My visit to BBVA Compass Stadium was for an experience that I had never witnessed before. Throughout all of my sports travel, I had never attended a professional soccer game. It was a typical Saturday evening but this was not my typical Saturday activity. This game was a match-up between Sporting Kansas City and The Houston Dynamo.
With some high profiled neighbors roaming nearby, it is important to arrive as early as possible. The Houston Dynamo are neighbors to the 2017 World Series Champion Houston Astros and championship contending Houston Rockets.
Here are my thoughts on BBVA Compass Stadium.
Pros
With this being my first time in a soccer stadium, I did not know what to expect upon arrival. The design is rather interesting but it adds to the mystique. With this being the home of the Houston Dynamo, expect to see a lot of orange throughout the stadium. It is a very intimate feel when watching soccer inside of this stadium. All of the seats are very close to the field so it makes every seat a great seat inside of the stadium. The fan base of the Houston Dynamo is amazing. With this being my first time in this environment, I was not sure what to expect but was greeted by a rowdy and enthusiastic group of fans.
There was never a quiet moment during the game action. Even during the minor breaks or when no exciting action was taking place the fans created the action and excitement. The roof of BBVA Compass Stadium was rather interesting to me. It may be standard for soccer venues but to me it was new and exciting. The sound projects very well off of the roof and keeps the sounds inside of the stadium. This works in perfect harmony with the Texian Army band as they provide nonstop tunes throughout the game. I am not 100% sure but I believe that this roof design is intentional because it provides a definite advantage to the home team.
Cons
You will have a hard time finding any drawbacks from this venue when it is used for its intended purpose. I could search far and wide but there wasn’t anything glaring that stood out as a negative. If I had to reach for a negative, it would be the outwardly display of passion by the fans. Although it did not bother me, for a non sports fan they may find it hard to fathom fans throwing objects onto the playing field. It was new for me to see but I found it exciting because the reaction by the players, referees and fans let me know that this is normal.
Overall Game Day Experience
I would give BBVA Compass Stadium a 10 out of 10. It’s a very intimate venue that has nonstop action throughout the game. Whether it is the fans, concessions, parking, ticket pricing or the Texian Army you will not have any objections to this venue.
I came in not knowing what to expect but after this game I have a new found respect for the game of Soccer. I have a lot to learn about the game before I am proficient but what you can’t underestimate is the atmosphere and it is second to none.
