New England Revolution 'Discuss' Moving Team to Revere

It’s no secret the New England Revolution have been looking to develop a soccer-specific stadium for several years now and move out of Foxborough's Gillette Stadium. 

On Monday, The Boston Globe reported one of the potential destinations for the Major League Soccer team could be Revere.

Mayor Dan Rizzo was quoted in the Oct. 1 Boston Globe article, “Mayor Hopes to Bring Revolution to Revere,” saying: “The city has to be right in the wheelhouse in terms of soccer fans. I’d love to see a full-blown professional soccer team here.”

Mayor Rizzo, according to the Boston Globe, is attempting to acquire Revere’s Wonderland Greyhound Park property as part of his casino negotiations with Suffolk Downs. If successful, Rizzo would then likely intensify negotiations with the Kraft Group to build a soccer-specific stadium at Wonderland and move the Revolution from Foxborough to Revere, according to the Globe.

To read the Globe’s story in its entirety, click here.

New England Revolution President Brian Bilello confirmed through a statement issued to Foxborough Patch Monday the team has had preliminary discussions with the city of Revere as a potential destination.

“We are in discussions with the city of Revere, which offers the proximity to urban centers and access to transit that we are seeking for a future Revolution stadium, but talks are preliminary at this stage," said Bilello in the statement.

The team’s desire to develop a soccer-specific stadium closer to Boston is simple – attract more fans. Currently, average attendance for New England Revolution games this season has been around 13,000 in Gillette Stadium, which holds a crowd of over 68,000. Soccer-specific stadiums, which hold roughly 20,000, have been far more successful in terms of attendance in other MLS cities like Portland, Kansas City, Houston and Montreal. The Revolution – and Mayor Rizzo – are intersted in bringing that trend to New England.

In addition to Revere, Somerville has been a potential destination the team has been linked to in the past.

The Revolution are owned by Robert Kraft, who brought the MLS team to Foxborough in 1995. The Revs have never won the MLS Cup in their 16-year history despite making four trips to the MLS Cup Finals – 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007. The team is currently 7-16-8 and in ninth place (out of 10 teams) in the Eastern Conference – 20 points out of a playoff spot.