DSGP Location: How Much Does Colorado Rapids Playing in Commerce City and not Downtown Denver Matter?

Editorial – For nearly two decades, the Colorado Rapids have called DICK’s Sporting Goods Park(nicknamed DSGP and other things) in Commerce City, Colorado. After making the switch from the former Mile High Stadium to the soccer specific DSGP, the site has been an easy target for discussion on the location of the stadium and the ability for the Rapids to sellout and engage the Denver Sports Community.

DICK’s by the Numbers:

On April 7, 2007, the Rapids hosted their first game at DSGP, with a reported attendance of 17,779. As seasons have progressed since 2007, the venue has been sold out before, but there’s always been a discussion on the struggle for the Rapids to consistently pack DSGP. It’s a way to measure how relevant the team is in the market.

The capacity has generally been listed as 18,061 publicly. Burgundy Wave can confirm the permanent capacity in 2025 was 17,305. That includes the full stadium bowl (the horseshoe if you will), all suites, Summit Club, field level seats, and North Boundary. The club camp increase capacity to 18,581 with portable bleachers in the northwest and northeast corners and standing room only tickets.

North Boundary has some flexibility depending on the fixture with a minimum capacity of 424. NoBo consists of two elevated areas with room for 25-35 people (The Lookouts), 26 four-person table (The Mesas), and around 250 general admission seats.

DSGP Does get Sellouts:

The venue has accommodated 19,734 fans for the national team with standing room and temporary bleachers we’ve seen where NoBo is now and in the corners.

DSGP typically sells out for annual 4th of July matches, home playoff games, and the Rocky Mountain Cup, though the 2024 playoff game against LA Galaxy was not a sellout. Their highest average attendance since moving to DSGP is 16,278, according to Transfermarkt. The next highest was this past year at 15,890. That’s 1,000 plus tickets not distributed per match.

In 2016, the supporters bleachers were still on the north side of the stadium. The Rapids defeated the LA Galaxy in penalties in the Western Conference Semi-Finals in front of 17,782. The Rapids then hosted Seattle in the Western Conference Final at home leading 2-1 on aggregate. Sitting just 90 minutes away from an MLS Cup Final berth, attendance dropped slightly to 17,695. In 2021, after winning the regular season western conference title, the Rapids hosted the Portland Timbers in the Western Conference semi-finals in front of an unforgettable crowd of 17,438 on Thanksgiving Day.

Typically, crowds are drawn to DSGP for high stakes playoff games or big events, exceeding the 17,305 sellout for their current basic setup. DSGP had the 2015 MLS All-Star Game and has regularly gotten U.S. national team games. It’s no secret the Rapids struggle to sell out every week during the season. Is the problem the venue or the location?

Location Isn’t Everything:

DSGP, located in Commerce City, sits 20-30 minutes from downtown Denver depending on traffic. It’s located in, quite literally, the prairie. Nestled next to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, the location is not the most mesmerizing or convenient. There’s not much else around besides practice fields and housing development. Had Victory Crossing materialized, DSGP could have become part of a proper stadium district. That could have led to other developments to make the area a destination.

Sitting far from the noise and energy of the downtown Denver sports scene, the location is necessary, but continues to be the target of an ongoing discussion of what could be holding the Rapids back. Oftentimes, fans struggle to fill out DSGP during mid-week games and cold-weather months. The commute can be an issue for many Rapids fans, depending on where they live. And yes DSGP is located in a desolate area, but maybe the location isn’t the dealbreaker some think it is.

Take a look at Houston Dynamo’s Shell Energy Stadium, located in downtown Houston that also struggles to consistently sell games out. Sporting Kansas City have Children’s Mercy Park located 20 minutes from downtown. When they were good, they sold out standing room only multiple years in a row. They’ve struggled on the field the last few years and thus attendance has wained. From the above graphic, you can see Austin FC, LA Galaxy, and Real Salt Lake are all equal distance or further from downtown than Commerce City. All three have done something well to have better attendance than Colorado.

For the Rapids, yes, location is a huge factor. But other factors play a massive role: Team performance, weather, and the overall fan experience can make up for that and keep fans coming back. With the calendar switch, the club’s ability to sell tickets will get more difficult. In 2027, the season will run late July to May. There will be fewer summer games played at DSGP with no 4th of July game. We have years of data that fans don’t show up when it’s cold. Spring attendance increases when it warms up and the Avalanche and Nuggets are done playing. The MLS calendar switch could have big impacts on an already lackluster consistent attendance at DSGP. Markets in cold weather have work to do.

So What can the Rapids do to Overcome Being in Commerce City:

DSGP’s location is not that huge of a deal if the club did other things well. When SKC was competing for trophies, CMP was sold out every game. If the team can break the cycle of rebuilds and go on a run like 2016, 2021, and 2024, more fans will come. The fan experience and infrastructure need to improve especially with Denver Summit bringing competition in their inaugural season.

There was that MLSPA complaint led to some pitch replacements and player welfare improvements. The fan forums and surveys after the disastrous 2023 season could have led to stadium upgrades. Those didn’t materialize in 2024, potentially contributing to Wayne Brant leaving the club in frustration. Phish Dicks was moved from Labor Day at DSGP to Folsom Field in Boulder. Some speculated that was to free up time for some construction at the stadium that then didn’t happen.

DSGP is still a barebones stadium. The scoreboard is still Moldy DICK’s and a joke. Victory Crossing is a distant memory and a broken promise. The club did parter with major construction company Kiewit as a shirt sleeve sponsor. That said, Kiewit was already a sponsor of the Nuggets and Avs.

It’s not convenient to ride share, bike, or take public transportation to the match, outside of the C38 tailgate bus. If DSGP was magically teleported to a parking lot next to Ball Arena, the Rapids would get more yuppy transplants who want to have a few beers then Lime scooter back to RiNo or Cap Hill. You might lose a few suburban soccer families though.

But there would still be issues to address. The MLS teams that have done well with their non-downtown locations are competitive, have a good and engaged fanbase, are relevant in the public consciousness of their market, and have good stadium amenities.

Location isn’t everything. Just ask the nerds. If the club was crushing it at everything else, DSGP would sellout regularly. But with the calendar switch, the Rapids must focus on controlling the controllables to maintain and grow their fanbase.

This article was co-written by new Contributor Eamon Shaw and Managing Editor Matt Pollard.

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