CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy’s Todd Dunivant was a rookie defender with the San Jose Earthquakes in 2003 and remembers there being only two soccer-specific stadiums in Major League Soccer: Columbus Crew Stadium and The Home Depot Center.
But look at MLS now. A total of 14 such facilities now dot the landscape, including the newest one, Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium, which the Galaxy (3-7-2) will see first-hand on Saturday (11:30 a.m., NBC Sports Network, lagalaxy.com/gamedaylive).
View from the Booth: Houston vs LA
“I’ve heard good things,” Dunivant said of the $95 million stadium that seats just over 22,000, opened earlier this month and is located just east of downtown Houston. “It’s another great thing for this league to have another top-quality, world-class stadium in the downtown, metropolitan area.
“That’s huge.”
“I’ve heard good things,” Dunivant said of the $95 million stadium that seats just over 22,000, opened earlier this month and is located just east of downtown Houston. “It’s another great thing for this league to have another top-quality, world-class stadium in the downtown, metropolitan area.
“That’s huge.”
Added the Galaxy’s David Beckham, “I’ve heard it’s very nice. I know it’s a really nice stadium from what players have said and what I’ve heard about and read about.”
BBVA Compass Stadium takes the place of Robertson Stadium, which is located on the campus of the University of Houston and was the home of the Cougars’ football team. Galaxy coaches and players said they won’t miss the old place at all.
“No,” Dunivant said with a laugh. “That wasn’t their home. It was a football stadium with football lines, and you could tell they were tenants, they weren’t the owners.
“It makes a difference from a fan perspective, too. You go into a stadium and it’s an entirely different experience when it’s your stadium and it’s built specifically for the Dynamo and Major League Soccer.
“It’s going to be a great thing for Houston. They did it the right way.”
Four new soccer-specific stadiums have opened in the last two years – Philadelphia’s PPL Park and New York’s Red Bull Arena in 2010, Kansas City’s Livestrong Park in 2011 and now BBVA Compass Stadium. Portland and Vancouver each play in pre-existing but remodeled stadiums while a refurbished Saputo Stadium, home of the Montreal Impact, will be open for business next month.
“It’s huge for the growth of this league and the stability of the sport,” Dunivant said. “It makes a difference in the long term.”
WATCH: Davis scores first goal at BBVA
The presence of the new stadium almost overshadows the fact Saturday’s game is a rematch of last November’s MLS Cup, which the Galaxy won 1-0 at The Home Depot Center. The Dynamo are seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 3-3-4 record and are in a four-game, 12-day span that includes a 2-2 draw with New England last weekend. Following this weekend’s game against the Galaxy, Houston will face the San Antonio Scorpions on Tuesday in the Third Round of the U.S. Open Cup before hosting Spanish powerhouse Valencia CF in the Dynamo Charities Cup on May 31.
The Dynamo are led by Will Bruin, who has 5 goals, 2011 MLS MVP finalist Brad Davis and goalkeeper Tally Hall, who has not allowed a goal in two game’s at his team’s new home.
“I’m really excited about the game,” Beckham said. “We know how tough they are. They play the game in the right manner.”
