Soccer matters

The guide to a Houston Dynamo match day

The guide to a Houston Dynamo match day
A Dynamo game can be a fun experience. Victor Araiza

So you want to jump on the Dynamo bandwagon or simply enjoy an affordable game for once? Look no more, a Dynamo match (that’s soccer speak for "game") is your best choice.

But you clearly want to get the most out of the experience. That’s why SportsMap is hooking you up with the complete guide.

How to buy tickets

Tickets to Dynamo matches are available at HoustonDynamo.com, BBVACompassStadium.com, AXS.com, or the BBVA Compass Stadium box office at 2200 Texas Ave.

If you’re looking for a hookup, you can call the Houston Dynamo ticket office at 713-276-7556 and speak with a ticket representative. In most cases, they’ll wave the extra ticket fees that you would normally be charged.

You can also purchase tickets on secondary market online platforms like StubHub, SeatGeek and Flash Seats. Lower profile games will give you a better bang for your buck on tickets during the season.

As far as location inside the stadium, it’s really up to your discretion, as everyone has different tastes. Some fans like to be in the second level to appreciate the tactical patterns while others enjoy being closer to the action on the sideline seats. Aside from your preference, there really isn’t a bad seat in the house in this intimate stadium.

Parking

There are several lots around BBVA Compass Stadium, ranging from $5-$25, depending on proximity to the stadium. The most expensive lots are B and C on the north side of the stadium (the lots adjacent to Minute Maid Park), but they are also the ones that provide the most parking space.

There is also street parking available near the stadium, subject to availability. Street parking is free every day after 6 pm and all day on Sundays.

Eat and drink

Located in EaDo, there are many bars around BBVA Compass Stadium to do some pre and post game drinking.

  • King’s Court, opposite of the southwest gate, is the official home bar of the “El Batallón” supporters group.

  • Lucky’s Pub and Little Woodrow’s are located immediately to the west of the stadium.

  • Neil's Bahr is located a few blocks west from the south end of the stadium on Walker Street.

  • 8th Wonder Brewery is located a few blocks down the south end of the stadium.

  • Huynh Restaurant, located in the shopping center on St. Emanuel between McKinney and Walker, is a good stop for Vietnamese food.

  • Sigma Brewing Company is another local brewery located down the road on Harrisburg Boulevard

What games to go to

The answer to this question depends on what you’re looking for. If you want to go see big names and former European stars, your best bet is to hit up the matches against the big money clubs (New York, LA, Atlanta, Orlando, Seattle and Toronto).

If you just want to enjoy a soccer game, and prefer to get the best value, consider the lower profile teams like Columbus, Colorado, Real Salt Lake and San Jose.

Additionally, if you want a rivalry atmosphere the best case for that is any match against FC Dallas (also known as the Texas Derby). Sporting KC is also another rival of the Dynamo.

What time to be in your seats

Ideally, you would want to be in your seat by kickoff. If you are inside the stadium 30 minutes before kickoff you can witness all the players (starters and bench) warm up.

Autographs and photo opportunities

There are no guaranteed autographs and photo ops, but the best chance of securing one of these is immediately after the match as the players are heading toward the tunnel to the locker rooms. The best way to achieve this is to position yourself near the front rows of sections 137 and 138, on the side of 135, or in The Vault bar inside the tunnel.

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Stefon Diggs faces his former team on Sunday. Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Getty Images.

Josh Allen has never said a bad word about Stefon Diggs. As the Buffalo Bills prepare to face their former star receiver in a visit to Houston on Sunday, he insists the two went their separate ways on good terms.

And the quarterback wasn’t changing his stance a week ago, not wanting to ruffle any feathers when asked about the early season success the Bills have enjoyed with their spread-the-ball motto on offense.

He later explained that he spoke out after reading comments on social media in which people were attempting to twist the “everybody eats” motto into something being directed at Diggs.

Allen understands why Buffalo facing Diggs for the first time since a blockbuster trade sent him to Houston this offseason is a big deal. He raved about his former teammate.

“I’ve got a lot of love for him. I still do,” Allen said. “The things that he did for me in my career, and the things that he did in a Buffalo Bill uniform won’t be forgotten anytime soon, especially from me … (but) going into Year 7, I understand the business, and the aspect of what this league is, and again, I’m just trying to focus on what we got going on in this building.”

Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowler, is second on the Texans with 25 receptions for 233 yards. He has two receiving touchdowns and had the first rushing score of his career last week against the Jaguars. He spent the last four seasons in Buffalo, where he had more than 1,100 yards receiving each year, highlighted by an NFL-leading and career-high 1,535 yards in 2020.

He didn’t address Allen directly this week when talking about his time in Buffalo. Diggs did say his tenure with the Bills was “amazing” but that he’s solely focused on his future now and not interested in rehashing the past.

“A lot of other people are going to feel a way or have a lot to say about X, Y, Z, and I’m not mad at it,” he said Wednesday. “Football is a very emotional sport. I go in there and wear my heart on my sleeve, and I won’t stop, but for me, I block out the noise.”

“Nobody is going to run the routes but me,” he continued. “Nobody is going to watch the tape but me. I try not to get back into the back and forth about the opinions or how people feel. I’ve got a job to do; I try to get it done.”

Diggs has helped the Texans to a 3-1 start and Allen hasn’t missed a beat without him. The Bills also are 3-1, though they’re looking to bounce back after a 35-10 loss to the Ravens last week.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans certainly knew how talented Diggs was when he arrived in Houston but said he has been pleasantly surprised to see his passion for the game.

“He loves football … you see it in the way he practices, the way he plays the game,” Ryans said. “He loves ball, he plays with effort and that is all you want.”

The blame game

Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady was still kicking himself for calling a trick play that backfired, squelching any chance of a Buffalo rally in the loss to Baltimore.

After opening the second half with a TD to cut the deficit to 21-10, the Bills faced second-and-7 at the Baltimore 44, when receiver Curtis Samuel took a direct snap and pitched the ball to Allen. The Ravens weren’t fooled and forced a fumble, which led to a TD six plays later.

“I probably can’t say it on Zoom,” Brady said when asked to sum up the call in one word. “There’s no excuses. I can give the justification of why it was on the call sheet, but at the end of the day, the timing was not what it should’ve been and it was costly.”

Nico’s start

While much of the focus this week has been on Diggs facing his former team, the star of Houston’s offense so far this season has been another receiver. Nico Collins had a career-high 12 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown against the Jaguars for his third 100-yard game this season. He leads the NFL with 489 yards receiving and is the first player in franchise history with more than 450 yards receiving though the first four games.

“He’s a strong, physical, fast, and big receiver,” Ryans said. “That’s an easy target for C.J. (Stroud) and Nico has showed up every time that we needed him.”

Feeding Samuel

In the Bills’ “everybody eats” motto on offense, Samuel has had difficulty finding a regular place at the table. The eighth-year player who enjoyed his best season in Carolina under Brady as the Panthers coordinator in 2020 has been limited to eight catches for 48 yards. More curious is Samuel has been on the field for only 68 of a total of 230 offensive snaps.

“We’d love to get him going and whether or not Khalil is in or out this week,” Allen said, referring to receiver Khalil Shakir, who is nursing a right ankle injury. “So we’re going to be calling on his number, and he is going to have to step up, make some plays, which we’ve got no doubt in his ability.”

Update: Shakir has been ruled out (ankle) for Sunday's game.

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