Major League Soccer franchise FC Cincinnati has unveiled the four unique premium club spaces at West End Stadium, its new home that is scheduled to open in spring 2021.
The First Financial Club, the Cincinnatus Club, the Pitch View Club and the Tunnel Club will represent 4,500 seats at West End Stadium and will be split on both sides of the venue, which will have an overall capacity of between 26,000 and 26,500.
Earlier this week, FC Cincinnati announced that club partner First Financial Bank would take on naming rights to the east premium club space at the stadium, and details and prices for the three other spaces have been announced today (Thursday).
The First Financial Club will be the largest club at West End Stadium, seating more than 2,100 fans. Premium club offerings at the stadium will start at $1,000 (£812/€927) per season membership in the First Financial Club for the 17-game season.
This space will offer a “fresh take on a beer hall” and will feature cushioned, chair-back seats, each of which will be covered by the stadium’s 360-degree roof canopy.
The Cincinnatus Club will be located on the west side of the stadium and feature 1,134 seats, with a season membership ranging from $1,700 to $1,900. The second-largest space behind the First Financial Club, the Cincinnatus Club will feature a communal experience and promote socialising before and after the game. It will feature two bars and three dining concepts.
The Pitch View Club will also be on the west side of the stadium, at concourse level, and will include 790 seats. It will cost $3,200 per season membership and is the only premium club with sightlines to the pitch. Features will include an outdoor veranda and extra-wide chair-back seats.
The Tunnel Club will seat 390 supporters and will set fans back $7,500 to $10,000 per season. FC Cincinnati said this space will be similar to courtside seats in the NBA basketball league. Players and referees will assemble in the Tunnel Club before each game, with the space to also feature a direct viewing area to post-match press conferences.
For comparison, a season membership in the stadium bowl will range from $340 in The Baily to $900 for mezzanine midfield seats. FC Cincinnati will also introduce a range of monthly payment options, including a plan that extends season membership payments to July 2021.
The club will begin collecting $100 deposits from fans who are interested in premium seating from May 12 through to June 12. FC Cincinnati will donate $25 of each deposit to the COVID-19 regional relief fund.
FC Cincinnati president Jeff Berding said: “This is certainly a unique time, but as we begin to see our communities opening back up and taking gradual steps toward returning to ‘normal,’ we’re excited to launch the public on-sale process at West End Stadium.
“We firmly believe West End Stadium will be the best soccer stadium in North America when we open next spring. It’s fascinating to consider we’re closer to the opening of West End Stadium now than we are to our first-ever MLS home game last March.”
Jeff Smith, the club’s senior vice-president of ticket sales and service, added: “FC Cincinnati’s goal has always been to offer a spectacular match-day experience that rivals any sporting experience in the area, and also present the best soccer atmosphere in the US and Canada. Our fans’ passion and pride for the club has gone a long way in helping us reach those goals in a few short years, but we believe West End Stadium will allow Cincinnati to further stake our own unique place in the North American soccer landscape and truly stand out around the world.”
West End Stadium has been designed by Populous and will have a capacity of between 26,000 and 26,500. FC Cincinnati currently plays at the 40,000-seat Nippert Stadium, which primarily serves as the home of the University of Cincinnati’s American football team.
Image: Populous
