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:
DC United sideline reporter Lindsay Simpson she was hit by a railing at Audi Field and treated by medics. Hope she feels better soon. pic.twitter.com/9bnkXcy1aW
— Erin Hawksworth (@ErinHawksworth) July 15, 2018
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.
A DC United spokesperson has confirmed that sideline reporter Lindsay Simpson was hit in the head by an object and is no longer doing the broadcast tonight. No data yet as to what it was she was hit by. #DCU #DCvVAN
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) July 15, 2018
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 they’ve had a couple of incidents here at the stadium where sections of railing have fallen – in one incident someone got struck by falling debris. They’ve resorted to duct tape as a temp fix. pic.twitter.com/mgPtckTL4x
— Pablo Iglesias Maurer (@MLSist) July 15, 2018
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.
