Audi Field: Guide to the Home of DC United

DC United is an American professional soccer club that plays its home matches at Audi Field, a soccer-specific stadium located in Washington, D.C.

Audi Field Field Name

The stadium’s naming rights are owned by Audi, who signed a 12-year contract in February 2017. It was designed by Populous and Marshall Moya Design.

Audi Field History & Description

Summary

Capacity 20,000
Field size 115 yd × 75 yd (105 m × 69 m)
Surface Bermuda grass
Broke ground February 27, 2017
Opened July 9, 2018 (ribbon cutting)
July 14, 2018 (first game)
Construction cost $400 million – $500 million
Architect Populous
Marshall Moya Design
General contractor Turner Construction Company

Audi Field is a soccer-specific stadium at Buzzard Point in Southwest, Washington, D.C., and has a capacity of 20,000. It hosted its first game against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on July 14, 2018.

Plans for a new stadium dated back to July 2006, when D.C. United proposed building a new stadium along the Anacostia River near Anacostia Park, but disputes with the city government forced the team to consider other sites.

The tentative deal for the stadium was announced on July 25, 2013 which would see a 20,000–25,000 seat stadium built on the site, costing $300 million. It was signed into law on December 30, 2014. Groundbreaking began on February 27, 2017 and the ribbon cutting was on July 9, 2018.

Audi Field City Description

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and also known as D.C. or Washington, is the capital city of the United States of America. Founded after the American Revolution, Washington was named for George Washington, the first president of the United States and a Founding Father. As the seat of the United States federal government and several international organizations, Washington is an important world political capital. Located on the Potomac River bordering Maryland and Virginia, the city is one of the most visited cities in the United States, with more than 20 million visitors annually.

Geography

Washington, D.C. is located in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. East Coast. Due to the District of Columbia retrocession, the city has a total area of 68.34 square miles (177.0 km2), of which 61.05 square miles (158.1 km2) is land and 7.29 square miles (18.9 km2) (10.67%) is water. The district is bordered by Montgomery County, Maryland to the northwest; Prince George’s County, Maryland to the east; Arlington County, Virginia to the west; and Alexandria, Virginia to the south.

The district has 7,464 acres (30.21 km2) of parkland, about 19% of the city’s total area and the second-highest percentage among high-density U.S. cities. This factor contributed to Washington, D.C., being ranked as third in the nation for park access and quality in the 2018 ParkScore ranking of the park systems of the 100 most populous cities in the United States, according to the nonprofit Trust for Public Land.

Audi Field Weather

Washington is in the humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen: Cfa). The Trewartha classification is defined as an oceanic climate (Do). Winters are usually chilly with light snow, and summers are hot and humid. The district is in plant hardiness zone 8a near downtown, and zone 7b elsewhere in the city, indicating a humid subtropical climate.

Spring and fall are mild to warm, while winter is chilly with annual snowfall averaging 15.5 inches (39 cm). Winter temperatures average around 38 °F (3 °C) from mid-December to mid-February. However, winter temperatures in excess of 60 °F (16 °C) are not uncommon.

Summers are hot and humid with a July daily average of 79.8 °F (26.6 °C) and average daily relative humidity around 66%, which can cause moderate personal discomfort. Heat indices regularly approach 100 °F (38 °C) at the height of summer. The combination of heat and humidity in the summer brings very frequent thunderstorms, some of which occasionally produce tornadoes in the area.

Blizzards affect Washington on average once every four to six years. The most violent storms are called “nor’easters”, which often affect large sections of the East Coast. From January 27 to 28, 1922, the city officially received 28 inches (71 cm) of snowfall, the largest snowstorm since official measurements began in 1885. According to notes kept at the time, the city received between 30 and 36 inches (76 and 91 cm) from a snowstorm in January 1772.

The Washington Monument, seen across the Tidal Basin during 2007’s National Cherry Blossom Festival
Hurricanes (or their remnants) occasionally track through the area in late summer and early fall but are often weak by the time they reach Washington, partly due to the city’s inland location. Flooding of the Potomac River, however, caused by a combination of high tide, storm surge, and runoff, has been known to cause extensive property damage in the neighborhood of Georgetown.

Precipitation occurs throughout the year.

Washington’s climate will grow warmer and rainfall will increase as the result of climate change.

