Review: An insider's guide to modern stadium amenities - the 2024 Naming Rights Stadium Thread

Is it true that the scarf machine is finally being installed just off the to of the elevator to the rooftop pool?

 

yes, and that is the same spot from where you can see the autographs STHs put on the final I-beam installed during contruction.

 

DCU and SpotHero just announced a parking package for 11 games (not sure why the other games arent included, maybe those are dates with stickball games?). I see this as an improvement. The included locations are, however, up at S Cap & M Streets.

SpotHero - Park Smarter. | Reserve Parking Now & Save

 

also, for us season tickets masochists:

 

The amazing thing is that at one point we had mobile ordering, but that's actually gone away and hasn't come back.

 

Its 2024, name a place where you can't mobile order. Even the decrepit home of the Commanders has had mobile ordering in stadium for a few years.

 

ooh, ooh, Mr. Kotter! I know, that's an easy one. EagleBank Arena East!

 

It blows. More later.

 

I’m in the upper deck. They didn’t open all of the concession stands. They were also understaffed, so the stands that were open were slow and backed up. The main bar in the upper deck was completely shut down. At the end of the game stadium staff wouldn’t let DC fans leave near the exit near our seats because that exit was reserved for NE fans. I’ve left at this exit near section 110 since 2018. I was told when I first got my season tickets in that section that I could exit near our seats. Apparently that is no longer the case. Why?

It really doesn’t take much to create a pleasant stadium experience for fans. Except at Audi Field. Pathetic.

 

In Europe and South America, away fans need heavy police escort to exit their seats and the stadium grounds. I remember when poor unlucky DC United interns (as in UNPAID interns) had to escort NY RATS fans out of RFK and to Lot 7 (?).

OK, so it's a bit inconvenient. But you want the full soccer fan experience? This is it.

 

In the good old days at RFK the away fans were seated right behind a supporters group.

 

Why now after 5 years? Makes zero sense. If there were problems there then I get it, but there are never any problems with opp fans near me.

 

While a violent occurrence from our milquetoast fans might be unlikely, the risk is not zero.

Can you imagine the screaming, er, calls for heads to roll because manglement decided after 5 years of no issues there was no way there could ever again be an issue so eh, what the heck, let's do away with the inconvenience of security for away fans?

For how many years have you had homeowners or renters insurance despite of never experiencing a loss or submitting a claim?

[on the other hand, that would be another excellent nail in the coffin of driving Leviathan and Craplan out of the owner's box. Eh, no, that's just wrong, never mind]

 

The big plus: the season ticket holder discount now applies to beer.

Minus: on the south side, the only draft craft beer stand has four taps. It also sells the usual cans including Heineken. For the season opener, one of the taps now has... Heineken. WTF. Who needs a choice of Heineken two ways at the same stand?

I don't remember what else they had there, but what they didn't have any longer is Senate, which is what I bought from that stand the last several years.

 

game 2 update - I got a beer, since it was a splendid early spring day about 70° rather than in the upper 30s as in game 1.
I loaded my credit card into the app in advance, and then at the beer case I had my app running and the concession staffer generated a QR for me to scan - voilà! - beer paid for and STM discount taken. Receipt in my account.
I've griped plenty to anyone who will listen about the failings of the app, many of which continue, but the scan-to-purchase with discount worked smoothly.

 

So far so good. Now we need better beer in the top tier.

 

Aw, man, just when I was really used to calling it eaglebank arena east...

but now we know why the EagleBank signage is gone: they have had enough and bailed on DCU.
https://www.dcunited.com/news/d-c-u...i-field-s-premium-space-to-the-events-dc-club

Its weird to me though, because Events DC is a government agency that really does not need to advertise at all.... so I am wondering why EA left (or didnt renew) and why no other actual for-profit business entity stepped up? I expect a for profit entity will be announced to take over in less than 12 months

 

Are you really wondering? Do you really have to ask?

 

Overall, no.

But this appears to be the first, public, major failure of Danita's business administration (notwithstanding all the fan "experience" debacles which are all too well-known in our little echo-chamber but that 95% of the rest of the community doesn't seem to know or give a whit about) so I am curious about the details.

How much of this is on Danita and Jeff Ajluni? And how much is on Leviathan because he is compelled to follow exactly in his mentor Snyder's style and meddle in the day to day?

Knowing the EB deal was ending in December, why couldn't they get a renewal from EB or get anyone else to sign up this late into the year instead of doing the business equivalent of asking their cousin (Events DC) to go to prom?

Eagle is no longer listed as a "founding partner" on dcu.bom so I guess that means the banking relationship is done, too.