News & Notes

We’re currently in the “dead zone” of the NPSL offseason – more than two months have passed since Chattanooga fell to the Red Bulls U-23’s in this year’s title game, and there are still several weeks to go before everyone’s favorite time of the year when expansion talk heats up.

There is, however, a bit of news that involves Detroit City FC, and it comes via the latest edition of the Hamtramck Review:

I’d never heard of Keyworth Stadium until I read this article, but with its emergence as a potential future home for DCFC, I naturally decided to do some research.

Background information from Detroitpix:

Keyworth was named after Dr. Maurice R. Keyworth, [Hamtramck] Superintendent of Schools in 1923. Work on the stadium began in May, 1935. FDR was there for the opening ceremony on October 15, 1936, because it was the first WPA project completed in the Detroit area.

The stadium is located on Roosevelt Street in Hamtramck and is currently used (I think) for local schools’ football and soccer games.

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Pros

Capacity is listed at 7000, double that of Cass. This would obviously provide room for attendance growth, and it’s of a “not TOO big” size where we could reasonably envision filling it one day in the not-too-distant future.

Field Size Going by Google Earth, the current soccer lines on the field measure 120 x 65 yards. This would be an improvement over Cass Tech’s narrow field (roughly 110 x 55), but would remain a bit short of the professional standard. For comparison: Anfield (110 x 74), Old Trafford (115 x 74), Camp Nou (116 x 77), Sporting Park (120 x 75).

Aesthetics There is no track around the field, which is a huge plus for the potential atmosphere. The stadium’s age, its concrete terraces, and its non-corporate name also give it a lot of character and a bit of old-timey mystique. Also, the “Dirty Old Town” factor is especially high – train tracks run along the south side of the stadium, and this is what sits across them:

I don’t know what they make, or more likely made there, but when I hear that gas works wall line, that’s about what I envision.

No TV Bar Self-explanatory.

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Cons

Location Here is where Keyworth sits relative to Cass Tech:

In my opinion, the location is far from ideal. Part of what makes DCFC special is its “heart of the city” vibe. Q.E.D.:

I should also point out that Keyworth is technically not in the city of Detroit. Playing in Hamtramck would not be nearly as bad as playing in Pontiac or Auburn Hills, but it would still be a minus in my book.

Cost & Ownership $1 million! for the field replacement alone. Add in probable upgrades to the locker rooms, bathrooms, and concessions (not to mention possible structural restoration), and the price tag gets even higher. It would likely be cheaper than building a new stadium from scratch, but at the end of day, after all that investment, the school district would still retain ownership.

Logistics The big issues are that the stadium is a bit of a drive from any major freeways, and that there doesn’t appear to be a lot of parking since it sits in a residential neighborhood. On the plus side, there do appear to be a few bars within reasonable marching distance – New Dodge Lounge, Painted Lady, and Motor City Sports Bar are all located on nearby Campau Avenue.

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Verdict

With DCFC on the verge of outgrowing Cass Tech, if they haven’t already, it’s great to see ownership being proactive in the search for a new venue. Taking all available information into consideration, I don’t think Keyworth Stadium is the right fit. The size is perfect, and the old-school look and feel are great, but I think the high cost, non-ownership, and less-than-ideal location outweigh the potential benefits.

My feeling is that since the improvements to Keyworth would cost well in excess of $1 million and the club would only be a tenant when all is said and done, it would be better to spend that money on a venue that could be available for purchase or on a site with the potential for new construction.

On the other hand, it may be the strategy of DCFC ownership to make an immediate investment to enable growth while keeping away from a long-term commitment. By renting Keyworth, they would avoid the burdens of paying for maintenance and upkeep, permanent security, and property taxes, among other costs. If all goes well and the crowds and revenue continue to grow over the next several seasons, they would then be free to explore the possibility of new stadium construction without having to offload their current one.

The potential move to Hamtramck is only in the preliminary stages, and a lot could happen in the next year or two that it would take to make the stadium ready for play. I’m sure other options have been and will be explored, and I’ll be following all the developments as they come.

“When you start supporting a football club, you don’t support it because of the trophies, or a player, or history, you support it because you found yourself somewhere there; found a place where you belong.”

– Dennis Bergkamp

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I planned on writing something on Dan Duggan’s USL Pro to Detroit ambitions when the news first broke, but never got around to it. In the wake of his live chat on freep.com, now seems like a good time to comment.

1. First off, this is not a done deal. The plan still has to be submitted and approved by the league. Given USL Pro’s stated expansion goals, it seems to stand a good chance, though there may be questions over the stadium issue and competition with DCFC for fans (see #2).

2. I’m obviously biased when it comes to this, but there are statistics to back me up. DCFC’s 2013 regular season average attendance of 1484 was higher than 5 USL Pro teams (out of 12), and there is every reason to believe that number will go up this season. Simply put, even if Duggan’s proposal goes off without a hitch, there is no guarantee that his new team will automatically become the top dog in town. They will be playing catch-up with a club that has already captured the hearts and minds of many of the area’s most fervent supporters.

3. Building a 5000-seat stadium in 90 days is apparently possible from an engineering standpoint. Getting through all of the red tape regarding zoning, land ownership and usage, amount of public and/or private funding, among other things, will take much longer. Having the project fast-tracked would certainly raise questions concerning Duggan’s relationship with his brother, who just so happens to be the Mayor of Detroit.

Putting those issues aside, the idea of stadium-sharing with DCFC is intriguing. Given the growth rate of support, Cass Tech may be outgrown sooner rather than later. With few obvious larger sites (Wayne State?) readily available, the only other option would be for DCFC ownership to pursue a stadium plan of their own. That should definitely be a long-term goal, but in the mean time, becoming a tenant of the USL Pro Detroit stadium seems like a decent temporary solution. And how much fun would it be to outdraw the home team in its own house?

4. Overall, I think this dynamic of competition can have positive effects. A new team will force DCFC to avoid complacency and continue innovating to maintain its success. If both teams thrived, it would show that there is enough support in Detroit to go around for each. If not, well, may the best club win.

5. Duggan seems like a nice, friendly guy, but some of his statements show how out of touch he is (emphasis mine):

I think all the fans of soccer in Detroit want professional soccer in this city and eventually want an MLS team. With the very limited schedules the Bucks and DCFC play in May-July, that is only a small sampling of soccer that the Detroit fans want.

Plenty of people want to see an MLS team in Detroit, but it’s incorrect to assume that we all do. Early on, I strongly hoped that DCFC would attract enough attention and financial backing to eventually move up to MLS. As time went on, though, I found myself caring less and less about the league they played in, and more and more about the club itself. I’m not dead-set against a future NASL or MLS move, and it would be nice if the NPSL season lasted longer, but for me, it’s more about quality over quantity. Allow myself to quote… myself:

…my foremost concern is that we maintain the enjoyment and sense of belonging we currently experience on gamedays. I’d gladly take a season of 8 home games with a raucous atmosphere over one with 20 or 30 where standing and smokebombs are prohibited.

 Finally, Duggan’s most clueless comment may be this one:

 DCFC’s success in the stands show[s] that there are lots of people that are looking for a soccer team to follow in the area.

 I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m a monogamous supporter. City is something special, not a placeholder. I have a club and I will follow it ‘til the end, wherever it may go.

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“In his life, a man can change wives, political parties or religions but he cannot change the football team he supports.”

 -Eduardo Galeano *

 *(H/T to Jaime Ventura)