I figured that was coming! But seriously, there was one game, I'm inclined to say it was against DC, when this blue helocopter was circling for a long time. I think they made an announcement over the PA about taking photo's. I am pretty sure that the photo for that poster they gave away at the end of the season was taken that night, maybe these were too. Anyway, that shot from above is awesome. If the football lines and logo wasn't there it would look (from far away where you can't tell those are bleachers) like a perfect sold out soccer stadium.
Actually, you'd be surprised how many people have no idea it's not grass. I told a guy who's a South African Charlton fan living in London that it wasn't grass. He looked hard and said, "Oh, yeah. I guess the light is hitting is kind of funny..."
that aerial photo is fantastic, if it was bigger i'd make it my desktop. is there a bigger version anywhere?
Yes, it was published in Soccer America. I'll see if I still have that issue, or if not, whether I can procure one at the local library this weekend. Then I shall attempt to scan it and post it here if I am successful.
http://martnet.com/~jgoodwin/cardinal.jpg Ok, if anyone wants to take a shot at painting out the rest of the lines or the text (damn you soccer america, can't you see that this picture is worth thousands of words?), let me know and I'll send you the big file.
Technical questions How did the stadium look before the makeover? What exactly makes prepping the stadium for the Fire such a hassle (in money, time, etc.)? I'm particularly interested in the running track. Does building over it pose extra complications in terms of construction or potential for damage? How long does it take to put the track-overlaid stands in? Was it feasible to use retractable seating technology from indoor arenas (i.e., flip-up seats that retract to fit tightly against a wall, but can be set up within minutes through a motorized operation)? Thanks in advance. I don't normally visit this forum and didn't pay much attention during the stadium soap opera, so I'm sorry about treading over old ground.
Re: Technical questions I think you guys are right, but I'm going to answer anyway. No, it isn't feasible to use mechanized stuff. It rains in Illinois, it snows in Illinois, it hails in Illinois. Besides which, that sort of thing costs money, and there's no reason to spend extra money when the track and football seasons cross over with ours so little. The only part of the stadium that preexists is the large, cement structure on the bottom right corner of the image. The stands closest to the field on that side are also temporary. If you look carefully, you'll see a sort of greyish stuff that's laid out over the track. It fits together more or less like a puzzle, and is used to protect the track from the stands and from I dunno, people in golf shoes or something. The first time around it took a few weekends to get things set up. The largest problem was the lines on the field, which the team and SafePlay (the surface provider) spent a lot of time and money trying to find ways to cover up effectively. They never really did find a way, and more or less gave up. (I would have too, given the circumstances) Also, the lighting is really not appropriate for pro soccer. The lights are dim and didn't properly point at the field, so even after adjusting them a bit, our night games look bad on tv and in photos. This year, the additional seating will probably be installed over a shorter period of time, so we'll go more or less directly from about 5k and standing room to fulll capacity, from what I've heard.
Thanks, Jeremy. Why I asked: The chances of building a soccer-only stadium here (Seattle) are tiny, but our local high schools have long been trying to upgrade its track infrastructure, so maybe a combined stadium would be successful. It would better for us if the bleachers could be moved right up to the sidelines and goal lines, but most track-soccer stadiums besides Naperville's keep the stands fixed off the track. So I thought you guys would know about the logistics.
Cardinal Stadium New to this forum, but not to the game . Didn't get up to catch a Fire game last year, how's the atmosphere at Cardinal Stadium for a Fire game? It looks pretty cool from the photo, I wish Chicago had a soccer specific stadium for 20,000 of my friends. I just hope the city didn't screw up Soldier Field as a soccer venue. Thanks for your replies, BecksToo.
Re: Cardinal Stadium Words cannot describe it. Good idea with the pictures. You better be there on April 13th...
Cardinal Stadium Pt. II Thanks for the pics of the crowd! I'm really looking forward to this season and getting out for the games. I remember my WC'94 experience quite fondly, a sea and flags from all over the world and the atmosphere of a European stadium, right here in the US of A, AWESOME. Thanks too all that replied, see you in the stands.