The experts have weighed in, and among the several stunning soccer-specific stadiums across the United States, Children's Mercy Park remains the cream of the crop.
Stadium Journey has unveiled its Top 100 Stadium Experiences of 2017, giving Children's Mercy Park the highest ranking for a soccer-specific venue at No. 44 overall. The only other such venue on the list is Orlando City Stadium at No. 63.
The Stadium Journey staff also published its Top 10 Stadium Experiences by league, giving Children's Mercy Park the top spot in Major League Soccer.
- Children’s Mercy Park, Sporting KC
- Orlando City Stadium, Orlando City SC
- CenturyLink Field, Seattle Sounders FC
- StubHub Center, LA Galaxy
- Providence Park, Portland Timbers
- Toyota Stadium, FC Dallas
- BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston Dynamo
- BMO Field, Toronto FC
- Talen Energy Stadium, Philadelphia Union
- Rio Tinto Stadium, Real Salt Lake
Below is Stadium Journey's description of Children's Mercy Park, which opened in 2011 to rave reviews and has since established itself as one of the premier soccer venues in the world.
"Sporting Kansas City clearly has an ambitious goal, even if they’ve never actually stated it publicly. This club wants nothing more than to be the best sports organization, in any league, in any geography, in any level, period. By several measures, they’re well on the way. It starts with the on-field product, of course. Fans are all too often expected to shell out money for tickets, parking, and concessions, not to mention time, to watch a team that was obviously built to tank, or save on payroll. Combined with the fact that many stadiums are financed with hundreds of millions in taxpayers dollars, and it’s really easy to be a cynical sports fan. Sporting KC has not had a rebuilding year. They never ask fans to be patient while the young guys develop in the lower levels. They build teams to win, today. And win they have. A US Open Championship in 2017, their fourth total, and third in six seasons, and two MLS Cup Titles (2000 and 2013). They’ve also achieved seven straight playoff appearances, including 2017."
