GOLD CUP Travel/Tickets: Final in Los Angeles 6/25/2011

Discussion in 'USA Men: Fans & Travel' started by Palermo10, Mar 9, 2011.

  1. Ian McCracken

    Ian McCracken Member

    May 28, 1999
    USA
    Club:
    SS Lazio Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Security and event staff was a f*cking joke. Nobody could tell me where 22-H was, they had no clue what side it was on, and the side they *thought* it was didn't have my seat numbers. So, they said the tickets were messed up and just sit anywhere in the section. Yeah, that worked out real well because I spent the first 65 minutes of the game trying to fend off people looking to sit in their actual seats, where a boatload of people converged because they were told to sit anywhere. I actually almost got into a handful of fights over the seat locations with Mexican fans (most of whom were cool), but I think the fact that I was bigger than them calmed them down.

    I'm done with any USA-Mexico games in the southwest of the United States for the foreseeable future (like the rest of my life). It wasn't so much the fans, but security was so ill-equipped to deal with the myriad of seating issues it was unpleasant to be at the game. I mean, how can you be an event staff usher or security and have no idea where the sections are located? Sections, apparently, change between seats next to each other in a row (not divided by the aisle...the actual seats next to each other are different sections!). The Rose Bowl is f*cked up if that's the norm for even football games. I think I'll just stick to pro-USA stadiums in the United States, in the future, because Azteca North is not a place I want to be again any time in my lifetime.
     
  2. Toilet Seat

    Toilet Seat New Member

    Dec 25, 2010
    Bumpass, VA
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Don't worry, what goes around comes around. Their fans who are brave enough to travel to an away game in Honduras and El Salvador will probably on the receiving end of the same sort of treatment. I'm not saying that out of any kind of wishful thinking, I wish this sort of thing wouldn't happen at soccer games period. I think the mentality of some people is to view international soccer as war, which it most definitely is not, and the sooner they figure that out the better so they can return to reality with the rest of us.

    With that being said, part of the blame also lies on a society that values money over everything. Let's be honest the stadiums don't give a rip about security, they want to milk as much of the profits as they can without spending any more than they have to. They don't care if their anthem is booed, if beer bottles are thrown at Americans or if they are assaulted in the crowd. They are totally fine with that as long as nobody dies, they won't get sued and so they could really give two shits if fans are pelted all day long and end up bloodied and bruised.

    The USSF has the same mentality, keep expenditures to a minimum so as to maximize profit. They let Mexico grow stronger, richer and more popular in our country as long as they get their cut of the profits. They refuse to hire a credible, international coach.
    And that friendly against Spain was the worst money grab I have ever seen and really hurt the team's confidence going into the tournament.

    Should making money take precedent over the overall health and well being of our program, and at the expense of the fan's safety whose passion and support allows soccer in this country to exist? I don't think that right.
     
  3. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Let's not let the extremists on both sides dictate the atmosphere.
     
  4. Beautiful Game 2010

    Jul 11, 2006
    Western Hemisphere
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    O.K.

    Real Corona, I do not intend to hijack this thread but I hope that you can help with this problem, I really do not know how to report this abuse by the moderator "TallTowerMan" now that many of my priveleges have been revoked as a result of his actions:

    Recently, I received an "infraction" from a moderator named "TallTowerMan" for "sock creation". It is my understanding that this has to do with multiple usernames. Well, my wife and I use the same PC and internet connection at our house. My wife recently signed up as a BigSoccer member with the username "Happy Brazilian hexa". My wife posted some comments, in a USA forum, where she was somewhat critical of some of the Mexican players, but not overly critical. Apparently, this was too much for this moderator "TallTowerMan" to take (he appears to be a Mexico moderator) who decided to issue the "sock creation" infraction to me and to permanently ban my wife from BigSoccer for sock creation! When I politely informed "TallTowerMan" that he had made a mistake, and requested that he withdraw the erroneous infraction, he refused. Please remove this infraction, restore my privileges (I am "Beautiful Game 2010") and restore my wife's privileges (she is "Happy Brazilian hexa"). We will continue to use the same computer and internet connection because it is the only one we have. Thank you in advance for forwarding this message to the proper person or any other help to correct this situation and for informing the moderator "TallTowerMan" that he should not assume that two users with the same internet connection is a case of "sock creation".
     
  5. blech

    blech Member+

    Jun 24, 2002
    California
    It was good of you to acknowledge that "some" US fans have some explaining to do as well, but it would be equally big of you to tone it down a notch and acknowledge that there were only a problem with "some" of the Mexico fans as well, not all. I am disgusted to hear about the incidents you described, but we had many encounters with Mexico fans that were positive and did not see anything like what you describe, either before the game or in my section.

    The discussion before the game was about a 1% element. I don't know what the percentage actually was at the game as that seems like it is pretty high (8,000 to 10,000 of the 93,000+ at the stadium!?!?!), although perhaps that depends some on what level of conduct is required to be put into this category. Of course, the fact that there are any of the incidents being described is unacceptable, but I was (fortunately) not witness to any of it.
     
  6. MakingNews

    MakingNews Member

    Jul 8, 2003
    Detroit, MI
    Agreed.

    There's no doubt that security was an absolute joke: The worst I've seen in any stadium anywhere in the world. Far worse than my two trips to Azteca.

