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Washington Spirit to Evenly Split 2020 Schedule Between Three Venues

Washington Spirit

The Washington Spirit will evenly split its 2020 home schedule between three venues, playing four matches each at Audi Field, Segra Field, and the Maryland SoccerPlex.

This arrangement was announced Tuesday.

“Today is a big day for our club, our players and our fans,” said Spirit owner Steve Baldwin. “I want to reiterate my gratitude to the Maryland SoccerPlex and D.C. United for being amazing partners. Both organizations have wonderful people that have given me valuable advice during this first year of my stewardship of the club.”

Audi Field

The team has played at Audi Field three times before, once in 2018 and twice in 2019. In 2018, the Spirit announced a then-record attendance of 7,976 fans in a 1-0 loss to the visiting Portland Thorns on August 25. 

That mark was shattered the following year when the Spirit returned to D.C. on August 24, as 19,871 fans were in attendance for the Spirit’s 2-1 win over the Orlando Pride. The club announced an attendance of 17,418 when the club hosted Reign FC to a 2-2 draw on September 14. 

19,871 remains the current club record for attendance. The Spirit’s average attendance for matches played at Audi Field currently stands at 15,088.

Segra Field

The Spirit will become the first professional women’s soccer team to play at Segra Field, located in Leesburg, Virginia. The venue seats 5,000, the first stadium with such capacity in Loudoun County history.

The incredible support we enjoyed last year at both Audi Field and the Maryland SoccerPlex served to lift our players,” said Spirit Head Coach Richie Burke. “We were grateful for the tremendous atmosphere created by our fans at all of our home matches. Adding Segra Field into the mix will allow us to give our Virginia supporters a local venue to get behind, and I believe we will get great crowds at that venue as well.”

Ground was broken on the new stadium on March 26, 2019, and the venue was officially opened on August 9, when Loudoun United FC played the stadium’s inaugural match against the Charlotte Independence. 

Maryland SoccerPlex

The Maryland SoccerPlex has been the home of the Spirit’s technical and support staff since the club’s inception in 2012. Additionally, the SoccerPlex has been the location of the Spirit’s training facilities since NWSL play began in 2013. The Spirit will continue to train at the Maryland SoccerPlex through the 2020 season. 

“Particularly refreshing in my interactions with the SoccerPlex was their alignment with our desire to see our players play on the biggest stage,” Baldwin said. ”Their support of what we are doing is essential to our future success.”

The Spirit has played all of their regular-season matches at the Maryland SoccerPlex since 2013, with the only exceptions being the club’s three Audi Field games. The Spirit’s average attendance at the Maryland SoccerPlex last season was 3,419. The Spirit sold out three of their 10 matches at the SoccerPlex in 2019. 

Season tickets will be made available in venue-specific packages. Spirit fans who were season ticket holders in 2019 will have first priority to secure their ticket package for the 2020 season. 2020 Season ticket packages are scheduled to go on sale next week.

Additionally, the Spirit will be offering fans round trip transportation from Germantown to Audi Field and Segra Field for the matches played at those venues. The Spirit will also begin a program to cover the cost of tolls for fans traveling to Segra Field from outside Loudoun County.

Image from 2019 match at Audi Field courtesy Washington Spirit.

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