The D.C. United played the first game at the brand-new Audi Field on Saturday night, and it’s clear that the stadium shouldn’t have opened yet.
Clay Adams reported before the game that a “chunk of metal” fell on a “member of the broadcast team.”
An ominous start to @audifield as a chunk of metal falls on a member of the broadcast team. Ouch. @whitecapsfc #capsontour pic.twitter.com/LOfgTBAdyg
— Clay Adams, ABC, APR (@OzClay2) July 14, 2018
And Erin Hawksworth of ABC-7 (D.C. affiliate) later reported that D.C. sideline reporter Lindsay Simpson was hit by a railing and being treated by medics. Hawksworth included photos of the railing:
According to ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle, a D.C. United spokesperson confirmed that Simpson was “hit in the head by an object” and wouldn’t be a part of the broadcast.
Hopefully Simpson will be okay.
And MLS reporter Pablo Maurer reported that there were a “couple of incidents” of the railing failing at the stadium.
So, this is bad. The D.C. United organization and the Audi Field crew have some questions to answer about how this facility was ruled safe for use.