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If you are a Major Alliance Soccer fan, you charge be appreciative of the change the alliance has accomplished these aftermost several years.
From amplification to soccer-hungry cities in Canada and the Pacific Northwest, to the architecture of added soccer-specific stadiums, all this advance has helped MLS become a added adorable alliance both domestically and internationally.
Of course, no alliance would anytime abound if not for the amorous admirers who appear these matches anniversary in and anniversary out.
Therefore, I've created account to rank all 18 MLS stadiums based on the atmosphere that is created by fans. It is all about elements that accomplish these stadiums an alarming abode to comedy for opponents, and body the accurate analogue of home-field advantage.
I'm assertive there will be abounding disagreements on the adjustment of this list. So don't aloof back-bite the account if you disagree, but use it as an befalling to prove to MLS why your aggregation stadium's atmosphere should be advised one of the best in the league.
Enjoy...
*I am abbreviating the Houston Dynamo from this list, as its new stadium, BBVA Compass Stadium, is set to accessible May 12, 2012.
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Chivas USA has been disturbing to butt ahold of the Los Angeles bazaar aback its birth in 2005.
Not accepting a amphitheater to alarm their own doesn't advice the cause—the club shares the Home Depot Centermost with the LA Galaxy.
For the aftermost two seasons, Chivas hasn't been able to breach the 15,000 regular-season appearance per-game average.
Before the 2012 campaign, the club absitively to abutting the Upper East Deck and Arctic Stand to absolute the accommodation to aloof over 18,000 in hopes to access appeal and admission sales.
The HDC has been far from a breastwork for the Rojiblancos, as they haven't won a bout at home in 2012.
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Actually, I would put FC Dallas in a tie with Chivas USA, but FC Dallas gets the academy nod because they haven't absitively to abutting off allotment of their stadium.
Formerly accepted as Pizza Hut Park, FC Dallas Amphitheater was opened in 2005 with the abstraction to advice FC Dallas abduction the affection of the city's fan base.
But the area of the stadium—in Frisco, Texas—is about 40 account abroad from the centermost of Dallas, which didn't advice accompany the abutment that the club had hoped it would.
More generally than not, there are abounding seats visibly abandoned during television broadcasts, which brings to catechism whether the $80 actor amphitheater is confined its purpose for the club or MLS.
In 2012, FC Dallas has averaged aloof shy of 15,000 admirers per game. It adeptness be academy than antecedent years, but that is far from the accommodation army of 21,193.
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Gillette Amphitheater was opened in 2002, but was congenital to mostly serve the New England Patriots of the NFL, alike admitting the New England Revolution additionally alarm it home.
The club has done a acceptable job architecture a fan-base. The supporters' section, nicknamed "The Fort", is comprised of New England's three adherent groups: Midnight Riders, The Rebellion and the Rev Army.
Even with the ambiance from the berserk fans, the arduous admeasurement and architecture of Gillette Amphitheater gives it a mostly abandoned feel. The club banned the 68,700-seat amphitheater to 22,000 seats, but hasn't surpassed the 15,000 boilerplate in three years.
The slight advantage New England has in Gillette Amphitheater over opponents is the bogus accommodation the Revolution comedy on. It's one of the few MLS teams larboard to comedy on bogus turf.
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It's the one that started it all—the pioneer. Crew Amphitheater was the aboriginal soccer-specific amphitheater in the United States and the home of the Columbus Crew.
The architecture of Crew Amphitheater started the beachcomber of soccer-specific stadiums above the country, and in 2010 it was advised one of the top 10 best affecting stadiums in the world.
However the atmosphere has alone decidedly aback the prime of Crew Stadium. Alike admitting The Nordecke—the Crew's adherent accumulation amid in the arctic bend of the stadium—is consistently in abounding swing, the appearance for the amphitheater has been lacking.
The 2011 division saw the Crew boilerplate 12,000 admirers per bold in the 20,000-seat stadium. The 2012 attack is seeing a bit academy numbers at 14,800, but there are still abounding abandoned seats.
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San Jose is a able soccer town, the alone affair adverse it from acceptable one of the best is the team's stadium.
The San Jose Earthquakes comedy in Buck Shaw Stadium, a academy amphitheater amid in the campus of Santa Clara University, with a accommodation of 10,500.
San Jose may be bound to its attendance, but the claimed borders of Buck Shaw as able-bodied as its supporters' groups, like the 1906 Quakes, accept fabricated the amphitheater a appalling armpit for opponents.
The Earthquakes accept appear the architecture of a soccer-specific amphitheater which will be projected to be completed in 2013 and will authority about 20,000 abiding seats with the advantage of added allowance for distinct games.
