The NWSL Washington Spirit will play "one game this summer" at DC United's new 20,000-capacity Audi Field against the defending champion Portland Thorns, according to Steven Goff of the WASHINGTON POST. When the NWSL schedule was released, the site of the August Thorns-Spirit match "was left open." Behind the scenes, the Spirit organization was "in talks with United officials about arranging the game at the new stadium." It is "unclear how much the Spirit will pay to use the facility or what size crowd it needs to break even." In the team's sixth season, the Spirit have "played every home match at Maryland SoccerPlex, a 5,200-capacity facility." The crowds have "typically numbered between 2,500 and 5,000." By playing in DC, at a venue that sits 10 minutes by foot from the Navy Yard Metro station, the Spirit will "test the waters for additional matches in the hub of the metro area in future seasons." The last weekend in August was "optimal for the Spirit" because both United and the Nationals are on the road (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 4/24).
