Stadiums By:Adam Soliman

On August 8, 2012 I was going to my first soccer game. It wasn’t just any game. It was Real Madrid (my favorite team) vs. AC Milan. I was so excited, I always wanted to see a full size soccer field. It was in Yankee stadium’s soccer field, so it wasn’t really a soccer stadium but it definitely felt like one. Concession stands, pizza, soda, all a real soccer stadium needed. We went early so we just sat and looked around for a while. I started thinking, what if I played here? Go to a different stadium every week. Then I came to think, what if there were NO stadiums? Where would sports be held? Would they play in parks? Would they play on any field, fields that I play on like Asphalt Green?

Yankee Stadium Yankees Stadium has a capacity of 50,291. The new Yankee Stadium opened on April 3, The original Yankee Stadium was not opened that recently though, there was an older Yankee Stadium that was opened in 1923 and closed in It re-opened in 1976 and officially closed again in The new one opened a year later. It hosted 6,581 Yankees games in the old stadium, it was also was the former home of the NY Giants. The old stadium cost 2.4 million dollars to build. Yankees Stadium has many fields such as a baseball and soccer. It also holds music concerts so it attracts many people.

Barclays Center The Barclays Center has a seating capacity of 18,103 and opened on September 21, The Barclays Center is home to the Brooklyn Nets and holds WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) events, and singing concerts. The Barclays Center is a “multi-purpose arena that costs 4.9 billion dollars to build. If this and all the other basketball stadiums weren’t here, would basketball stars like LeBron James (Miami Heat) and Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) play on public courts?

Citi Field Citi Field was opened on March 29 th 2009 in Queens and has a seating capacity of 45,000 in their stadium, home to the New York Mets.

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, home to the NY Knicks, has a seating capacity of 18,200. “The Garden” opened on February 11, Madison Square Garden became famous and the teams that they made their home teams were so famous as well including the Rangers, Knicks and St. John. They eventually made their own television network, known as MSG Network.

Red Bulls Arena Red Bulls Stadium has a capacity of 25,189. Red Bulls is home to the lesser known NY Red Bulls soccer team. If this stadium didn’t exist, where would the professional New York soccer team play?

Asphalt Green Asphalt Green is a multi-sport arena in New York City. Asphalt Green has travel teams for soccer, basketball, baseball, flag football, gymnastics and has an Olympic sized swimming pool. Asphalt Green travel teams range in age from Is this a place where real sports teams would play?

Essay Do you play on a sports team where you have to play on a public court or field? And if there were no stadiums your favorite sports player would be playing right where you play? Well then you realize how sports wouldn’t be the same without stadiums. One reason that sports wouldn’t be the same without stadiums is that stadiums hold events that are not always sport related. For example, the Barclays Center holds WWE events and singing concerts (Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Selena Gomez etc.) not just basketball games. Also everyone knows that Madison Square Garden holds so many events like circus events and much more! If you do you play on a sports team with a public field or court then I bet you can’t imagine your favorite player playing right where you play. Whether it’s your home court or just the place where you practice, play games or just play there for fun, it would be weird to see a professional player playing where you played before. I play at Asphalt Green and to see a pro soccer player there is just crazy. Asphalt Green has 32 soccer teams which means they have about 416 players in total which means a field with so many kids will also hold professional games? Also so many school teams play at Central Park fields. Furthermore stadiums are very important and are one part that makes going to a sports game so unforgettable

Photo Credits Photo from www. newyork.yankees. mlb.com Photos from com Photo from www. newyork. mets.mlb. com Photo from www. Thegarden.com Photo from kredbulls.co m Photos from green.com