http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/index.php?id=52&newsid=3231 So are you Mob guys going to move, or stay where you are? Is this new configuration going to be better, do you think? (They obviously do.) In any case, 2013-2016, they're in St. Pete, so get used to it.
You've seen I've been advocating orienting down the third base line for years. It gives them more room to get full length. All they need to do is knock down the LF side wall by where the bullpen is.
Probably not, but I know there are several here who were against that arrangement, or at least didn't see the point. Just nice to see an idea being used.
The Mob as of now would be in the gold section, but we are negotiating for a section under the roof. Other than that, I really like the changes. I think the Rowdies did a good job here. Other than staying at Al Lang for four more freakin years, but yeah. Get used to it cause this is the situation for the foreseeable future.
I guess my source was right, at least for the most part: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/...year-deal-to-stay-at-al-lang-stadium.1947897/
I love the idea of staying at ALF. I do like the seats next to the team, and I will buying season tickets there for sure. I, of course have more questions: - How come we could not have this layout to begin our tenure at ALF? - Will this move cause a pending raise in ticket prices* due to this move. (*Assuming) - Does this mean the idea of a SSS is long gone? - Does this move mean being the primary tenant mean ALF is ours? - Will baseball still be played there if we are now the primary? At least we have clarity for a few years and goodbye SSS (imo) So I figure this means will be not getting a SSS in the next decade now? (yikes..i said decade) This is better than nothing however. We'll see how they do with the rise in ticket prices* and VSI 25 miles to the east in 2013. (*Assuming) On that note, I never knew how annoying at times being a D2 soccer fan in this country is. Cheese and Rice.
So yellow section is for the Mob and the green berm to the right for away supporters it will be interesting
to FN: 1) Trial and error, most likely. 2) I hope not. 3) Not necessarily. It's a 4yr agreement, not a 40yr agreement. 4) No. 5) Hopefully not for long.
I guess it's safe to assume that the main camera shot during webcasts on Ustream will be from behind the player benches and will show the stands and the Marina in the background. Should be interesting.
Things change. People have other ideas. They see what works and how to improve things. I'm sure you've noticed, but these people didn't have a whole lot of experience doing this coming in. They made decisions at launch that proved to be less than great, and they then made different decisions to correct them. This is one. Ticket prices are set by what the seller believes the market can bear. If you provide a better experience, you certainly have the right to try to raise ticket prices if you feel your customers will still pay it. The other thing is that ticket prices always go up, it's just a matter of how quickly. Well, they're going to be there through 2016, so you decide how "long gone" that is. Still the city's, I would imagine. Do you know what "primary" means? It doesn't always mean "exclusive." Depends how this goes, I guess. At the end of the day, I don't believe any professional soccer club in this country can be viable long-term without an actual stadium in a good location. For this club, I think that means an SSS on the other side of the Bay. But who knows how that will play out over the next couple of years? I would imagine they'd try the former. and VSI is, for the moment at least, not in the top ten concerns.
I agree with Kenn. Anything can happen between now and when the deal at Al Lang ends in 4 years. Heck, we might even have new owners by then!
I love this part of the article. Sidelines will also be closer to the first row of seats creating better sight lines and enhancing the fan experience. Hooray!
I just re-measured the field. If the long sideline is put on the 3B line, you can fit a FIFA-recommended field. I suspect they'll probably lengthen it to 110 yards (the current field is 105x70yds, it's finally updated on Google Earth), unless they knock down the wall in the 3B OF corner by the batting cages.
