Back in the late 90s, when the New England Revolution were just getting off the ground in the first seasons of MLS, the club didn’t train in Foxboro. Rather, they prepared each week on a field at Brandeis University, some 30 miles north of their home stadium.



As was the case with so many things in the early days of the league, the Revs’ operation at Brandeis was decidedly spartan. There was a field, a trailer where players changed clothes and tupperware containers filled with oranges on the sidelines. Head coach Thomas Rongen would occasionally smoke cigarettes in the middle of sessions. It wasn’t exactly the pinnacle of pro sports.



“It was like going to watch your kid’s U-10 club team practice,” said Revolution owner Jonathan Kraft.



Things are a little bit different now that the Revolution officially opened their top-of-the-line, $35 million training facility on Monday. The facility, which will house the...