'It's perfect': Phoenix Rising FC fans enjoying new stadium during team's hot start

Before Phoenix Rising FC’s match against LA Galaxy II on Saturday night at Wild Horse Pass, dozens of fans stood on the Chandler stadium’s south lawn, officially dubbed The Park. They sipped on beers and cocktails while eating pizzas and tacos, all from nearby concession stands.

Together, they cheered on the Phoenix Suns, who were playing Game 5 of the NBA Finals in downtown Phoenix against the Milwaukee Bucks. The game was shown on the stadium’s exterior jumbotron, which faces out onto The Park, featuring food options, picnic tables and yard games such as cornhole.

For longtime Rising fans like Abraham Carranza, the amenities available at Wild Horse Pass, the facility the club moved into this season after four years at Casino Arizona Field in Tempe, have revolutionized the gameday experience.

“The amenities are even better,” Carranza said. “They have more room here than the other one did.”

That space enabled the club to build the new fan zone on the south end of the stadium. Carranza wore a black Rising t-shirt and a baseball cap, but before Saturday’s game, he and his friends were glued to every possession of the Suns game — an opportunity that wouldn’t have been possible at the old stadium, which didn’t have video scoreboards.

“It's perfect,” Tommy Lene, a Rising season-ticket holder said of the fan zone. “I think it's probably the best thing they've ever done. I think that's what was missing at the old stadium. … It’s nice to have a tailgating spot.”

The scoreboard inside the stadium, which broadcast the final moments of the Suns game during halftime, is also a hit among fans.

“We can actually see highlights and see replays and all that fun stuff,” Lene said. “Stuff we don't really see when they don't have a scoreboard.”

While fans enjoy the new stadium’s flashier amenities, many also appreciate its improved logistics. Despite the Chandler location, which is farther from population centers like Tempe and Scottsdale, many fans find games easier to attend due to increased parking.

“It's not taking me hours to get out of the parking lot,” Carranza said, laughing.

Perhaps most importantly, the Wild Horse Pass location is fitted to seat 3,800 extra fans. The south, east and west stands of the old stadium were all moved to the new location, accounting for 6,200 of the new stadium’s 10,000 seats. However, Rising FC moved the suites from the north side to the east side, enabling the construction of a new north stand. The club also expanded the south and west stands, while adding seating in the northeast and northwest corners.

For supporters and the club alike, the increased capacity has helped establish a professional atmosphere as Rising FC pursues MLS ambitions. Last December, Phoenix manager Rick Schantz said that the new stadium was indicative of a “club that behaves like they’re already in the MLS.”

Tony Patterson, an 18-year-old Rising fan, agreed with Schantz’s sentiment.

“It was just the size,” Patterson said of Casino Arizona Field. “It couldn't handle the amount of fans that there are for this team now.”

Rising players have taken note of the increased fan support. Saturday’s 5-0 win was Phoenix’s fifth win in six games at Wild Horse Pass, with the lone draw coming on a stoppage time comeback against San Diego Loyal in June.

“It's our 12th man,” defender James Musa said. “It's been our 12th man for years. Los Bandidos, the Red Fury do a fantastic job. Obviously with the extended stadium now, we're getting more fans and support's massive. We hear them from minute one and without them, I don't know if this place would be as big a fortress as what it is.”