News broke at the last MASL home game, that the outdoor Cedar Rapids Rampage United would be moving from Clark Field at Coe College to Kingston Stadium. We are assuming that the team will be occupying the main stadium rather than Lower Kingston (home of CR Jefferson and Mount Mercy soccer. We dream of a grass field and a public/private partnership where Rampage United makes upgrades to bleachers in exchange for free rent.) Feedback from fans has been highly positive. Here we will attempt to look at some of the benefits and drawbacks to the newest stadium for Iowa's only PLA side.
Why it's a good move:
Parking - No more parking on the street, in the neighborhood. Ample parking should be available in the vast lots shared with the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena and Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Destination - Sports fans in the corridor are used to going to watch their sports teams in that location. Nearly everyone knows where Kingston is, but few make the trek to Clark. It's also easier to get to from the Iowa City - Coralville area.
Marketing - One great bonus to the Kingston location is eyeballs. The Rampage booster club should be leaving advertisements for the upcoming season in the windshields of cars at both Roughrider and Kernels games with season ticket info. A banner should be up outside Kingston declaring it "Home of Rampage United: Summer 2017" for all Kernels fans and other sports fans to see. If the club works to make sure that dates don't conflict with Kernels baseball dates, the two could even cross-promote that there's something to do every weekend there during June-July.
Sight Lines - With its stands that nearly go to the ground, Kingston stands seem closer than the elevated stands at Clark.
History - Kingston has a presence about it, from NFL, college football, high school football, soccer, track, and more, to the Bob Brooks Press Box, it looks and feels like a stadium with stories to tell.
Potential drawbacks:
Size - At 15,000 seats (though the horseshoe end is closed off and reduces capacity to 12k) Rampage United could suffer from a cavernous stadium like the original MLS teams. Crowds of just under 1k seemed large enough and cozy at a 2k capacity Clark Field. Getting out and marketing to the community will be important.
Game day atmosphere - With the Irish District just blocks away, Clark was a great location to grab a pint and walk to the match. Pick up some ice cream at DQ after with the family and you had yourself a good night. There are a couple bars nearby Kingston, notably the Union Station which hosts Roughrider post-game and sports talk TV. Just a bit longer walk.
Overall, it's an opportunity to get some precious eyeballs on the stadium during hockey and baseball games, get the players out to those events, and grow the fanbase.
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