In one month’s time, BBVA Compass Stadium will finally come to life when the Houston Dynamo host D.C. United on May 12.
With just a month left to prepare for the beginning of a new era, the club has a unique – and maybe one-time – opportunity to take the Dynamo brand to new heights that comes only with big events such as opening a new stadium.
“There’s a huge opportunity to elevate our brand to a place it’s never been before and to create a buzz in this city about the Dynamo,” club president Chris Canetti told MLSsoccer.com. “Our objective is to take advantage of this and be in the public eye as much as possible.”
BBVA COMPASS STADIUM VIRTUAL VENUE
WATCH: BBVA Compass Stadium construction update
To accomplish that, the Dynamo are planning to put on a full-scale assault to make sure everyone in Houston and the surrounding areas knows about the opening, first and foremost, as well as the advantages the new stadium will bring, whether they be economic or community based. The end goal of their push is to improve the club’s standing in Houston’s professional landscape and build on an already strong base of soccer fans.
“It’s hugely important to take advantage of this opportunity to capture more of the market,” Canetti said. “To do that, the first and most vital part is to get to that large soccer audience, whether it be Spanish or European, that loves the sport that hasn’t taken to the Dynamo yet.
“We have to show that the Dynamo hold up to the expectations and standards of the soccer they support. We’re trying to show that it’s a very interesting and unique product to experience.”
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The immediate step is to put the finishing touches on their new crown jewel in BBVA Compass Stadium.
According to Canetti, construction on the stadium is nearly complete as most of the work left is of the aesthetic variety. The project is to the point where the staff offices will be ready next week, along with spaces such as the adidas Dynamo team store, which is likely to be up and running around the same time as well.
While things are not as frantic as one might expect as the club closes in on opening day, Canetti was quick to caution that it is not yet time to sit back and relax as there are still challenges for the club as the Dynamo prepare to open a stadium with which they are not familiar.
“It’s very important to make sure the first event in this stadium goes flawlessly and provides an excellent first impression,” Canetti said. “There’s pressure because we’ve still got a lot to get done in a short period of time from not only the construction perspective but from the team planning perspective to get everything in line.”
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.
