Chicago Fire FC's rebuild extends to their old digs, with behind-the-scenes investments at SeatGeek Stadium recently completed under new owner Joe Mansueto.
The stadium still serves a home base for the club’s soccer operations, with boosts to the locker room, workout space, video room, players’ lounge and more. New sporting director Georg Heitz spoke to the changes in a Chicago Sun-Times story that was published on Saturday.
“It was a completely new place for us. It was completely renovated,” Heitz said. “Joe invested a lot there. Just for an example, the video room looks a bit like a cinema. It’s really night and day. It’s really a complete change of this location. It is clear we will improve more.”
The club has been in overhaul mode since Mansueto completed a full takeover from Andrew Hauptman last September. The Fire’s home ground is now downtown Soldier Field, while Heitz, head coach Raphael Wicky and technical director Sebastian Pelzer now oversee the sporting side.
Chicago also underwent a club rebrand, with striker Robert Beric, winger Ignacio Aliseda and midfielder Gaston Gimenez forming their new staple of Designated Players. Center back Johan Kappelhof, who’s experienced the club’s highs and lows since joining in 2016, reflected on the overall direction.
“It’s positive. It’s all positives,” Kappelhof said. “When I came in, I had to find my way. I’ve been here four years, but I had to find my way. It’s good. There’s only positive things happening around the club and it’s good that everything is improving, also for the players.”
For more from Kappelhof and Wicky on facilities upgrades, check out the entire story here.
