It is naive to think that stadiums, particularly new ones, will serve one team and one sport only. Financial reality obliterates that fantasy. Even the holy grounds of Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park have opened their gates for activities beyond baseball.
In the lobbying, planning and construction phases of Audi Field, D.C. United officials said repeatedly that the 20,000-seat venue would welcome much more than MLS matches. After spending up to $250 million of their own money, and $150 million of the city’s, club investors were not going to limit the stadium’s use to 20-25 soccer matches per year.