. Which is why it's where it is.
I'm fairly certain that the proposed location a few years back was at Fan Pier in the Seaport Area. It would have worked, but I still rather it be where it is in Foxboro (which is still technically metro Boston).
That's fair, but to be honest, I don't like the Revs in a 70k+ stadium. MLS isn't/ will never be as popular as NFL football. They deserve their own 15-20k person stadium and there are plans to build one in Somerville. It would be much better for the MLS team to play in a small, packed house than a massive stadium thats less than 1/3 full.
Concerts at major stadiums are great, but in New England, there are only 3.5 months where an outdoor concert is feasible (and there's no WAY the Patriots play indoors, so a roof is out). In addition, there are a number of great places for outdoor concerts already (Fenway, Comcast Center, the current Gillette, etc). What's more is that a concert in an NFL stadium draws far more people in from a regional area. The outdoor concerts at Gillette do REALLY well and are easier to get to.
Finally, part of the fun of an NFL game is tailgating. You can't do that in Boston as parking would need to be garaged, and it's just not the same.
I understand this argument, but you're talking about 10 or so games per year (and the occasional concert/revs game assuming they play there). Boston has two areas that are already heavily influenced by sporting events (Lansdowne St. near Fenway, and Canal near the Garden). Business have a hard time there, but do OK due to volume for games. Both of those areas are more centrally located and have more game traffic than a football stadium would.
That neighborhood that you suggested is building up very fast now. It doesn't need a stadium, and I think it's probably better without one.
I don't know about that. Whether it says Boston or New England in front of the team doesn't matter. All Boston area teams are supported by New England regardless of the name. The Jets-Pats rivalry is pretty hot right now anyway. Furthermore, the Jets don't even play in New York.
I'm fairly certain that the proposed location a few years back was at Fan Pier in the Seaport Area. It would have worked, but I still rather it be where it is in Foxboro (which is still technically metro Boston).
WOW lrfox just said EVERYTHING i wanted to say. juuuuust kidding, well done.
-Revs should play in seperate smaller stadium (prob at Assembly sq*)
-Football is set-up for the burbs due to huge size of stadiums/lots and desire for tailgating.
-Jets/Pats does not need the word Boston in it to be a rivalry. it is.
*better than the Seaport because it will be right near the new green line extension and Kraft has already looked into it. Plus, its surrounded by two growing soccer-loving demographics: Yuppies and Latinos.
There is an assumption here that Boston residents make up the bulk on ticket buyers. Not true.
The majority of season ticket holders come from southeastern Massachusetts. Rhode Island, Central Mass and the Blackstone Valley also make up a large portion of ticket buyer. If you come from out west, major metropolitan areas are surrounded by sparesly populated suburban and rural expanses, and they may assume the same about Massachuesetts. Actually, some of the more parochial Bostonians think the same about the rest of Massachusetts. Foxboro may be small, but its closer to Providence and other densely populated cities and towns. In some sense, the Patriots truly are a New England team.
I'm fairly certain that the proposed location a few years back was at Fan Pier in the Seaport Area. It would have worked, but I still rather it be where it is in Foxboro (which is still technically metro Boston).
Psychically "fitting" is very different than "working". 1 already destroyed highway in or out, what about the cars? Forget about tailgating, I don't even know if I'd call Foxboro the Greater Boston area, let alone Metro Area. The whole "25mi radius" rule of thumb for a Metro Area doesn't really apply. Most Capitol cities aren't stuffed into a corner with 1 highway in or out. Picture it, you leave Boston, CRAWL up 93, hit 128 sit at the split for a while, finally hit 95S and deal with the rest heading up to Foxboro. I'd hardly call that travel within the Metro Area.
Psychically "fitting" is very different than "working". 1 already destroyed highway in or out, what about the cars? Forget about tailgating, I don't even know if I'd call Foxboro the Greater Boston area, let alone Metro Area. The whole "25mi radius" rule of thumb for a Metro Area doesn't really apply. Most Capitol cities aren't stuffed into a corner with 1 highway in or out. Picture it, you leave Boston, CRAWL up 93, hit 128 sit at the split for a while, finally hit 95S and deal with the rest heading up to Foxboro. I'd hardly call that travel within the Metro Area.
I don't disagree with you at all. I think it would be a nightmare in the city at the proposed location.
I do understand your opinion on the whole metro area thing and certainly would not call Foxboro part of the urbanized Boston area (which I consider to be mostly contained within 128). However, according to the Census Bureau, it IS part of Metropolitan Boston. That doesn't negate the fact that what you said about traveling from Boston to Foxboro is absolutely true. Not fun.
There is an assumption here that Boston residents make up the bulk on ticket buyers. Not true.
The majority of season ticket holders come from southeastern Massachusetts. Rhode Island, Central Mass and the Blackstone Valley also make up a large portion of ticket buyer. If you come from out west, major metropolitan areas are surrounded by sparesly populated suburban and rural expanses, and they may assume the same about Massachuesetts. Actually, some of the more parochial Bostonians think the same about the rest of Massachusetts. Foxboro may be small, but its closer to Providence and other densely populated cities and towns. In some sense, the Patriots truly are a New England team.
This is pretty true. Heck patriots tickets in generally are pretty high up there for price. I know one man that went to one of the superbowls..he never said how much he paid but said it was a 2nd honeymoon so I'm assuming it was quite a bit.
There's wayyy too much invested in Gillette stadium to have the pats move. Kraft owns the stadium, owns the pats and the revs. Unless someone buys out the team or stadium from him it won't change. It was also pretty close to the old Foxboro stadium. To make another area would be a bit much.
Communities near sporting events have to put up with the traffic and that can be highly debated.
Now I will admit it would be cool to have another baseball team and have a subway series but that won't ever happen.
The one thing I didn't notice anyone spell out is that the OP's suggestion was actually proposed and attempted in the 1990s. The whole episode was a true epic Boston urban controversy with proposals demands threats to move to Hartford or PVD or even Ohio. People is Southie adamantly opposed the notion get go for exactly the reasons PPs spelled out. As I recall Roxbury was more receptive, but if I recall right, the Pats didn't like that idea so much.
As I recall ultimately Bob Kraft stepped in, bought the team, and built the stadium in Foxboro just as most New Englanders agreed was actually the best idea. Kraft was eventually deemed a local hero for doing the right thing and keeping the Pats in New England.
You can read a little about that real life Boston drama here:
Now I will admit it would be cool to have another baseball team and have a subway series but that won't ever happen.
Yeah, that would be awesome. But nobody would root for the "other" team.
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juuuuust kidding, well done.
