Crap. Wrong quote. Let's try again ‐---‐-----‐---------------------------------- I'd respond with some smart assed comment, but I'm one of the local angry techno-Luddites who can't access this link. So, someone tell me: Is this just another "Modric signs" pysch-out (dickhead, whoever did that ) or is this actual photo-evidence of safe-standing being installed?
This is what it shows. Seems like the seating in 136 is different in 137, and looks like safe standing supports?
Yeah, sorry that was I who did that. I didn't realize how dickhead-ish it was at the time. It actually said "Modric Designs" but the "De" text was white. The link takes you to a website to an architectural furnishings business called Modric and shows some of their Designs.
Thanks, that helps. I'd call that safe standing. But, given my FO-induced sense of cynicism, I can't be sure. Considering that we've been hounding the FO to install safe standing since before Audi even opened, you'd think that if they actually were doing it, the FO would make some sort of "hooray, stop calling us jackasses" kind of self-serving public announcement. Except our FO isn't that clever. Like I said: cynicism.
Pablo has a lot of stadium info over at the Athletic: Safe Standing, Roof and more. . . "I was fortunate enough to do a little poking around Audi Field yesterday evening. Safe standing is still happening and is on schedule – best I can tell, they’re about halfway through the process of removing the current seats" Full article: https://theathletic.com/1525039/2020/01/10/
More includes a note that the sports book will be inside the east side concourse, and may be ready in February. For those interested in that sort of enterprise.
Another point Pablo noted was that there was a $6 million offer from PSG for Acosta and DCU wanted more and the deal fell through. Also added that from that moment on, Acosta was determined to leave on a free. I trust Pablo's reporting, so I take that as solid proof that Kasper FUBARed that deal to almost biblical proportions. Instead of some part of $6 million to use to replace Acosta, DCU now is paying $5 million out of pocket for his replacement in Flores. Looks like the rest of the roster will be filled out with bargain basement acquisitions like the Estonian Messi and the 16 year old kid just signed to a homegrown deal. Oof.
I meant to respond to this during the week. Yes, bleachers had been removed in most of one section by last week. They're all gone from that section now and there may be some installation happening.
Not sure what to think of this. I'm absolutely certain that DC fans would have been irate if he'd gone for so little. How was Kasper to know that Acosta would just stop trying?
Some folks would be irate, but $6 million isn't chump change for a player with a good, not great pedigree and one half season of real accomplishment. As for what Kasper knew, it was apparent that Acosta wanted to go and he decided Kasper and DCU were the ones that stopped his transfer. Given that he was in his option year, Kasper should have known Acosta had substantial leverage by simply playing out the contract a la Ryan Nelsen. The next one up in this continuing saga will be Canouse who wants to return to Germany at some point. Now, the Leipzig offer was ludicrous, but what happens if a $1 to $2 million offer comes up and DCU still says "no." Ci vediamo.
Will Safe Standing allow more fans? Will they increase the capacity of the Vomitoriums - er Lavatories?
Speaking of Audi Field, I assume this will be being used soon on its grass - the XFL team has sent their "battle shield" around to all the local news stations to play with on air so they're already more identifiable to the average DC-area resident than United .... sending twitter account is the Audi Field Groundskeeper's. New graco line lazer for xfl painting. Shout out to @Brandonmackey31 pic.twitter.com/2Ta3q4I0yB— Kody Tingler (@KTingler10) January 14, 2020
So I would check the other thread dedicated to this topic. When you consider that it's a $5M profit, less the third of the profit MLS takes, less the fee the intermediary took, less any cut of the fee Lucho/his agent got, it was a lot less than $6M DCU was going to walk away with. Assuming it was the money up front and not laddered out, I don't think we were going to find a replacement (20A/10G) of similar quality with $4-4.5M. I don't have much heartburn playing out the deal.
The club is having an STM even on Wednesday 2/5 to show whatever mods have been made to the stadium as well as unveil the new jersey, which according to my rep, they will not have for sale, like in past year's preseason events.
That seems like poor planning. Hey, let's try and hype up the new jersey, but don't allow people to impulse buy it. Good thinking.
A few years back - they unveiled their new black home jersey at a Pinstripes (probably?) pre-season event and let us buy one - even though they waited an additional two weeks to announce the Leidos sponsorship - this gave me the delightful opportunity to buy an authentic jersey with no sponsorship logo uglily splashed across the chest. It's one of my favorite United shirts
They did this 2 years ago as well. They held a small event at some bar down by CapOne. I think the invite list was fairly short as the venue was small. They had Jalen Robinson and Zoltan signing and wearing the new jersey that they didn't have the new jersey for sale there either. I continue to be disappointed with the club's decision to host things mid-week. We'd have made an effort to attend if the jersey was going to be for sale, but without it, I have little need to see the safe standing that's going in. I can't imagine much else is going on besides perhaps some new Heniekin Club field level seating. We'd have bought 2-3 jersey's if they'd had them for sale. I didn't buy the new shirt until Rooney was signed and little PSU was going bananas about it. Up until then and without Rooney, there was no need for the new shirt. I didn't get it for myself which is the first home shirt in a decade that I don't have.