The Fitchburg Revolution

The New England Revolution are looking for a new home, joining Major League Soccer's trend of building soccer-specific homes for teams. The club is putting out some kind of "request for information" (details on that are scarce) around New England.

Why not Fitchburg?

We have talked in the past about the "one big thing" to put Fitchburg on the map. What about a soccer-specific stadium that holds 20,000 to 30,000 (and would likely be an nice outdoor concert venue)? Certainly there is a parcel relatively close to Route 2 that would be perfect for stadium and parking -- and perhaps the commercial/retail center the team is considering along with it.

Fitchburg offers a one-hour drive from Boston, and even less from the soccer-rich suburbs around 128 and 495. Figure out a way to connect the commuter train, and that's even better. Fitchburg also offers a population base as strong as the current Foxboro home. Along with the 'burbs, it has two mid-sized cities in Fitchburg and Leominster, and is a half-hour away from Worcester, the second-largest city in New England.

An added dimension to a Fitchburg proposal would be the relative proximity to the massive youth soccer complex being built in Lancaster. A Revolution stadium in Fitchburg would cement North Central Massachusetts as the state's home to soccer, with Fitchburg its capital.

Hosting the Revolution would bring 20,000 or more to the city throughout the summer. Through news coverage regionally and around the country, Fitchburg would gain exposure. Everyone knows Foxboro for one thing, right?

Who knows how much of a contribution the team would want from a host community. Who knows what the Revolution's grand plan for the complex would be (you'd have to think the plans would be grand, indeed, knowing the Krafts' desire to link retail and other business to its sports ventures). Who knows if they have a spot in mind that they already love.

The moral of the story is Fitchburg should at least sniff around this and take a look at whether or not this is something the city can and should pursue. It's the type of opportunity -- to host a major sports franchise -- that doesn't come along very often. Hopefully, someone in an official capacity takes a look.

By the way, "The Fitchburg Revolution" would make a great blog name.