COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - The first kick at Dick's Sporting Goods Park came on a day only soccer fans could love, and the 18,086 fans in attendance showed their love all afternoon, braving cold, wind, and snow as their Rapids inaugurated the park with an exhilarating victory against D.C. United.
With a game-time temperature of 29 degrees, it would be easy to complain about something, but the fans were having none of it.
"It's gorgeous," said John 'Slim' Aden, a Denver resident sitting with The Front Range, the local Rapids supporters group. "It's perfect weather for soccer."
And while a gaggle of young fans took to the hallways of the luxury boxes, breaking out a ball and playing an impromptu indoor game at the half, the older kids from the Thornton Explosion soccer team put the weather in perspective.
"It's a little bit cold, but we can suck it up," said Zane, a 14-year-old goalie with the Explosion who had already participated in clinics with goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul.
Sure, there were minor Opening Day glitches. Traffic was clogged, will call was marked by long, winding lines, and both clubhouses ran out of hot water when the teams hit the showers.
But the new park definitely delivered what was expected of it, creating an atmosphere of intensity and focus, bringing the fans closer together and giving the players something to feed off as they began establishing what they hope will be one of the best homefield advantages in MLS.
"I wish we can have this atmosphere every single day, and the nice weather too, because the weather wasn't helping at all," said Coundoul. "Defense, offense, midfield, the fans, the coaches - everything's different. This is what we need in order to take it to the next level, to be the MLS champion."
With all eyes on Commerce City, the Rapids acknowledged feeling the pressure to deliver, determined to make the house-warming party live up to its buildup.
"We can't lose this game," head coach Fernando Clavijo said of his pre-game thoughts. After 11 years without an opening day win, the Rapids were determined to turn the page on a new chapter as they settled into their new home. "I told my team, it doesn't matter what everybody thinks or what happened in the past, it's what you do from today on."
The day went their way from early in the match, with Colorado maintaining possession and quickly christening the visiting net with a goal from Herculez Gomez.
"It's always nice to get a goal," Gomez said. "It's even nicer to get a goal for a new team, in a new stadium. But really it's nicest to win. We want to come out here and make this place a tough place to play in, make it a fortress. Today we took it to one of the best teams in the league. I think we opened a new chapter."
When it comes to the book on the Rapids, there are no shortage of fans who have been avid followers even longer than the longest-serving players, midfielders Pablo Mastroeni and Kyle Beckerman, have been around. Terry and Paige Burnham have been Rapids fans since moving to Denver from England, and couldn't get over the new facility.
"We've been waiting three years for this stadium," said Paige. "It's beautiful."
"It's wonderful," Terry added. "We've been following the Rapids for about six years now, and the old stadium simply wasn't suitable. But this is exactly how it should be - great atmosphere, knowledgeable fans - very disappointing refereeing I have to say."
Though the Burnhams had a few choice words for the referee when he disallowed a third Rapids goal, it was nothing compared to the wrath of the D.C. United fans at the opposite side of the stadium, who went so far as to sing a song questioning whether or not the ref had a father.
David Goodwin, a member of D.C.'s Screaming Eagles support group, confessed to being "envious" of Colorado fans with their new facility while his club is still kicking around cavernous old RFK Stadium. Goodwin and dozens of D.C. supporters traveled cross-country for the opener, and having been to stadiums all over the league, he had no hesitation in calling this "one of the best parks in the MLS," though he did note that the Colorado fans were "a little quiet."
Don't try telling that to the players on the field, however.
"It was really loud," said Beckerman, talking about the atmosphere and effect of the new facility. "You can't really hear anybody speaking out there. Today, I couldn't really talk because my lips were frozen. It was real loud, and the pitch was a lot wider than Invesco. You can kick it as hard as you can and the ball's not really going to go out. It was a nice change, definitely."
Many of the fans in the stands were long-time season-ticket holders, all too familiar with the pitfalls of playing at Mile High Stadium in the early days and more recently at Invesco Field, both super-sized stadiums home to the Broncos.
"I was a season-ticket holder at Invesco, and I had season tickets at Mile High Stadium," said Wattie Galleher. "I love seeing soccer in any venue, but such a large stadium, when you have 10,000 people, is a very empty feeling. This is just going to be a wonderful venue for this sport.
"I love the game, and I love to have a soccer only stadium here in Colorado," Galleher added. "I have walked around the field, and every spot in the stadium from my vantage point seems to be a good vista."
Ultimately, the fans proved to be worthy of their new stadium, and the team showed itself worthy of its fans.
"When I heard the weather report, I was pretty worried that people weren't going to show up," said Beckerman. "I had like 20 tickets, so I knew at least 20 people would be here. I was really proud of the fans for coming out and sticking it out."
The fans stuck it out and got their reward, a thrilling victory to break in the park. The Rapids promise to offer more of the same, and it's a safe bet that the weather can only get better.
"Absolutely outstanding fans," Clavijo said. "We need to see more and more of that in the coming weeks."
In their intimate new venue, the fans can only offer those sentiments right back at the Rapids.
Owen Perkins is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
