The Oven

Official Review by Tyler Stowe, Stadium Journey Correspondent

Pizza Hut Park is home of FC Dallas, a Major League Soccer team that was formerly called the Dallas Burn until they changed their name back in 2005. The stadium was opened on August 6, 2005 and was one of the first professional soccer stadiums built exclusively for soccer in the United States. "The Oven" (referring to the blazing hot Texas temperatures during afternoon matches, and also that the field is below ground level) also plays host to major international soccer matches as well as mid-size concerts.

The stadium is located about 15 miles north of the heart of Dallas in a suburb called Frisco. Frisco was a prime location for the stadium when the plans for the stadium were brewing because it was such a fast-growing suburb. Frisco's population of 107,050 made the suburb a great location because of its growth and opportunities to acquire land.

In a country where football (American) and baseball are king, the sport of soccer is becoming more and more popular in the United States. The U.S. soccer federation decided it must begin making more soccer-specific stadiums in order to gain more recognition from the likes of European and Asian countries. Some say that soccer (called football everywhere else) in the United States will never become as prestigious as that of their European counterparts until more of these stadiums are built. The city of Frisco and Major League Soccer want to change that and that is why Pizza Hut Park was built.

Food & Beverage    4

When you walk into the West Gate, you walk through double doors into the "Club" where there is a full bar with a classy restaurant feel. The food and beverage selection is HUGE and you can practically get anything your heart desires. Pizza Hut Personal pizzas: $7, WingStreet Wings: $6.50 for small and $11.50 for large order, Sodas: $5.50 and $4.50.

There is a huge selection of beers with the average cost of $7.50 for regular and domestic and for specialty beers, and 24 oz bombers costs $10 a pop. There is even a "Beers of the World" stand on the West end of the stadium. There are also margaritas and wine available. Specialty food stands they have are Dippin' Dots and Lemon Chills. Classic stadium foods are available as well as classic tex-mex food.

Atmosphere    4

On game days, you feel the energy as soon as you pull up to the stadium. Dallas has always been a huge hub for soccer junkies and you can tell just by looking at the fans that they are passionate about their team and that is exactly what this country needs when it comes to football. The people are genuinely nice and the employees at the park are willing to help you in whatever way they can. When you get into the stadium, especially at night games, the energy on the field and from the fans is electric.

This place is a mainstay for United States Soccer. It has a great feel, easy access, and is a very fun stadium to visit overall. It is very welcoming and is one of the reasons that soccer is becoming more and more popular among sports fans in the U.S.

Neighborhood    5

The stadium is located in the heart of downtown Frisco right off Main St. There are a TON of great restaurants and bars and you can tell the area is a ritzy area where the people have a lot of money to throw around, but they put it in the right places. The people are genuinely nice and are willing to help you find whatever you need.

The Main Burgers and Bar is literally a walk of less than 0.1 mile to the left right outside the west gate. They have over 30 beers on menu and when I was talking to the owner, he said he had over 40 more beers to choose from. There is a huge burger selection (I highly recommend the Cajun Burger) as well as great appetizers, salads, and desserts. When I spoke with the owner, he was saying that all of his burgers except "The Classic," had no lettuce or tomato on it because you don't get the full flavor with those on the burger; Excellent selling point. It has a full bar and a great wine selection as well.

The Londoner at 5454 Main St is found after a walk of about a 1/4 mile out the west gate and you can see it as soon as you walk out the gate. Since this place is a pub, it has ALL domestic and imported beers. Specialty beers are mostly from U.K. The fish and chips are beer-battered and ridiculously delicious. It's a great place overall to go for a watching party, after a game, or just to get a beer.

Fans    5

FC Dallas has an AMAZING fan base. They are extremely passionate for their team and every single fan is dressed for their team (no exaggeration). These fans have vuvuzelas, drums, scarves, and all other types of soccer apparel one can think of just like the big teams in European and South American countries. Soccer is making a huge impact on the United States and the fans show it.

Access    5

Parking is free and there is plenty of it on either side of the stadium. There are four entrances, North, South, East, and West gates. There are bathrooms everywhere and are very clean and tidy.

Return on Investment    4

I loved this place, hands down. It was alive and energetic at all times and I thought that everything was priced to perfection and was about the same price as many professional sports venues. I would definitely come back here especially with the ticket pricing being the way it is. I highly recommend this stadium for the real football experience in the United States. Tickets start at $20, even for playoff matches.

Extras    2

I definitely give 2 extra points to the park for having a herrada tequila porch on the Northeast side corner of the park and a Coors Light beer porch on the Southwest side of the park. Both are great places to hang out and watch the game with elevated views of the field and the rest of the park. Both sections are for fans who are at least 21, which makes it a great place for adults to have fun and watch the game.