AUDI FIELD OPENING I HOME OF D.C. UNITED D.C. UNITED WELCOMES A NEW ERA OF SOCCER WITH THE OPENING OF AUDI FIELD For 22 years, D.C. United, one of the original 10 teams in Major League Soccer, has played its home games at the 57-year-old, 45,000-seat RFK Stadium. Although packed with history, the cavernous building did not give the Black-and-Red much of a home field advantage. For more than 10 years, D.C. United tried to secure a new home pitch. The team’s dream of a new home will become a reality on July 14 when they move into the 20,000-seat, soccer-specific Audi Field. From its innovative technology to its location in southwest Washington in the redeveloped Buzzard Point, Audi Field will capture the nation’s interest when it opens to a sold-out crowd. D.C. United Opens a New Era at Audi Field When the calendar page turns to closer to their fan base. The owners wanted to be in south- “We’re in a dynamic neighborhood July 14, the dream of D.C. United “We’re particularly attractive to the west Washington, where the heart and in Buzzard Point, which is a fast-grow- owners Erick Thohir and Jason Levien millennial and Generation Z crowd soul of the city is moving. They found ing, exciting area in downtown Wash- will become a reality. On that long- because of the fast-paced nature of that spot at Buzzard Point, between ington,” said Levien. awaited day, D.C. United will face the soccer, and the fact that millennials the Navy Yard and the District Wharf, With the limited geographic foot- Vancouver Whitecaps in the grand have grown up with MLS in their blood two dynamic areas that attract the print available at Buzzard Point, Audi opening of their new stadium – Audi since they were young,” said Levien, millennial crowd. Audi Field sits on the Field, with its 20,000 seats, including Field. the team’s managing general partner peninsula between the Anacostia 1,500 club seats, 31 suites and 550 In 2012, Thohir and Levien pur- and CEO. “We have an urban stadium River and the Washington Channel, field-level seats, is on one of the most chased the team and began the where a lot of millennials live and across the street from Nationals Park compact sites in MLS. To overcome painstaking process of trying to secure work. It’s a very social, engaged com- and 1.3 miles south of the U.S. Capitol that hurdle, the team built up, with a a new venue. Since its inception in munity atmosphere.” building. very steep incline, putting fans right 1996, the Black and Red have played on top of the action. in historic 57-year-old RFK Stadium. “It’s going to be a very intense Previous ownership groups environment to watch soccer,” said attempted to provide a new stadium Thohir, the team’s general partner. for the team. But the District of Colum- bia offers unique challenges. In addi- Building for More tion to the difficult task of finding a good location, D.C. provides addi- Championships tional hurdles of having to work with Although D.C. United is one of the both the local and federal govern- most decorated clubs in MLS, having ment. Some locations the team con- won four early championships and sidered were on federal property. It lit- nine other major trophies, the team erally would have taken an act of hasn’t won the Major League Soccer Congress to build on those sites. title since 2004. “We want to completely overhaul All Signs Lead to the club and hit a refresh button on everything we’ve been doing,” said Buzzard Point Levien. “Audi Field gives us the oppor- Although the team could have tunity to completely change our posi- built a stadium faster and less expen- tioning in the market.” sively at a suburban location, Thohir and Levien wanted an urban locale, The pitch at Audi Field. SEE DC UNITED, paGE 40 JULY 9-15, 2018 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION I street & smith’s sporTSBUSINESS JOURNAL 39 AUDI FIELD OPENING I HOME OF D.C. UNITED DC UNITED, FROM paGE 39 Year-Round Huge Advantage for Entertainment United Players D.C. United also controls the land around Audi Field and programs are After years of competing at RFK being developed for experiences Stadium, the players were excited to connected to events at the stadium. get their first look at Audi Field, from In addition to D.C. United’s the locker room to the pitch to seeing matches in MLS, the team plans to how close their fans would be to organize international friendlies and cheer them on. The team’s supporters’ potentially a Capital Cup Tournament, section is right behind one of the in which they’ll bring in clubs from goals. capital cities around the world to “We think Audi Field is going to give compete in an annual tournament. us a big home-field advantage for our “Our focus for Audi Field is our MLS players and an advantage when we matches,” said Levien, “then we’re recruit new players,” said Levien. “With going to program the stadium heavily Audi Field, it’s going to be very inviting around other soccer events and other for young, talented players to want to sporting events like football and rugby, be a part of D.C. United.” and also concerts.” “Being in an urban setting, where In addition to the game, fans at Audi Field are treated to a view of the U.S. Capitol. it’s compact and intimate creates a tremendous amount of energy,” Thohir claiming naming rights early on. Two We’ve already signed a lot of key A Bright Future said. “It sends the message to players other early partners were Eagle Bank, sponsors and we’re in heavy discus- for D.C. United that D.C. United is going to be at the local to the D.C. area, and Heineken. sions with more.” “This is year one of the new sta- forefront of what’s happening in MLS Eagle Bank was not only involved in “Audi Field gives us a huge oppor- dium,” said Levien. “We’ve obviously once again and that we’re investing some of the stadium financing, but tunity to revolutionize our brand,” had tremendous growth in corporate because we want to compete to win also became a founding partner. continued Levien. “We’ve seen an sponsorships and dramatic growth in championships and have success on Heineken has branded the stadium’s exponential increase in corporate season ticket numbers. We’ve sold out the pitch.” northeast deck, which includes a bar partners and tickets sales, from sea- all our suites. We’re going to continue and party deck. son tickets to general admission tick- to build off that. We think there’s a lot Corporate Partners and “We’re jumping to the top of the ets to groups to our premium experi- of growth potential. Even though league in terms of the amount of ences. We’ve got a fan base that is we’ve seen this dramatic growth Fans Flock to the Point corporate interest we’re attracting,” young and we’re looking to grow that entering the new stadium, we see a Audi Field has resonated with the said Levien. “We feel great about fan base tremendously by this oppor- path towards much greater growth corporate community, with Audi where we’re positioned in the market. tunity.” moving forward.” VenueNext Breaks into MLS with its Audi Field Mobile App The goal of chase food and bev- VenueNext, a con- erage and VIP experi- nected venue mobile ences at the stadium. platform, is to enhance They can even transfer the fan experience and tickets and FAM dollars increase engagement to friends or family. with the team and This flexibility will venue. With the open- make a huge differ- ing of Audi Field, Venu- ence in season ticket- eNext, which serves holder satisfaction and multiple teams in the season ticket renewal NBA and NFL, is making rates. its first foray in MLS. The team benefits VenueNext built the by being able to resell new D.C. United the returned tickets, mobile app for Audi helping them fill the Field, available for iOS 20,000-seat Audi Field Fans can purchase or transfer tickets for every game. and Android, which on the D.C. United and Audi Field allows D.C. United to app powered by VenueNext. They’re also better able integrate all the ven- to understand their ue’s systems, including ticketing, fans and their preferences. access, point-of-sale, security and Through the use of the VenueNext more, and make these available to Wisdom Marketing platform, D.C. United fans through their smartphones. can segment their audience, customiz- One of the system’s prime features is ing their fan experience offerings the use of virtual currency – Fan Alloca- based on what they’ve learned about tion Money (FAM). Rather than using their fans’ preferences. Those offerings loyalty points, fans can spend their FAM can be individualized based on each money as currency at Audi Field until fan’s purchase history. the end of the season. “D.C. United is very forward thinking Through collaborations with Experi- and they’re embracing all of the com- ence and Ticketmaster, VenueNext pro- ponents of our platform,” said John vides fans with the ability to return tick- Paul, VenueNext’s founder and CEO.