    I didn't seen any really horrible incidents, but witnessed a ton of bad behavior on both sides. US fans throwing stuff and flipping off Mexican fans to their face. Mexico fans blaring horns in the ears of US fans. Fans leaping over barriers. The percentage of jerks (on both sides) at this game seemed higher than usual.

    But we also saw some real class acts. Mexican fans pulling their stupid drunk fan away from us when he got too aggressive. A large portion of the Mexico crowd around the supporters section chanted USA as we were leaving, applauding us and offering condolences, patting us gently on the back.

    In the end, it's a game. USA supporters need to be better than other football fans. Let's continue to lift ourselves above this sport's occasional stupidity.
     
    1 person likes this.
  7. Toilet Seat

    Toilet Seat New Member

    Dec 25, 2010
    Bumpass, VA
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    I think you may also want to bitch Here

    They were still looking for security less than a month before the GC final: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/sec/2413894556.html

    Qualifications to work security at the Rose Bowl: 18 years old, GED, no criminal background. So basically anyone who lives nearby that's willing to work for 8 bucks an hour. :rolleyes:
     
  8. BigMo1234

    BigMo1234 Member

    Jul 21, 2008
    Yeah, security was poor, and tunnel management an issue too, especially with the stadium tunnels under construction. We were sent from Tunnel 22 down to 21 just before 6, as the line was too long. Only because I'm familiar with the Rose Bowl were we able to navigate to my correct seats in 22-H.

    The Outlaws were there too? I bought seats in Sec 22, row 55 to try to be near the AO section, but apparently that was too high. I only counted 2 other US supporters anywhere near me.

    Up 1-0 and then 2-0, we were having fun, and nearly got in a fight from one guy in front who took exception, but after that my neighbors were cool and respectful, they were they to cheer for their team, whether trailing or leading.

    There was a brutal brawl to the right in section 23, row 60, late in the first half, but other than that pretty non-eventful, until the beer showers after Gio's fourth goal.

    Glad I went, expected what I got, but wish there was a bigger and more organized section of US supporters, the few there were were way too spread out.
     
  9. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The funny thing is that I didn't see anything bad coming from mexican supporters and the only fights or chaos I saw was actually caused by American fans.
     
  10. UnionFreak1

    UnionFreak1 Member+

    Oct 14, 2009
    Tucson, Baja AZ
    Club:
    FC Tucson
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I am going to qualify the fans that would get into the "chanting" battles with the Mexican fans during the tailgate as the dumbest fans ever. You just wasted the energy you are suppose to use in the stadium for some drunk fans chanting in Spanish. Then there were the people trying to shit talk when we were losing 4-2. Why the ******** would you do that. Lets chant for are team, not ********ing shit talk the fans next to us.
     
  11. SnakeEyes

    SnakeEyes Member

    Oct 7, 2001
    How many more times are you planning to post that nonsense? Perhaps you don't have the energy for pre-game chants and a full 90 but most of us are vets with the caps to handle both.
     
  12. UnionFreak1

    UnionFreak1 Member+

    Oct 14, 2009
    Tucson, Baja AZ
    Club:
    FC Tucson
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Its BigSoccer. Everyone posts the exact same nonsense OVER & OVER Again.
     
  13. SnakeEyes

    SnakeEyes Member

    Oct 7, 2001
    Using other people's actions to justify your own... poor form.
     
  14. RudyG

    RudyG New Member

    May 18, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You obviously did not sit in the disaster of a section that was 22-H. There needed to be a fence that separated GA from the rest of the seats.
     
    1 person likes this.
  15. JLoeza

    JLoeza Guest

    Spent a grip of money only to not have a seat and no USA supporters section.
     
  16. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No I didn't.
     
  17. UnionFreak1

    UnionFreak1 Member+

    Oct 14, 2009
    Tucson, Baja AZ
    Club:
    FC Tucson
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    How & Why? Thought you spent $150 per ticket?
     
  18. JLoeza

    JLoeza Guest

    Everyone sat whereever they wanted and "security" was almost nonexistent.
     
  19. UnionFreak1

    UnionFreak1 Member+

    Oct 14, 2009
    Tucson, Baja AZ
    Club:
    FC Tucson
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    so where did you end up sitting?
     
  20. JLoeza

    JLoeza Guest

    Went up to the North End of the stadium where I saw the panoramic, not a bad seat just wish I was there the whole time.
     
  21. ninjew

    ninjew Member+

    Oct 14, 2009
    Discordia 2.0
    Club:
    CD Chivas de Guadalajara
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    Never a dull moment with you Mr. Sock creator. :D
     
  22. UnionFreak1

    UnionFreak1 Member+

    Oct 14, 2009
    Tucson, Baja AZ
    Club:
    FC Tucson
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I sold two tickets to two US fans for the supporters section. They ended up sitting at the top of the general admission section & said they didn't have any problems.
     
  23. RudyG

    RudyG New Member

    May 18, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why would US fans move from sitting in the lower part of the stadium with US fans in the shade to sitting in worse seats in the sun?

    Sitting at the top of stadium does have one advantage...when someone throws something at you, you can see it coming.
     
  24. UnionFreak1

    UnionFreak1 Member+

    Oct 14, 2009
    Tucson, Baja AZ
    Club:
    FC Tucson
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  25. RudyG

    RudyG New Member

    May 18, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    On par with my experience. Let me add that the debris that was thrown at us in the tailgate, what didn't hit us hit the cars around us causing some property damage.
     

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