Football
ESPN staff 9y

Report: New England Revolution eye new stadium site in South Boston

The owners of the New England Revolution have their eye on a spot in South Boston to build a soccer-specific stadium, according to the Boston Globe.

The location preferred by Kraft Sports Group is owned by the city next to Interstate 93.

A new stadium has long been on the wish list for the Revolution, as they are one of few remaining Major League Soccer clubs still playing in NFL stadiums.

The Revolution have shared Gillette Stadium with the New England Patriots since its opening in 2002, and prior to that, the now-demolished Foxboro Stadium. The issue, of course, is that their current 68,000 capacity home isn't especially well-suited for a team that attracted 16,681 fans on average this season.

According to the Globe, Kraft would like to have a stadium in place within five years.

Earlier this year, Revolution co-owner/investor Jonathan Kraft noted the importance of building a soccer specific home for the club.

"The real issue isn't the on-pitch performance ... I think the real issue is, and it's no secret; we need a soccer-specific stadium," Kraft told Boston sports radio station 98.5 The Sports Hub in June. "The Revolution are 18 years old, and probably for the last 12 years we've been working on this."

Unlike previous reports that hinted at locales in suburban Revere and Somerville, Tuesday's report points to a parcel of land in Boston proper -- specifically on Frontage Road.

It's an interesting location given that it is not a part of the industrial area at discussion for the city's 2024 Olympic bid. At one point, there was some belief that a new stadium for the Revolution would be built in conjunction with a winning Olympic bid.

A spokesperson for mayor Martin J. Walsh said that any proposal for a soccer stadium on a city-owned site would be subject to a bidding process and reviews by public agencies.

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