New Stadiums and Their (Lack Of) Public Transportation

Across the United States, capital in professional sports teams is reshaping fan experiences. With US sports recently becoming a $1 trillion industry, investments in professional sports teams and their stadiums have reached record highs. Sports teams of all leagues, using a mix of public and private funding, are building high-tech stadiums across the country, with the most notable projects being in soccer and football.

While all the stadiums will bring a newer and better experience to all fans, some stadiums focus on creating multiple accessible transportation options for fans, while others reinforce a car-centric design that has defined American sports for generations. Larger stadiums, like NFL stadiums, offer few accessible public transportation options for fans, while smaller stadiums, for leagues such as Major League Soccer (MLS), typically have more options, with this trend following in newer stadiums as well.

The MLS grew tremendously in viewership after Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi joined the league. Messi has won eight Ballon d’Ors, the most prestigious individual award in soccer—the most of any player in history. By joining the league, he brought with him global stardom and attention, leading to more jersey sales and sponsorships. The money gained has provided clubs such as Inter Miami CF, New York City FC, and Chicago Fire FC the funds necessary to upgrade their fan experiences by building new stadiums, all of which feature several public transportation options.

Inter Miami CF, last year’s MLS Cup champions, opened their new stadium with a 2-2 tie against Austin FC on April 4. The Nu Stadium at Miami Freedom Park, an open-air natural grass stadium, will be a major upgrade from the temporary Chase Stadium, which has a capacity of 21,550 but a lack of transportation options. The Nu Stadium has a capacity of 26,700 and a more accessible public transportation network, with Tri-Rail, Miami Metrorail, and the MIA Mover all connected at the Miami Intermodal Center, a short walk away from the stadium. Additionally, the new stadium will feature a 360-degree concourse, a special supporters section, and the Lionel Messi Stand. With the construction of the Nu Stadium, the Miami Freedom Park, a mixed-use area with plenty of pedestrian areas, is also being constructed, bringing the cost to around $1 billion, all of which was privately funded.

Etihad Park will be New York City’s first soccer-specific stadium. Previously, New York City FC has called Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, and even their rival Red Bulls’ Sports Illustrated Stadium home. The new stadium, expected to open by the 2027/28 season, is located at Willets Point, right next to Citi Field, making it accessible via both the LIRR and the 7 train stopping at Mets-Willets Point. Etihad Park will have a capacity of 25,000 and costs $780 million to build. It will also feature a large plaza, a supporters section with a capacity of 3,436, and will be the first fully electric sports stadium in NYC. As a part of the development, a school and affordable housing will also be built in the area.

Chicago Fire FC recently unveiled their new stadium “The 78”. With a planned capacity of 22,000 and a cost of $750 million, the stadium will be the newest in the MLS. The stadium will offer fans multiple ways of getting to and from games, with three “L” train lines nearby (Orange, Red, and Green lines), multiple buses, a Metra stop, and a planned water taxi service. The facade will be brick to represent Chicago’s industrial history. Additionally, the stadium is being built to accommodate year-round events, though soccer will be its main focus. 

The MLS is not the only league building new stadiums. The NFL, the most profitable and highest-revenue sport in the US, will also soon see new venues, with the two largest projects being the new Highmark Stadium and the new Nissan Stadium. However, unlike the aforementioned MLS stadiums, these stadiums will not feature as many public transportation options. 

The new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills starting in the 2026 season, is nearly complete. The $2.2 billion stadium will have a capacity of approximately 67,000. It is being built across the street from the old Highmark Stadium, which has had a long history of issues dealing with cold weather. However, the new stadium addresses these problems, with a canopy covering, a state of the art snow melt system, radiant heating in the concourse, and a subsurface heating system to prevent the field from freezing. A drawback, though, is that there will be no connection to Buffalo’s Metro Rail, which serves downtown Buffalo and KeyBank Center, the Buffalo Sabres’ arena, leaving tens of thousands of families no choice but to drive to the stadium, which will bring traffic congestion.

The new Nissan Stadium, future home of the Tennessee Titans, in Nashville plans to open in February 2027. The domed stadium will have a capacity of 60,000 and will cost over $2.2 billion. The stadium was designed with utilizing new technology in mind and will feature cashier-free restaurants to speed up the fan experience, an LED “Ring of Fire,” and escalators situated throughout. Due to the stadium’s proximity to the old one, Titans’ fans will continue to have access to Nashville’s WeGo Transit’s Titans Express Train on gamedays.

Additionally, Huntington Bank Field, the Cleveland Browns’ $2.6 billion enclosed stadium, featuring a 6,500 seat supporters section called the “Dog Pound,” is set to break ground on April 30 and set to open in 2029. Though $120 million is being budgeted for public infrastructure projects, it is not clear whether a new station will be built for the stadium.

The contrast between new MLS and NFL stadiums showcases a major difference in how American sport leagues view public transportation. Though there are reasons for the absence of rail connection, including the NFL’s large tailgating culture and stadium locations, MLS stadiums show that rail accommodations are possible, especially when there is freedom in picking the site to build on. Additionally, the MLS’s focus on public spaces and investments in the public, such as in schools, enhances the fan experience just like tailgating while also taking up less space as a large parking lot is not required. Overall, new stadiums in the US are taking public transportation into account more often, but many—such as the Bills’ new stadium, despite using taxpayer funding—still ignore the fans who rely on it.