Gillette Stadium

Instead of using Gillette, couldn't they use Alumni Stadium at BC? Sure, it's smaller but it's right on the green line and it would be easy for fans to reach the game by public transit.
Even going by 1994 attendance, Alumni field would be undersized by 10k or so seats. Soccer's popularity has only grown since then. Even notwithstanding the problems with fitting a regulation field into it, I'm quite certain that, despite being a top flight FBS program, the press and broadcast facilities at Alumni don't hold a candle to what's in place at Gillette. For an event that the world's sportswriters will be descending for and putting out to a global audience, even if the main broadcasting hub will be out in LA? They'll probably want the superior NFL spec, as it always uses more cameras, has more broadcasters present, and has higher standards compared to any NCAA program. Even Gillette probably wouldn't be able to handle it purely using installed systems, but that'll depend on how much gets centered on the IBC in LA.

For an event like this (and the Superbowl) where most people *aren't* watching in person, the broadcast capabilities matter just as much if not more than the people in the stadium. See the 2020 Olympics, (starting in 6 hours!) That's all designed for broadcast; the majority of viewers for major sports in modern times have all been on the other end of media, and the choice of stadia or venue fundamentally doesn't impact the experience for the majority of those watching. The ability of the venue to support those broadcast activities does. For the 2012 London Olympics, the main stadium cost ~£490m. The Broadcast center cost ~£355m. That's how important that is to events like this.

Besides, if we're making this about public transit access, it's not as if game day specials to Foxboro from Boston and Providence aren't a thing. Foxboro might even have regular service in 5 years.
 
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Good points! I guess I don't doubt the ability of Gillette/Boston to host it necessarily. More so in the experience itself being less ideal with the commute out there.
I don't have experience here because I don't watch soccer and have never been to the cup, so talking out my ass. But if I were going I'd hope the stadium and host city were paired closer for the festivities to feel more populated and urban. I guess otherwise fans would just be stuck around Patriot Place for a few weeks or have to train back and forth between the games.
 
Good points! I guess I don't doubt the ability of Gillette/Boston to host it necessarily. More so in the experience itself being less ideal with the commute out there.
I don't have experience here because I don't watch soccer and have never been to the cup, so talking out my ass. But if I were going I'd hope the stadium and host city were paired closer for the festivities to feel more populated and urban. I guess otherwise fans would just be stuck around Patriot Place for a few weeks or have to train back and forth between the games.

Wouldn't they just stay in Providence?
 
It's not bad advice for anyone attending the game to stay out on 128 and rent a car for at least part of it. If you stay in Town you will pay a premium for everything and you might be fooled into thinking that is all there is to see and you may get bored just like in any American city. If you have a car you could do day trips to the beaches of RI, the Cape, the White Mountains of NH, some Maine, Berkshires, VT, CT all about an hour or 2 away. You can easily take the train in Town any time you want (and maybe the ferry to Provincetown from there) while having a much richer experience over all.
 
Good points! I guess I don't doubt the ability of Gillette/Boston to host it necessarily. More so in the experience itself being less ideal with the commute out there.
I don't have experience here because I don't watch soccer and have never been to the cup, so talking out my ass. But if I were going I'd hope the stadium and host city were paired closer for the festivities to feel more populated and urban. I guess otherwise fans would just be stuck around Patriot Place for a few weeks or have to train back and forth between the games.

I'd imagine a large fan village would happen at Patriots Place during the tournament. Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for example, is located about 20 miles from both downtown Miami and Miami Beach and lacks any sort of direct transit link. Gillette, while a bit farther from downtown Boston, at least has that direct transit link.
 

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