The highest recorded temperature was 106 °F (41 °C) on August 6, 1918, and on July 20, 1930. while the lowest recorded temperature was −15 °F (−26 °C) on February 11, 1899, right before the Great Blizzard of 1899. During a typical year, the city averages about 37 days at or above 90 °F (32 °C) and 64 nights at or below the freezing mark (32 °F or 0 °C). On average, the first day with a minimum at or below freezing is November 18 and the last day is March 27.

How to get to Audi Field

Audi Field RIDESHARE

Audi Field is located at 100 Potomac Ave. SW, Washington D.C. 20024 and is accessible via Metro, Bike, Car, and Riverboat. Below is a guide on how to reach Audi Field via any one of these modes of transportation.

Due to the high volume of traffic in the immediate area around Audi Field on match days, fans arriving via Rideshare will be directed to arrive near Nationals Park before a match. Following a match, fans will need to head back toward Nationals Park before hailing a ride on their app.

To get to the Rideshare Pickup Zone on Potomac Avenue, exit via Gate A and head right on Potomac Avenue towards Nationals Park.

No pick-ups are allowed on South Capitol Street.

Rideshare Options

Capital Bike Share

Uber

Lyft

Audi Field PUBLIC TRANSIT – METRORAIL

Audi Field can be accessed via the Navy Yard Metrorail station on the Green Line. If you choose to use the Waterfront station, United asks that any arriving fans be good neighbors and be mindful of noise when walking on residential streets.

Visit the WMATA website to plan your trip.

WALKING TO AUDI FIELD FROM TRANSIT AND PARKING

You can get to Audi Field from both the Navy Yard-Ballpark and Waterfront Metrorail Stations. Signs will be available to direct you. Navy Yard Station has more capacity, more sidewalk space, and plenty of restaurants along the walk to the stadium. If you choose to use Waterfront Station, be mindful of noise when walking near the residential neighborhoods.

Navy Yard Station is one stop on the Green Line from the Anacostia Metrorail Station. Parking is available at the Anacostia Metrorail Station. If you are walking from a parking garage/lot in the area, you should use the recommended routes for transit riders.

Audi Field – DRIVING

Plan your route ahead of time. Try to avoid:

Driving through residential neighborhoods near Audi Field. They are narrow and you will not find parking
Driving through the busy intersection of South Capitol Street and M Street

Other tips:

From Virginia: Recommend using I-295/South Capitol Street Bridge instead of I-395/14th Street Bridge
From 14th Street Bridge: Use Maine Avenue exit for parking west of South Capitol Street or 6th Street SE/Nationals Park exit for parking east of South Capitol Street
From Downtown: Explore options like 4th Street SW, 4th Street SE, and New Jersey Avenue that cross I-395/I-695
From Maryland: Explore routes using the 11th Street Bridges and South Capitol Street Bridge
Consider parking at the Anacostia Metrorail Station and either: Walk over the South Capitol Street Bridge or take the Metro one stop to the Navy Yard-Ballpark Station

Audi Field – BICYCLE

The Audi Field Bike Valet will be free to any fans who wish to store their bike during the match. The valet is at the southwest corner of the stadium at the intersection of 2nd and T St. The valet opens when gates open and will remain open at least one hour after the end of a match. Audi Field will also feature several docks for Lime bikes and e-scooters, along with several bike rack locations on the grounds.

A Capitol Bikeshare corral and general bicycle racks are also available around Audi Field.

(Via dcunited.com)

Audi Field – ADA SHUTTLE

If you are a fan with disabilities or special needs, United will provide a free courtesy shuttle to and from Audi Field that picks up from 55 M Street SE. This shuttle is only for fans with disabilities or mobility challenges.

Shuttle service will begin two hours prior to the start of a match and will run one hour after the match has ended. After the match, the shuttle will depart from the exit near the Audi Field Club Shop. Shuttle is first come first serve. The ADA shuttle will run every 15-30 minutes. For more information or to confirm, please contact D.C. United Customer Service at dcucustomerservice@dcunited.com at least 48 hours prior to a scheduled event. The shuttle may not operate for certain non-D.C. United events at Audi Field.

Audi Field Parking

DC United recommends booking convenient and affordable parking in advance through SpotHero, the nation’s leading parking reservations app.

To reserve your parking spot, visit the Audi Field SpotHero Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up.

Audi Field: Guide to the Home of DC United

Audi Field Field Name

Audi Field History & Description