Confirmation from an interview that the impact have indeed hit 9000 season tickets http://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/4ed3-3cc4-532c601d-828e-6ab7ac1c606d|_0.html
Some tidbits about Timbers' season tickets and the wait list here: http://www.oregonlive.com/playbooks-profits/index.ssf/2014/03/portland_timbers_nominated_as.html Summary: 15,250 ticket holders >10,000 waitlist
Little ole Sac Republic (USL Pro) just announced 5,000 STH sales. Some of the big dogs need to step it up, including my Quakes
That very impressive, especially considering the prices: http://www.sacrepublicfc.com/tickets/2014-season-tickets-pricing-and-benefits/#.UzPZQvldV8F Those prices are equivalent to the cheaper MLS teams, and way above most of USL Pro and NASL.
just for some informal and very limited comparison: i came across two newspaper reports in the past month or so, one of which mentioned that ny islanders have about 8,000 season tickets, and the other that nj devils have about 8,500 (and are looking for ways to improve that number). i assume these were 'season ticket equivalents.'
One word (?): Bridgeview Such a hassle to get there unless you have a car. Not a slight on suburban stadiums in general, just Toyota Park specifically.
agreed. I' ve been to toyota park and ppl park in chester. not sure which one is technically farther from its downtown, but toyota was way more inconvenient to get to. I still plan on catching some games there this summer, but it does take away from the experience.
At least PPL has that SEPTA station nearby. I don't know how good it is, but even if service is bad, you have the potential to make it better. Chicago is in an unfortunate situation. Unlike Dallas, Salt Lake or Colorado which are auto-dominated cities where people are used to driving everywhere, Chicago is much more transit oriented. You guys don't have the culture, or the infrastructure, for everyone to easily drive everywhere. And with the bankruptcy of bridge view, no chance you're moving anytime soon. Though I did see an ad on the MLS live feed about buses that go from a bunch of downtown pubs to the stadium for $10. Is that useful? If they do more of that, or make it cheaper, would it alleviate some problems? Are they doing the maximum to shuttle people from the L stations to the stadium? Since they're not going anywhere, their only option is to make it as accessible as possible.
The buses from the downtown bars to the stadium are nice, but you're still talking at least an hour of travel to 1) get to the bar, 2) get through traffic, which always sucks here, and 3) park and walk to the stadium. Probably closer to 90 minutes, and that's in each direction. There's also a direct bus from the Midway CTA station to the stadium, but finding the buses to get back there after the match isn't the easiest. I did that once, and won't be doing it again. I'm trying to plan a gameday with some friends where we take those buses, but that's the issue: it's a full day. It's hard to convince casuals to blow 6 hours on a weekend (much less a weekday) to go watch a sport they don't necessarily like. Getting them to go to a Cubs or Sox game is a thousand times easier. The Fire are the team of the suburbs, not of Chicago.
Well, CTA is studying extending the Orange line to Ford City Mall: http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/planning/Orange_Line_Extension_LPA.pdf Maybe that'll make things easier for the team?
The distance doesn't seem that different, but judging only by google maps, I would think that staging a shuttle in a Mall parking lot is much simpler and logistically feasible that next to the airport. Just spitballin though.
The staging is not the issue at the Midway stop....I have only done it once but it is a subway station with a bus depot attached to it....the buses park in bays and there are signs telling you which bay your bus (in this case the shuttle to Toyota Park) will be stopping/loading in. An earlier poster mentioned how difficult it is to find your bus after the event at TP....that was my experience too....in the end I walked a bit and flagged down a cab......not sure this is helped at all if the Orange line goes to Ford City.
Not sure what is so difficult about finding the buses back to the Orange Line Midway Station. They're the line of buses... in the stadium parking lot... SE part of the parking lot specifically. Last bus leaves 30 minutes after the match ends.
It was a few years ago....but my recollection is that I came out the gate near the letter "E"....was heading towards where I thought the buses were but got directed by people out of the stadium grounds to where that visiting supporters parking lot is at 71st.....before you know it I was outside the stadium grounds and when I realized the buses were not likely outside the grounds I was refused re-entry.....it went something like that but, as I said, I ended up just walking along 71st towards Harlem (originally thought I would/could catch a bus on Harlem that was headed towards Midway but ended up seeing a cab and flagging it down. That aside, the point is getting the bus at Midway is pretty easy.....but at least two people have experienced issues getting the bus back.
Salt Lake's Light Rail is very solid, especially for away fans who typically stay downtown (as I did). But yeah, I imagine the locals drive mostly.
All this. If you're unfamiliar with Toyota Park, it's easy to lose track of where you're supposed to go.
LOL. When you use public transportation, do you typically just hop on the first train or bus you see and hope that it takes you where you're going, or do you plan out where you need to go?
Do you know your directional orientation as soon as you walk out of a stadium with poor signage, in an area you've never been? I'm sure you do!