Just dont swear too much (namely YSA or GTFO chants), throw shit on the field or incendiary devices and dont pass your ticket to friends to get them into the section. Pretty simple. Sufficing those three common sense rules we wont have bike racks. We get away with so much more than most any other Supporters Section, this seems pretty easy. If you really want to break the rules...I mean really really, see me beforehand and I will try to get them to bend the rules on something. We have a good relationship with the FO right now. Just dont ******** it up. ...Otherwise. Dont sit in the section *shrug*
It would be interesting to see this in list form. No, we can't have smoke/pyro, but then again, it's the law. Other cities perhaps have other laws on such things, or maybe they have better deals with the devil, etc. Then again, we haven't banned anyone for life (recently unbanned) for cussing. AFAIK, our FO doesn't have "secret files" on anyone. This. Things are probably as good as they've ever been. Let's not mess up a good thing. It only takes one or two idiots to ruin the fun for hundreds.
Sort of like that secret conclave in the Vatican, right? You know, the one that was mentioned on every news outlet around the world.
Yeah, there was a discussion about that during the monthly FO meeting. A long discussion. It's a never ending battle, really. We tell them the back racks don't achieve their intended goal, they tell us there aren't any problems in the Nordecke when the bike racks are there. We tell them it's not because of the bike racks. Rinse, repeat.
Maybe you guys can parlay the good-will with the FO into selling the bike racks to raise money for all of the people who continue to perish in Portland from repeated smoke bombings. It would be humane and, more importantly, good publicity.
And here I was thinking you guys are more like Delta House (specifically "double secret probation") and never would have thought to compare you with the Catholic Church. Who knew??
You're both right, IMO. It's completely plausible that the bike racks do prevent the passing of tickets from the last row to the concourse, but even with the bike racks, such an activity would still be possible. If they think the tickets are being passed solely because of the bike racks, or if they think if people want to cause trouble just because of the presence OF the bike racks, well...they're the ones thinking they can make the Nordecke a PG-rated family-friendly zone with no organized swearing, and so on and so forth. Then again, they could try something completely novel and put those bike racks outside the stadium, which might actually encourage people to ride bikes...which could mean fewer people crossing the train tracks, but we wouldn't want something like that, now would we?
The bike racks had nothing to do with people passing tickets. It was 100% a punishment for swearing, smoke bombs, etc...
A problem with throwing bottles on the field should require plastic cups at the entrances to the Nordecke. A problem with flares and smoke bombs should require some sort of additional security at Nordecke entrances to prevent such activities. If they feel the need to have additional cameras or undercover security (which I wouldn't be surprised they do), then so be it. Even a list of known, habitual "offenders"...at least it's not bike racks which make no sense at all. If people complain because their name is recorded and they appear 4-5 times a season, hey, maybe they're not there to support the team. Sure, with the second situation you run the risk of having innocent victims feel like they're being punished, but at least the punishment fits the crime. With the first situation, someone who doesn't intend on throwing a bottle either could 45-50 minutes later, or that bottle could be picked up by someone else. It shouldn't be that hard to figure out.
Ever notice when the beer guys aren't in the Nordecke? This is the FO solution: cut off beer sales. This, and organized swearing, is where the bike racks come in. Someone's logic is flawed. Yeah, this has been presented numerous times. And we continue to tell them that they're doing more harm than good with the racks. Things might be different this year because of the personnel changes that took place over the winter, but who really knows.
That actually makes sense. If we (collectively) can't handle bottles, don't give us them. If we can't handle the luxury of having beer come to us, make us do the work and go get it. Make us pour it into plastic cups before entering the section. Duh. It's just a big continuous face-palm. It doesn't seem like things will be drastically different, but you're right. Who knows. Based on this thread, I wonder if the fans could apply for FO jobs to run the section. We actually get it.
I've tried, many times. Each time, no call back. And I've got plenty of experience in customer service/sales/management/planning. It's almost like they see my name and say, "welp, that guy's a fan, what can he know?"
Don't forget the possibility that some of this stuff is coming from league HQ. We (Crew Chiefs) lost our credentials this season--the reason given was "security" and we were told it was a league not team mandate. You will also note the trend going away from volunteer staff to interns and paid staff just about everywhere in the org. I suspect that's coming from HQ too--as it certainly is not cheaper. And I hate to say it but the (lack of) quality of the "Action Team" almost makes me long for the days of the Crewzers. Almost.
Yes, a lot of mandates do come from The Don (ie, streamers, smoke). But, by and large, most things that we struggle with the FO about on a month-to-month basis originate on Black and Gold Blvd. Usually in response to issues in the stands that we bring upon ourselves (ie, organized cursing, smoke, ticket abuse) and the Crew FO's handling of them. But, all of that being said, we've got a great working relationship with the FO at this point and I (not speaking for anyone else here) think that the FO does a great job of helping us accomplish the things we wants, as long as we play by their rules. The smoke machines are a great example of that. I know that there is a lot of FO bashing done on this board (by me as much as anyone), and I just want to make it clear that things aren't all bad. There is a lot of positive, as well.
The smoke machines are a great example of really poor smoke machines. They're also a great example of something that's acceptable for official Columbus Crew Instagram account photographs. That's about it.
IMO, the smoke machines work...if: 1) You're up close 2) They've been turned on for a while There's been times when the smoke machines are on and I can't see through the smoke. I can see that if you're far away, the white smoke makes things more like a heavy fog than real smoke. With that said, we asked about colored smoke at the meeting, if even for just a couple "big" games per year. At least this time, we didn't get the "theatrical smoke is too expensive" stock reply of years past.