Website: www.stlcitysc.com.

Staff Involved:

Carolyn Kindle, CEO

Diego Gigliani, President & GM

Lee Broughton, Chief Brand Architect

Jason Thein, Chief Operating Officer

Matt Sebek, Chief Experience Officer

Joe Abernathy, VP of Stadium Operations

Entry: St. Louis CITY SC is Major League Soccer’s newest expansion team. The club’s majority female-led ownership group is committed to investing in the growth of the city they love. They believe the next-gen, world-class, $485-million CITYPARK, CITY SC’s home, plays an important role in continuing to build the positive momentum happening throughout the St. Louis region. CITYPARK opened in March 2023 as the team recently completed its inaugural MLS season.

CITYPARK’s 32-acre stadium district is the largest urban professional sports campus in the U.S., and the only one with a stadium, training facility, practice fields, team headquarters and team store all within one downtown location. The campus helps unite the region around its love of sports and serves as the heartbeat of St. Louis by creating a 24/7/365 fan and community experience that encourages visitors and invites development in downtown St. Louis. MLS Commissioner Don Garber said this comprehensive stadium will “serve as a model for future professional sports teams in the U.S.”

Website: www.lowerfieldcbus.com

Staff Involved: Haslam Sports Group, Columbus Crew

Entry: Debuting July 3, 2021, Lower.com Field is clearly established as a premier venue in sports and entertainment. In its second full season, Lower.com Field consistently provides incredible experiences for Crew and US Men’s and Women’s National Team matches, major events and community initiatives, inspiring the league to select it as host of the 2024 MLS All-Star Game.

The centerpiece of the mixed-use Astor Park Development in Downtown Columbus, Lower.com Field features abundant fan-centric amenities and an innovative structure, designed by HNTB, with a focus on maximizing the in-stadium experience with exceptional sightlines throughout the building and a structure that reverberates the electric atmosphere and protects fans from the elements via a 220,000-square foot canopy.

The stadium’s 20,192 capacity features 3,356 safe-standing seats in the Nordecke and world-class premium hospitality spaces, highlighted by the pitch-level Huntington Field Club and Lower.com Lounge, 34 suites, 1,900 club seats and the EASE Party Decks, which were introduced in 2023.

The hosts of 2023 MLS Cup, the Crew sold out 17 consecutive MLS matches and 18 overall, plus their League’s Cup match against Club América, smashing franchise marks of four and seven games, respectively.

Website: www.philadelphiaunion.com

Key members Involved:

- Tim McDermott, Philadelphia Union

- Charlie Slonaker, Philadelphia Union

- Michelle Rosar, Philadelphia Union

- Caitlin Pinck, Philadelphia Union

- Zach Vaughen, Philadelphia Union

- Tim Murphy, Oakview Group

- Brian Haggerty, Oakview Group

- Quendell Christmas, Oakview Group

- Alan Bethke, Subaru of America

- Bridget Hanrahan, Subaru of America

- Matt Barber, Subaru of America

- Anthony Trosclair, Subaru of America

Entry: Subaru Park became the first soccer-specific stadium in Major League Soccer to achieve zero landfill status in October of 2021, and in less than two years after hitting that milestone, celebrated diverting over 1 million pounds of waste from landfills. Becoming a zero-landfill facility came from the shared vision the Union and Subaru of America had when Subaru became the naming rights partner of the Union’s stadium located in Chester, PA. The Union, Subaru, and the stadium’s venue management company, OVG 360, collaborated and worked together to bring Subaru Park up to a 92% diversion rate in only a few short months. In addition to being a zero-landfill stadium, in 2020, Subaru Park become home to the first organic garden at any Philadelphia sports stadium.

This monumental collaboration with Subaru inspired other Union partners to contribute to Subaru Park’s sustainability efforts, leading to the Union’s first ever Partner Sustainability Program. Current sustainability partners include Green Mountain Energy, providing renewable energy to Subaru Park, Tork, an Essity brand, supplying the stadium with sustainable hygiene products such as hand soap, napkins and toilet paper, and SEPTA, a sustainable public transportation system that transports guests to the stadium on game days.

Website: www.rayados.com

Staff Involved:

Pedro Esquivel - Excecutive VP

Alberto Molina - Director of Operations

Everardo Valdez - Director of Institutional Relations and Media

Entry: The BBVA Stadium stands out as the most modern and innovative football venue in Mexico, setting the standard for the industry across the continent. With a seating capacity of 53,500 spectators, has implemented best practices of connectivity, accessibility, security, and innovation, all with a clear and prioritized focus: creating the best experience for the fan.

Currently, it serves as the home for Rayados and Rayadas from the Liga MX and Liga Femenil MX, respectively, hosting over 850,000 attendees annually.

The BBVA Stadium has also been a venue for concerts featuring some of the world's most relevant artists, including Coldplay, Bad Bunny, and Justin Bieber. In 2023, The Weeknd delivered a top-notch performance.

The design, materials used, and construction processes of the BBVA Stadium made it the first football venue in the continent with the LEED Silver construction certification in 2015, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. Currently, it is in the process of obtaining the LEED Operation certification.

Enhanced by its iconic landscape at the foot of the "Cerro de la Silla," in 2026, the BBVA Stadium, will be a host venue for the FIFA World Cup 2026, further placing the city and this venue in the global spotlight.