Texas To-Do List: National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco
FRISCO, Texas - Whether you’re a soccer player, a fan of soccer, or you just want to know what it means to be offside, grab your cleats and join us FOX 4 at this next location on the Texas To-Do List – the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco.
"We are inside The National Soccer Hall of Fame experience. And we call it ‘experience’ for a reason. Because we didn’t want to have some sort of traditional museum type setting, where you just look at exhibits. Instead, we use facial recognition technology, powered by NEC to deliver the most customized experience in sports," said Gina Miller, an FC Dallas broadcaster.
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There are so many interactive exhibits here that offer unique training to get you on track to being a pro yourself. Test your kicking and heading skills while the camera tracks your movement. This high-tech exhibit keeps a tally of how many targets you’ve hit over the course of 60 seconds, and it even measures you against everyone who played at the hall of fame that day.
"So, the National Soccer Hall of Fame experience really does let you get in the game. You saw the gesture technology, how about virtual reality that lets you be one of the best goal keepers in the world?" Miller said.
These two exhibits barely scratch the surface on all you can do here. Along with foosball, you can create your own soccer kits, design your scarf, test your trivia knowledge, and even build your own team.
"My favorite exhibit here is Build Your Best 11 men’s or women’s national team. It is so cool to be able to select and build a national team from all the greats that have played. It's kind of like fantasy sports," said Daniel Hunt, the president of FC Dallas.
"You cannot come to the National Soccer Hall of Fame and not experience this, the green screen! Where you can photobomb the most iconic moments in soccer history," Miller added.
Texas To-Do List: Meow Wolf
"Family-friendly, psychedelic art playground" is probably the best way to describe Meow Wolf at Grapevine Mills, but honestly, there are no words that could truly define what this place is.
And if you are more interested in the history and memorabilia, their collection from all eras is nothing short of incredible.
And make sure to go on Wednesdays when tickets are only $5.
"This is the only major pro sports hall of fame built into an active stadium. We call it ‘the most personalized experience in professional sports.’ Toyota Stadium and soccer center is 145-acre complex, and we have over 2 million visitors a year. So, it has one of the largest audiences in all of soccer anywhere in the world," Hunt said.
"The National Soccer Hall of Fame has this amazing trophy case behind me. You can see the Concacaf trophies, the Hermann trophy, but perhaps the coolest thing: it is home to all four FIFA Women’s World Cup trophies; the only place in the world that can make that claim," Miller said.
When looking at the FIFA trophies, make sure to check out the floor you are walking on. These inset installations showcase some of the most iconic moments in soccer history.
"There are so many cool interactive things that you can do here in the National Soccer Hall of Fame experience that really do give you an insight and entry into the beautiful game," Miller said.