While not surprising, this is disappointing for me.... potentially for many other Rowdies fans as well. I've been a season ticket holder for all three years, and I probably won't renew (I'll buy single game tickets when necessary). Here's why: 1) Really bad stadium configuration for soccer fans - the changes may be slightly nicer, but let's not lose sight of this: the Al Lang grandstands still offer one of the worst vantage points in all of D2 AND D3 soccer in America. Is there any worse (honest question... Kenn, is there)? 2) Worst stadium amenities - I could focus on the lack of good beer or cocktails, but I'll simply state that Al Lang has the WORST food I've ever bought (several times, I couldn't eat what I bought) of any venue I've ever been to, including high school events. Also, the scoreboard is horrible with no video board. 3) The location - yes, I'm from Hillsborough county. This stadium is in the corner of the metro area. I'm not going to argue this, as many have before. I'll just simply state that it is what it is... I'm less interested in that long haul for a full slate of 15 home games - I made it to @1/3 of the games this year, but paid for more than that. I made it to @90% of the games during the first season, when the team was based in a more central location in the metro area. And, to be fair, downtown St. Pete is okay, not spectacular. 4) Broken promises - each year, when I renewed season tickets, I was told, (paraphrase) "something is in the works regarding a better stadium solution. If you keep your season tickets, you'll keep your priority for seat selection when we build a new stadium." I fell for it, willingly, to support professional soccer in this area... as well as the hope that the overall product would improve when that happened. I love the game, and support the Rowdies. I've hung on for these last couple years with the hope that something better will happen. I also understand the reality that there is a lack of better stadium solutions in the Bay area that are "plug and play"; nevertheless, the Rowdies need to work harder to offer a better overall product to keep me as a season ticket holder. Staying at Al Lang Field doesn't cut it, in my opinion.
I don't have the slightest idea. Honestly, the last time I was at Al Lang, I was covering Deion Sanders playing for the Fort Lauderdale Yankees. Obviously, baseball stadiums are not optimal for soccer. They're talking about that for Phoenix, and some are so geeked just to have a team that they're completely ignoring the fact that at some point, you say, "You know what? This sucks, watching soccer in a baseball stadium." Live, schmive, I can do better than that.
I dunno, yeah it sucks its a minor league baseball stadium but it isn't THAT bad. It's far better than GSF was, IMO. Al lang is smaller and more intimate with the stands much closer to the action on the field and the seats aren't angled inward as they are at GSF. The worst part about Al Lang is that its ancient and you know its ancient as soon as you pull into the parking lot. An old school baseball stadium could be charming, Al Lang is not charming in the slightest. I've also heard from many others that the food is terrible, but I've never bought a single burger or hot dog at a Rowdies game. Not at GSF nor at Al Lang, so I wouldn't know. But the number of people who complain about the food is convincing enough for me. The beer selection IS terrible and the Rowdies are fully aware that people want a better selection. Unfortunately, regarding the beer and food choices and quality I just have one thing to say: St. Pete Baseball Commission. That is who decides. It's up to the Rowdies to figure out how to get SPBC to improve the food and the beer selection.
The details on the stadium deal are pretty sketchy. Hopefully, more details will come out in time that will further enhance the game day experience. There has to be more to the flipping the field orientation. Yes, they seem to addressed my main complaint which is why they positioned the playing area so far from the stands. Looking at the sattelite map, it does seem they can snug up to the seating area a bit more with the new setup. Previously on these boards, folks insisted that the sidelines needed to stay where they were because the ground sloped as it neared the stands. Would be great if they converted to a soccer only surface, maybe not this season, but possibly in the future. I would hope that part of the plan is to eventually add seating in the right field area. If this team could make a huge sales and marketing push and start filling the existing seats, then new seats could be brought in. As for the food, if I were managing the club, I would kill two birds with one stone. Why not organize a food truck rally at home games? Park the trucks in the outfield area. The fans would have great food to choose from. It would draw folks to the stadium. The club could do cooperative marketing with the food trucks. A bar or beer garden replacing the first base side berm would be awesome as well
So, the club is planning on tarping off two-thirds of the current GA seating? Would be nice if the club would release an 'official' capacity of the tarped off configuration. Question is, will they untarp sections as sales dictates or will they try to force people into buying reserved seating? It is a bit strange having the Mob all the way in the corner by themselves, too.