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The Chicago Fire's admirers accept been accepted to be an acute agglomeration aback the team's aboriginal MLS division in 1998.
The best loyal and bouncy supporters accumulate abaft the arctic goal, a allocation of the amphitheater accepted as "Section 8". They tend to add an electric atmosphere to Toyota Esplanade via accommodating tifo; or a little blaze of their own.
Even admitting the Chicago Blaze boilerplate about 75 percent of accommodation in their 20,000-seat stadium, the admirers and absonant supporters tend to accomplish it a safe-haven for the Fire.
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The Colorado Rapids accept had a bouldered history with their supporters, but with Dick's Sporting Goods Esplanade aperture in 2007, it gave the alignment an befalling to embrace its best hardcore fans.
Colorado's amphitheater has a European-style terrace congenital accurately for the Bulldogs Supporters Accumulation and the Pid Army—the two arch Rapids supporters groups.
The admittance of these groups accept helped the amplify atmosphere at the 18,086-seat stadium, and has kept the appearance in the 14,000s.
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Red Bull Arena, home of the New York Red Bulls, opened in 2010, and was advised the acme jewel of Major Alliance Soccer, with a accommodation army of 25,000.
The atmosphere is led by four altered supporters groups, with the majority stationed at what is nicknamed the "South Ward".
Even admitting the amphitheater can be absorbing during important games—matches adjoin the LA Galaxy or adjacent rivals D.C.United and Philadelphia for example—for the best allotment the boilerplate appearance has been kept beneath 20,000 per game.
It fluctuates with the achievement of the team, which hasn't been accepted to be up to par with expectations. Although the 2012 division has apparent New York award success, so far Red Bull Arena has averaged 17,000 fans.
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The amplification Montreal Impact accept been arena their aboriginal MLS home amateur in Olympic Stadium, while Saputo Stadium—the team's accepted grounds—is actuality broadcast for added seating.
Nevertheless, in Olympic Amphitheater the Impact accept begin a makeshift sanctuary. The team's home opener saw 58,912 assemblage ample the stadium. The additional home game—a 2-1 achievement over Toronto FC—was abounding by over 23,000 fans.
It's bright the fan abject in Montreal doesn't charge time to develop; the "Ultras Montreal" accept been about aback 2002, and "127 Montreal" was developed in 2011.
However, it won't be until the Impact move aback to Saputo Amphitheater that the atmosphere will absolutely reflect the affection that exists in Montreal.
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D.C. United has played in RFK Amphitheater aback the birth of the alliance in 2006. Alike admitting the amphitheater has brought the aggregation a lot of success—including acceptable the 1997 MLS Cup on home soil—there is a love-hate accord amid the club and fans, and the stadium.
RFK is old, looks like it's falling apart, and is too big for what D.C. United needs. Given those setbacks, for abounding years RFK has been a actual alarming abode to play.
Supporters groups like La Barra Brava, Screaming Eagles, and La Norte accept been a annoyance to opposing teams.
Sitting mostly on the arctic ancillary of the amphitheater and in avant-garde of television cameras, you can see groups with their tifo, cheering, jumping, and actually causing RFK's stands to bounce. (skip to 1:45).
D.C. United has been activity aback and alternating with adjacent cities aggravating to body a new soccer-specific stadium. Until that gets approved, the aggregation and admirers will accept to abide authoritative RFK an afflictive abode for visitors.
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Built in 2008 to host Real Salt Lake, the 20,000-seat Rio Tinto Amphitheater bound became a breastwork for RSL, and one of the hardest places to comedy in MLS.
With the access of acceptance afterwards RSL captured the 2009 MLS Cup and the team's connected success thereafter, Rio Tino has consistently had a loud and boisterous atmosphere.
Salt Lake has eight adherent groups that advance the army into authoritative Rio Tinto a actual adverse atmosphere for visiting teams.
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BC Abode plays host to both the Vancouver Whitecaps and the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.
Although the amphitheater has the accommodation for aloof arctic of 54,000, the Whitecaps absolute its accommodation to 21,000 for its soccer matches. The 2012 attack is the aboriginal year that Vancouver plays in BC Place, as it's countdown division was played at Empire Field.
Nevertheless, the move has been added than accustomed as added than 21,000 assemblage accept been recorded on boilerplate this season.
The Whitecaps' admirers are accepted for their beheld abutment for the squad, which is led by the "Vancouver Southsiders"—the better supporters accumulation of the team.
Alongside are "La Doce", a accessory supporters accumulation comprised of Latin American and European immigrants who abutment the Whitecaps.
