My slightly-educated guess: Donato's bought at Red Robin won't be the same as Donato's bought at Donato's, like how Donato's at a concession stand isn't the same. Donato's bought direct from them? Any change there will be a direct result of corporate management.
Who’s been to any of the posh seats? Someone offered me seats in 137 which I think grants access to Tipico Sports Lounge and I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth the price tag ($130). This place a cash bar or are the drinks and food free?
Nothing is free, you just have shorter lines for bathroom and concessions with "fancier" food options. It's very similar to the club level experience at Nationwide Arena. The Huntington Field Club would be where some things are comped, similar to CBJ's Lexus Lounge and Glass Seats.
Not sure about the premium offerings for any of the Cincinnati teams, but north of that, the Guardians are the only team in Ohio that includes free food with a "basic" club ticket.
The all you can eat buffet in the River Lounge is solid and is extra handy when you are sneaking your kid food..
Honestly, to me the best thing about the clubs is being able to step inside for a few minutes on a really hot sweaty night and cool off for a few. The lack of lines is pretty cool too; normally theres no waiting for either food or the can although I can take or leave the food but I drive 2+ hours from home and enjoy stopping someplace for a nice meal before the game so I'm usually not hungry.
Should know this but....is the home bench on the north or south side of midfield? I thought we changed it at some point but can't find any damn pics to confirm. Thanks!!
South - It was changed from North to south by Gregggg during his tenure to be closer to the AR on the bench side. It has been that way since!
How do the River/Rail clubs detect if you are allowed inside? Is it at the door? Or at the food line/bar? I’ve never been inside but would be interested in checking them out.
There's a stand just inside the doors with the exact same scanners as the ones outside the stadium. You once again scan your tickets - you can also use facial scan - and then a cheerful club employee puts a wrist band on for you. From then on you can leave if you want and get back in using the wristband but once you're inside there's no need to check on it for food or drinks since if you didn't have one you wouldn't be there.
I figured, but this is the same league that used SPONSOR23 as a generic presale code for the biggest game of the year. I'll just have to show up with every color possible. Just gotta get an idea of how to doctor them up to look authentic.
The wise-ass in me says if you wait 3-4 years, it'll be open to the public, like how the tent at HCS was eventually opened to everyone with a ticket. ...but we know those days are done.
I'm just amused by Columbus teaching the Haslams where the money is going forward and how that lesson is going to cost Clevelanders a fortune. We're kind of like their test line. Their biggest complaint with First Energy isn't the dome, although it would be swell; it's suites and clubs and higher ticket spaces. They currently have very little in that regard, and as they're seeing in Columbus the demand is off the charts. They're doing everything but ripping out toilets to squeeze in a few more premium price seats in ldc. It's a mistake they surely don't intend to repeat up there and I doubt the city fathers will be sympathetic. And the bottom line is they just can't retro FE stadium enough to accommodate what they're going to want.
There's, what, about 15 different premium seating categories at LDC? Suites, River Club, Field Seats, Player Bench, three levels of southeast field club, Office Revolution Loge, Tipico, Lower.com, the elevated area above the NE corner, the party decks above the Nordecke, the ledge... And they're all selling tremendously, much to Dong's dismay. It's absolutely bonkers that all this corporate support came out of the woodwork, not after over two decades of having a team, but a lot of it is "new since STC" which means that a lot of it was around the 2020-21 era when a lot of companies were tightening their budgets. People who worked in OG front office have got to be amazed, assuming they're paying attention. (Some definitely are.)
It all comes down to location, experience and some local influence. Business people are wanting to take clients and experience a Crew game. The folks with deep pockets are getting great value for their spend and it is snowballing. Not sure if everyone caught it this week, but the Edwards are in on the new Capital Line project that will be started next year downtown.