Rapids celebrate downtown World Cup surge
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Skyline Park during a U.S. men's national team game. Photo: Courtesy of Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids president Pádraig Smith said the environment created by the FIFA World Cup showcases everything good about the sport in the U.S.
Why it matters: Denver didn't host any games. But the official viewing experience, sponsored by the Rapids at Skyline Park, and numerous other watch parties injected a badly needed jolt to local businesses.
State of play: The Rapids partnered with the Downtown Denver Partnership and Street Soccer USA to create a downtown space with a giant screen, food, drinks, prizes and Rapids merchandise.
By the numbers: Roughly 40,000 total people visited the park starting on June 11, Rapids vice president of community impact and fan development Caitlin Kinser said.
- The venue reached its 1,900-person capacity multiple times, primarily for games involving Mexico and the U.S. men's national team, Kinser added.
What they're saying: "It's been really successful. We're really proud of how it turned out," Kinser said.
- "The big [lesson] from us is that we need to — and we can — do more of these things," Smith told Axios.
Context: Recent record attendances at Colorado Rapids and Summit FC games further illustrate the sport's popularity in Denver.
- Kinser said the club wants to capitalize on the surge in interest by encouraging local attendance, promoting its My First Match program, which provides free Rapids game tickets, during watch parties.
The intrigue: Number Thirty Eight in RiNo ranked first among World Cup watching destinations across the country, Lyft's June trend report shows.
- "We were floored" to see the restaurant top the list, general manager Kathryn Anderson said in a statement. Its appearance alongside host cities "says something about how much this city loves soccer."
What's next: Kinser said Skyline Park's success only strengthens Denver's bid to host the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup.