It's already been done. Our conversations with these entities are continious and ongoing. The Fire people continue to be completely supportive and helpful with everything that we do. The problems that we have encountered are already being addressed. Some things will take time to fix so everybody needs to take things with a grain of salt and be patient.
Can someone tell me if Mirek and Tomek were arrested or tossed? I had a good view of Mirek leaving the stadium surrounded by "security" and, true to form, he appeared to be cooperating fully and not responding to the deafening boos when Section 8 realized what was going on. Keep in mind that there is a new Illinois law which makes it a felony to "disrupt" a sporting event. This legislation followed the drunks gone wild incidents at U.S. Cellular Field (a/k/a Reindsdorf's Tax Shelter). The Fire Management has been great in the past so I think the issues surrounding how many sections Section 8 gets will be resolved soon. I am much more concerned about the security. Please keep in mind: There were way more Monterrey Security "officers" than necessary. The area around Section 8 was crawling with them. They may feel the need to justify their existence. Plus, they are there because of the deal done between Alderman Solis and Mayor Daley, not due to any security concern that I can identify. Spanish-speaking security WILL be necessary at the Mexico-Uruguay game if history is any guide. Look at what happened the last time El Tri played in Chicago and the last time they played, a few months ago against Peru, in New York. That was a MAJOR riot at the Mexico-Peru game and it was terminated early to void a real disaster. You don't need them at Fire games because the regular security is more than adequate. Many, not just "one or two" were hostile and ugly in dealing with the fans. I saw it again and again. Fans waited through LONG beer lines to be charged 6 dollars. A few would wander around the concourse behind Section 8 having a sip. A few wandered over to look at the field, perhaps 5 feet behind the barrier to Section 8. Remember, the taxpayers PAID for this monstrosity and it seems entirely reasonable for them to be curious concerning what their tax money went for. The Monterrey Security people were all over these customers. I heard again and again, in a low voice: "You got a problem with that?" For heaven's sake, you can buy a cheap ticket and wander all over the Vienna State Opera House, admiring its grandeur from every point, so long as you don't block the lanes and you return to your seat. Can't you buy an expensive seat and visit the bathrooms and concession behind Section 8? I hope I am wrong but I think we are facing all kinds of troubles with security at the Eyesore by the Lakeshore.
We don't know yet. It's being addressed. Remember that the Fire is very busy with the Open Cup game midweek. Everybody is doing their best at this point. Patience. Everything is in good hands.
OK my turn to chime in. Tailgate was excellent. Got there at 3:30 and was happy to see were not first ones in lot. I was the one walking around asking if you had a pump for a deflated ball. The one thing I forgot! I was also the one with the Fire flag that a few BarnBurners confused for the real thing i.e. COZ. Getting into stadium was a joke. Walked to a gate on East side since gate 0 was crowded. I am a VIP Gold and was given a lamenated thing to get to Club. I showed my lamenated thing to the guy at the gate and walked right in. Didn't even show ticket. My seats are Section 136 Row 1 seat 1 & 2. This is the aisle on the 50 on opposite side of benches. Not sure if going to stay. Could not hear Section 8 that well down there. Did hear "Who's the best?". Stayed there until Ante scored and knew game was in hand. Then we went exploring. Concourse was better then Columbus as you can see from everywhere not just corners.
That was you! I don't see why you needed air in the ball. It makes you play better I must add that though I personally didn't tailgate, the new tailgate setup at the stadium is fabulous. There are 6 to 8 big tailgates right next to each other...BBers, Ultras, Arsonists, a few Hispanic tailgates, etc. etc. It was a heck of a lot of fun in the limited time I had Friday to visit each of them. Especially the Arsonists'...now officially The Most Offensive Fans In Chicago (tm)
Um, Thanks. Where did you see me play with a inflated ball? I agree tailgates looked better bunched up. Friends said they could see flags from LSD on way home friday.
Haha. Funny, I was doing the same thing. Only asked two or three people though before giving up. Our group ran out of brat buns so I gave the BarnBurners a dollar for one of theirs even though they offered it for free. Thanks, whoever I talked to. On the stadium, maybe I over-tailgated for our homecoming celebration, but I LOVED it! Too many good memories about the night to share. It seemed like a less symmetrical Nou Camp (boy am I gonna get *#*#*#*# for saying that here). Anways, it was the best Fire game I have been to yet as far as atmosphere went (I was in section 221 row 12 seat 2, I believe. Way up behind Section 8). I even won us two converts, who purchased a Fire necklace and long sleeve jersey t-shirt respectively. The Columbus fan in our group liked it a lot as well but he did say it needed a roof, and I would agree. Also enjoyed watching the Cubs win game 3 with the throngs at the concession stands. Had a blast.
This must've only been a Section 8 side phenomena. I sat in 105, and when we got there, discovered our seats were in the last row, so we were for all intents and purposes "indoors." So we moved down to the part of the section without an overhang over it until it began to fill up with people from Evanston who were late in getting to the stadium. After Nate's goal, we wandered over to Section 111 to see if I or my friend had won our "First Goal Pool." Then we stood behind that section, on the concourse, until half time. We never had any problems with the security. In fact, after half time, we went back to our real seats, found them occupied and the young lady for security politely asked the people there to move. Three observations: 1) Parking in the parking garage was a breeze. But I got there (after two hours of fighting traffic) at around 6:15 p.m. Others in our entourage arriving later were asked if they had a pass to get into the garage (a la for Bears games). They finally got in. 2) We, too, headed for the east gate and were rebuffed and forced to head to Gate 0. That was dumb and merely prolonged the wait of everyone in those lines. (We were the ones making the cattle calls) 3) I hate sitting under the overhang. I couldn't hear Section 8. It muffled the sound. The TV screens were nice for instant replays, but watching the game there loses something. The action was closer than at OSF. But I think it's going to be the 200 level for me next time. And what was with the piss poor beer selection. Heineken was the only import?! Ugh! Good thing my friend won the First Goal Pool.
My Soldier Field experience was great! I brought a group of 31 people to the game (1/2 of them attended their first professional soccer match) They all had a great time. All loved Section 8. My personal impression: My transit was wonderful. I walked from my residence at 15th and State to the newly renovated 18th St. over/underpass. I was shocked to see so many Fans streaming into the passageway. The Stadium looked great lit up. It was great walking up to the stadium from the south and hearing the samba(?)beats. A huge crowd had amassed outside the south entrance. I walked to the west gate and was into the stadium in 2 minutes. The seats (Sec 131 rows 10-13) were great, if not a little too close. I think the second deck would be primo. The proximity to Section 8 was a benefit. After the first goal, a concorse beer vendor told me that the roar for the goal was louder than when the Bears score a TD. Nice to hear. At the half, took a loop around the stadium. Nice.. Unless the Sox site pans out, I'll take NFS over any suburban site, regardless of how tempting Bridgeview may be. Suburban = Minor League in Chicago. I think NFS works great as a soccer stadium. OK there is not roof, and there are football lines (an insightly inconvenience for 1/4 of the season), but the dimensions are perfect for being right on top of the game. I'd liken the first two levels on the East side to that of Highbury (side with the Nike swoosh in the middle). Right on top of eachother with the second deck perfect for watching the match. I thought the seats were comfortable, but certainly not for standing upon. It was unfortunate to hear about the Section 8 difficutlites. Hopefully these will be ironed out by the end of the (post) season. I was shocked at the lack of a "Who's the Best" cheer. Now I know it was attempted, but wasn't heard. (Although other cheers came through loud and clear.) Reason? The nest/pulpit. The WTB cheer requires leadership and organization, while other cheers can go on for a while and eventually everyone joins in. Is it ideal? No Does it work? Yes Is it better than Old Soldier Field? Yes Has the Major returned to this Major League Soccer organiziation? YES!!!
I am going to go to soldier field and gonna be sitting in sec 207, anybody sit there or close by that could tell me how good the view is? thanks
I went to the game on Friday and here is what I thought: 1) You guys need your own home. Bears logos were everywhere, it's like the FIRE doesn't exist at all in that stadium. 2) The concourses are confusing as hell, we lost about 15 minutes just trying to find our seat. 3) The seating-price scheme sucks, behind section 8 is the $15 section (2nd tier), while on the other end of the stadium both tiers were $20. Didn't make sense at all. So when the Firehouse section sold out, we had to buy $20 seats, yet the seats were as crappy as the $15 section. 4) No matter how hard section 8 is on yourselves, this was by far the best MLS supporter display I have ever seen. Miles and miles ahead of the rest of the league. 5) Traffic in Chicago SUCKS major balls. If I lived there, I would be all about the CTA. We got stuck in traffic in Wisconsin because of some accident and lost an hour of time; then traffic on 290 outside of the city; and then again in downtown on Lake Shore drive (with Columbus av closed for the Marathon). sucks, sucks, sucks. After all of the traffic and confusion about finding the seats we missed a good 40 minutes of the game.
Yes, considering the Fire has Lasalle Bank as a sponsor, having Bank One plastered all over the stadium, even on the cupholders, makes one wish even more for a SSS. I would think Lasalle won't be renewing with that kind of promotion from a rival. And I thought that Bank One was a presenting sponsor of the BEARS, so WHY is it plastered all over SF? Or did they sign an agreement with the CPD to be a sponsor of the stadium?
They already renewed earlier this year. No. The Bears are allowed to sell advertising in the stadium, which is really only fair as they and the NFL are the ones who paid for most of it. To intercept any "no, the people did" comments off at the pass, as the stadium itself cost only about 350 million, the Bears/NFL did indeed cover nearly all of that cost. We can complain all we want about the Bears logos and the Bears sponsors being all over the place, but plain facts are we didn't put in hundreds of millions into the renovation. They did.
I agree with all of that, all I am pointing out is that it kind of sucks for Lasalle seeing as how they pay the Fire for sponsorship and then walk into Soldier and see Bank One all over the place. I agree the Bears put up the money, but they don't own the stadium, so I am guessing there had to be a deal with the CPD.
You dropped the interception Apparently, you have bought into the party line (again) where they have recently tried to spin the fact that the stadium only cost 350 milliion -- and then they compare that to the costs of other stadia. Of course, those other stadia include the infrastructure costs -- which they should as there would be no need for new parking, landscaping and on-ramps without a new stadium sitting there. So unless the "Children's Garden" and "Sledding Hill" cost $300 million, then roughly $600 million is much more accurate. You are correct that the Bears can and should control advertising throughout the stadium, so our sponors incuding LaSalle, Budweiser etc. are basically out of luck accept for field sign boards and PA announcements.