It's still not enough http://whitecapsfc.com/news/2010/12/travelling-fans-receive-access-500-tickets-northwest-markets
I think you're right... I would have a real tough time turning down an bus trip to Seattle or an overnight/weekend trip to Portland to catch a game. Are we able to purchase tickets directly from the opposing club if they are available and the tickets allocated to the caps are sold out? I thought I read something earlier in the year that they were not going to allow it..
From what I know, I am pretty sure that visiting fans can buy tickets from the home team, but they will be sitting with home fans if they do.
I think its a suitable number to start at for the first year. Priority should be for the home fans first. I don't think its right for any home fan not to be able to buy tickets because the game is sold out because x amount of tickets have been set aside for Seattle and Portland fans and vice versa. If the demand is there, then they can look at the pros and cons of opening the upper deck at BC Place (and Qwest in Seattle). Keep in mind next year the Caps will be at Empire for the majority of the season where they can't simply open up more seats if its already sold out every game (which based on what we've seen so far suggests it will). Portland's in a similar situation. I also do find it a little bit ironic that the Southsiders, (200-300 members?) who come off as having the attitude and impression that they're the only real supporters and the only ones who can provide an "exciting atmosphere" were all bitching and complaining about the price of seasons tickets and are now complaining about this because they seem to expect they'll all travel in droves despite the obvious $ associated with roadtrips....
The Southsiders "were all bitching and complaining" not about the price, but because of the premium added to where the club wanted them to sit based on the 'perceived value' of being in a supporters section. As for Empire, with BC Place now looking at a Nov 1st completion target, it will likely be the home of the Caps all season. Empire has 27,528 seats, and the Whitecaps plan on capping it at 24,000. Thats even if they can get that high, I heard at the end of deposit times they were only at 13,000 seats selected.
If that was the case the south end would have been priced higher than the north end. It's not. You guys are so full of yourselves.
Really? We were told by the club that our seats cost more for this 'perceived value'. Their words not ours. If you have a problem with that bring it up to them.
I don't have a problem with it. Neither do most people. That's the thing. I know you guys are trying to grow and recruit new members (which is great and I totally support) but as someone on the outside, looking at the southsiders as whole you're coming off as a bunch of whiny spoiled brats. Potential new members browsing the southsiders forum reading discussions about how no one should buy any official merchandise or how you should boycott club events is probably not going to win too many people over...
i doubt if they will be able to receive your message... but sometimes the truth hurts or makes people angry and attack its obvious that the Caps have decided to put some distance between themselves and the SSiders and u have 'hit the nail on the head' as to why
hopefully the amtrak train connection between vancouver, seattle and portland will, in the future, be able to accommodate the games when enough fans show the interest -- would be a great way to go and a lot of fun
Not if the league and our front offices can help it. They seem to be dead set against making it easy to attend these matches away.
sportie1 and canuck51, The Southsiders aren't encouraging others from buying in to club functions and attending functions or buying new tops. The southsiders, on an individual basis are doing this as a sign of protest over our poor treatment or the perceived lack of communication, or a failed promise or expectation. Fact: The Caps want to be big, but when less than 50 people show up at the club store to welcome Jay DeMerit, or to seek an autograph, that shows something. If this were Ryan Kesler or Mason Raymond (not superstars like Luongo or the Sedins) showing up at the Canucks team strore there would have been lineups around the building. Had the Southsiders mobilized to attend this we would have likely doubled or tripled their attendance at the function. I myself am only aware of three or four guys that went. What is becoming apparent is that, until the caps actually begin their MLS Season and the Fans can root, the existing fan base, for the most part, aside from the Southsiders simply don't attend away from the home park functions. Every pub night or whatever is almost always 95% or more attended by Caps staffers and Southsiders, the other 5% are people the Southsiders fraternize with. I don't see the avergae Joe sixpack showing up to these events. That again, for you sportie1, is an example of my perception of the difference between a "supporter" and a "fan" or "ticketholder" And again, while you are entitled to your perceptions and opinions, please try and get facts straight: The Caps FO wouldn't be trying to distance themselves from the Southsiders if they had Paul Barber come to our social function at Cinema public house the day they launched the MLS branding would they? They wouldn't have given us the ability to buy or seasons tickets before anyone else...would they? They wouldn't be hosting and attending meetings with our executive committe would they? ...message boreds... *shakes head*
^Nicely put. This is my opinion on the subject from what I've read and heard. In regard to this ticket debacle, the Whitecaps Football Club Ltd. has had piss poor communication with the oldest, largest, and only truly organised fan base in Metro Vancouver in support of the club's business. Their poor communication has alienated this fan base and the club stupidly has done nothing to rectify it. At the very least, something more substantial than, "we'll have to agree to disagree". I mean, this is their largest supporter group they're dealing with after all. They do want to emulate what's happening in other MLS clubs and their supporter groups right? Not only does it set a bad precedence with future support from their largest fan base but it also doesn't help new supporter groups, if there ever will be. That's fine and dandy if the club wants to put all their eggs in one basket and assume there will be support, but this support is not guaranteed. The club didn't have to do much to remedy this situation, so they will be the ones to blame in the future if "supporters culture" doesn't take off like it has successfully done with the club's direct business competitors - Seattle Sounders FC, Portland Timbers, and Toronto FC.
the answer to your comment is that the Caps FO put the SSiders in the corner like any annoying, 'i want it my way' whiners-- its nice to know that others like the Shiek, who u guys had banned from the Board, and 1canuck understand; of course sometimes the Shiek was like a litle 'piss ant'-- but sometimes he was right on, like the waterfront stadium, marcus haber, canada's mens' soccer program and the difference between supporter and fan if people dont buy whitecap gear and attend functions because of your's and the SSiders' advice, then that tells me alot about their intelligence and maturity when your group gets to a game-attending group of 1 000, then u can begin to put some demands on the Caps FO-- until then, head to the corner and enjoy the games and your pals i'm not saying that the SSiders are a bad group-- i m saying that u r not as important as u think u r- u remind me of a 'soccer church' that close the door to other possibilites and ideas
i remember the NASL whitecap days between 1980-1983-- there was a group of Supporters who met in the north end zone-- they got into lots of problems with BC Place staff-- being overly rowdy, some fights, drunkenness, loud swearing, etc-- the Caps FO at the time had to really interject and try to settle things down, almost ban some from coming maybe this is why BL is trying to minimize the SSiders group- he might have some thoughts that the SSiders remind him of that group i m not saying that is true, its just an idea
Vancouver doesn't need the "supporter culture" to be successful. In fact, I find it vastly overrated. If the SS are any example, they seem as fickle as any of the non-"hardcore" support.
Supporters culture is very important. All you have to do is look at the difference between the enviroment between the Seattle Sounders gameday and FC Dallas gameday. I would rather have supporters groups than soccer moms in a stadium.
sportie1, so when Paul Barber (Lenard Bobbaduzzi's boss btw) says that he wants BC Place to make Qwest field look like a "nursery party" you don't think the Caps FO is trying to prop up supporter culture!? give me strength... :S
Here are the tentatively assigned away sections for Seattle and Portland Qwest, section 100 - 103. PGE, sections 121 and 122. http://forum.vancouversouthsiders.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4709
I'm sick of this southsiders elitism attitude. Not everyone in the stadium needs to be completely wasted, throwing smoke bombs, and calling the opposing players pedophiles to help "BC Place to make Qwest field look like a "nursery party."