One of the most significant outcomes of the “Messi effect” has been teams moving their games to larger arenas, aiming to maximize attendance. For instance, D.C. United has chosen to relocate a home game to Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium, expecting over 60,000 fans to show up.
Match Information
- Date: Saturday, March 7
- Time: 4:30 p.m.
- Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
- Live Stream: Apple TV
- Odds: D.C. United +340; Draw +330; Inter Miami -165
There is a chance that D.C. United could break its attendance record of 57,431, set during the 1997 MLS Cup final against the Colorado Rapids. If the goal was simply to draw the largest crowd, they could have opted for Northwest Stadium, home to the Washington Commanders, but, Baltimore offers distinct advantages.
I posed this question to D.C. United president Danita Johnson, who conveyed that this game is just the beginning of their initiatives in Baltimore.
“One of the reasons we really looked at Baltimore, and we love our neighbors, the Commanders, was really about taking it into Baltimore itself. For us at D.C. United, we have a lot of ties in Baltimore, we’re talking about our other Baltimore projects in the future…”
This isn’t the first collaboration between Baltimore and D.C., as the two cities have teamed up for World Cup bids, hoping to tap into the growing soccer culture in Baltimore while planning to establish a multi-team soccer campus in the city.
Furthermore, D.C. United is dedicated to making a community impact in Baltimore with match posters designed by the Baltimore Boys and Girls Club alongside a performance by local artist Wale.
“Before we even announced the game, we thought about how to take care of our season ticket members and our supporters,” Johnson explained, emphasizing their commitment to making the game accessible.
Players are treating this as just another match against top-tier competition. Midfielder Jackson Hopkins remarked:
“We’re really treating it like any other game. Home or away, we want to go win…”
While Lionel Messi’s presence undoubtedly elevates the stakes, D.C. United aims to create a lasting footprint in Baltimore by balancing local fan engagement with competitive aspirations.
