He did make one concession to football, bringing a small portable television along to keep up with the Skins. Dalrymple's assiduous efforts to court soccer have made RFK a mecca for the sport's fans. They're talking about putting in luxury skyboxes and a Jumbotron display screen, the same kinds of amenities that distinguish Cooke Stadium. They expect the old bowl to be as busy as ever in coming seasons. A soccer crowd is different in many ways from a football crowd, most notably in its international flavor.
Soccer is a world sport, and many of the star U.S. players hail from other countries.
But, as in the days of football, what counted most Sunday at RFK was what happened on the field. As D.C. United's Tony Sanneh scored what would be the winning goal, the crowd erupted in riotous celebration. His sister Gabriella and her fiance, Mike Romano, both 26, kissed passionately. Dalrymple said he hopes to give fans many more happy soccer seasons. We're proving it.