Former Houston Dynamo and USMNT striker Brian Ching has plans to make one of the coolest soccer bars in America. The venue, called Pitch 25, is expected to open in March 2018 and will feature natural lighting, an outdoor biergarten and even an indoor soccer field.
Located in EaDo (East Downtown) in Houston and less than a block away from BBVA Compass Stadium, home of the Dynamo and the NWSL’s Houston Dash, Pitch 25 hopes to be the go-to spot for soccer fans and the architect’s renderings look pretty darn cool. There will be 20 TV screens, what appears to be a stage for a band and — did we mention? — a soccer pitch.
The name for the bar comes from a soccer field (duh) and the number Ching wore for the Dynamo. It's being built in an old warehouse.
In addition to being across the street from Houston's soccer-specific stadium, the bar is also within walking distance of the Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park, the Houston Rockets’ Toyota Center and the George R. Brown Convention Center. The area is one of the fastest growing for dining and entertainment in Houston.
The venue itself will feature the typical fare for a bar these days: American pub food, craft cocktails and plenty of beer on tap. The soccer pitch may be the highlight and could pass this train station in Atlanta as best place for a pick-up game in America.
Ching and his partners are currently in a crowdfunding stage for the bar using NextSeed, looking for local investors to contribute as little as $100.
The Hawaiian-born Ching played for eight years in Houston, bringing the club two MLS Cup championships before retiring in 2013. He then joined the front office for the Dash and has been involved in Houston soccer ever since the city took the Earthquakes out of San Jose after the 2005 season. A one-time MLS Golden Boot winner, Ching is 15th all time in MLS with 82 goals over a career that included stops in San Jose and Los Angeles. He was capped 45 times and scored 11 goals for the U.S.
The18 Recommends For You
