Thursday, April 5, 2007

Dick's builds world's largest soccer complex in Denver!


Greetings everyone,

I just wanted to let you all know that the Sports and Recreation Speakers Committee has arranged for a brown bag lunch with two guests from Kroenke Sports Enterprises on Tuesday, April 10. The guests are:

Brian Kitts, Senior Director, Marketing & Public Relations, Kroenke Sports Enterprises. Mr. Kitts has been working for KSE for eight years and previously worked for 20th Century Fox and Disney. Mr. Kitts has a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in communication. He is originally from Albuquerque and now lives in Denver.

Dan Rowland, Manager, Marketing & Public Relations, Kroenke Sports Enterprises. Mr. Rowland has been working for KSE for three years and previously worked as a sportswriter at The Denver Post. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Arizona State University. He grew up in Boulder and now lives in Erie.

As most of you know, Stan Kroenke through Kroenke Sports Enterprises is the owner of the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, the Pepsi Center, the NLL Champion Colorado Mammoth, and the Colorado Rapids Major League Soccer Club. KSE was in the news recently (see the Denver Post 4/5/07) as they purchased a stake in the UK Premier League Arsenal soccer club (for a mere $128 million) and are opening the Dick's Sporting Goods Park--the new home for the Rapids--this weekend. Dick's Sporting Goods Park is being touted as the most state of the art soccer complex on Earth.

I hope that this isn't too short notice and that many or most of you will attend this session on Tuesday as I think it will be very interesting and informative and could cover a broad range of topics given the number of areas in which KSE is involved as well as the backgrounds of both of our guests. If you think of any specific questions in advance I can send them along to Dan and Brian ahead of time.
I have attached a couple of websites below for a little stimulation!

Sincerely,

Jay Jutting


Dick's Sporting Goods Park:
http://www.dickssportinggoodspark.com/Stadium/Facts.aspx

Colorado Rapids website:
http://www.coloradorapids.com/Splash.aspx

Arsenal website:
http://www.arsenal.com/news.asp?thisNav=News

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That looks pretty amazing, but very ambitious, don't you think? I don't really keep up with soccer, so maybe it is more popular in CO than i am aware, but seem that it would be very difficult to fill a staduim like that when it is so far from downtown.

TestPilot said...

That's how I felt too. But today's game is sold out and the Rapids, SLC Real, and the league are buying international stars to really build up the hype. The Rapids have maintained an average attendance over 12,000 and formed an alliance (and apparently own interest in) with the Arsenal F.C. Remember, Denver is a drinking town with a sports problem.
I'd be ready to play soccer right now, except that there is snow on the ground and I'm wondering how to use up my ski passes.

Anonymous said...

Well, it would be very cool if Denver could lead the charge in bringing soccer to the forefront of US sports. It is such a shame that we lag so far behind the rest of the world in this sport which is so universally popular. Wouldn't it be cool if the "World Cup" like hype would come to the states over soccer. Or maybe not - just fuel for the "drinkers w/a sports problem" fire.

I suppose this new complex will also make considerable income from the rental of the fields. I noticed that the complex at SW intersection of arapahoe/parker road is gone. I wonder if there is a connection with that and this new facility. The Dick's complex would be an aweseome place for ultimate frisbee as well!!

Hope you get out and enjoy the snow. Spring skiing/boarding is always the BEST!!

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