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Philadelphia Union's PPL Esplanade has the adeptness to be a adverse and admirable amphitheater at the aforementioned time.
With a appearance that is additional to none in MLS, assemblage can watch the Union while demography in the surrounding backdrop of the Delaware River and Commodore Barry Bridge.
However, aural the borders of the stadium, it's a little different. "The Sons of Ben", the Union's capital and better adherent group, accept been able to actualize an alarming ambiance for any visiting team.
With attendances aerial about the capacity-crowd of 18,500—occasionally before that—it's affirmed PPL Esplanade will be agitation and rolling for every game.
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Livestrong Sporting Esplanade is the best technologically avant-garde soccer-specific amphitheater in Major Alliance Soccer.
Opened in 2011, it coincided with the re-branding of Sporting Kansas City from its antecedent character as the Kansas City Wizards.
Even admitting it's not a almost ample stadium, Kansas City's move from Community America Ballpark and the re-branding of the aggregation has helped authorize a abundant atmosphere and faculty of accord at Livestrong Sporting Park.
With an appearance accommodation of 18,467, Sporting KC had an boilerplate appearance of 17,500 with several amateur before the best capacity—including the amphitheater opener which captivated 19,925.
Livestrong Sporting Esplanade is additionally home of the "The Cauldron", which is the appellation of the arctic ancillary of the esplanade area abundant supporters groups gather, and add to the acute and loud atmosphere the amphitheater is accepted for.
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The Home Depot Centermost was erected for the 2003 MLS division and is home to the Los Angeles Galaxy, and best afresh Chivas USA.
It was advised a alembic for the Galaxy during the 2011 season, back the aggregation went best at home en avenue to the 2011 MLS Cup—also played at the Home Depot Center.
The 27,000-seat amphitheater can battling the atmosphere of any MLS amphitheater back abounding to abreast accommodation or beyond.
With the advice of supporters groups like the "Angel City Brigade" and "Galaxians" on one end of the stadium, and the "LA Riot Squad" amid in the adverse side, cross-stadium chants are accepted during anniversary half.
The call-and-respond chants echo throughout the stadium, causing disruption to the action and appearance abutment to the home side.
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The atmosphere at BMO Acreage aloft the expectations of Major Alliance Soccer supporters above the nation back Toronto FC entered the alliance in 2007.
And adumbration of the abandonment that exists in Toronto is the memorable aerial bench beanbag anniversary back Toronto denticulate its aboriginal ambition in the league.
With a accepted accommodation of 21,140 and the adeptness of expansion, BMO Acreage has apparent abounding accommodation assorted times through Toronto's six seasons, admitting the aggregation under-performing for abounding years.
The admirers at BMO Acreage are led by adherent groups "North End Elite", "Red Patch Boys", "Tribal Rhythm Nation", and the "U-Sector". These groups and division admission holders accomplish up for about 16,000 admirers of the added than 20,000 that appear anniversary bold on average.
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The Seattle Sounders came into MLS in 2009 with abundant fanfare. Four seasons later, that alarum has not subsided. On contrary, the Sounders consistently accumulate ballyhoo boilerplate appearance annal in MLS.
Unlike several MLS clubs administration the amphitheater with a football team, the Sounders accept been able to affirmation CenturyLink Acreage as their own appropriately as abundant as the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL.
In its aboriginal season, Seattle capped off the amphitheater at 27,000 but bound added that bulk to 32,400. Division afterwards division the Sounders accept been accretion their all-embracing appearance capacity, eventually to 38,500 for the 2012 campaign.
CenturyLink Acreage additionally holds the better MLS abounding bold in history, at 64,140, for its 2011 final regular-season bout that angled as a adieu to goalkeeper Kasey Keller.
The "Emerald City Supporters" and the "Sounders FC Alliance" are some of the better supporters groups in MLS, and their associates comprise best of the 20,000-plus Seattle division admission holders.
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I'll be honest, it was absolutely boxy to chose amid JELD-WEN Acreage or CenturyLink Acreage as the best atmosphere in MLS.
However, there is no area in America that can accept the absolute amphitheater sing the U.S. National Anthem like the army at JELD-WEN Acreage can; accordingly the home of the Portland Timbers wins.
Sorry Seattle.
The amphitheater is not ample by allegory to added stadiums, but it is the oldest amphitheater in MLS, which is apparently why it's additionally the scariest looking. It went through a advance for Portland's countdown MLS season, which broadcast the stadium's accommodation to 22,000.
With aerial walls amid the admirers and the field, visiting players get a alveolate activity back arena at JELD-WEN, which additionally magnifies the crowd's attendance and akin of intimidation.