Who DOES run this paramilitary organization, anyway? I say we investigate their hiring practices, their finances, their contracts with stadium authorities, their fiduciary authority, and past incidents of institutional thuggery!
This is a publicly traded company, right? You could always each buy a share of stock, and move the drum circle to their annual meeting to prove a point.
Re: CSC Strike Back... AGAIN. What is "excessive enforcement". Either you were smoking - which is expressly forbidden - or you weren't. This dog don't hunt.
Re: CSC Strike Back... AGAIN. I believe the issue is uneven and selective enforcement of the rules. The particular CSC individual pictured seems to have a chip on his shoulder. His apparent goal has been to start enforcement actions merely for the jollies it gives him. It certainly had nothing to do with maintaining a safe and enjoyable environment for the fans. I got a "bird's eye view" of that whole drum circle incident on June 14, from the ramp above where it was taking place. The activity there was little different from what has gone on there for years. Why this CSC member decided it had to be broken up was beyond me. This time is was supposedly maintaining clear access on the concourse. The week prior to this he also tried to intervene in the drum circle on some other pretext. On the June 14 date, this CSC member was unable to get any real support from other CSC members, who must have realized the ridiculousness of his actions. He was frantically trying to get someone in the CSC front office to listen to him on the phone, but no one responded to support him there on this. Apparently he did have an effect though, for the drum circle was moved. I did not see this CSC member at this last game, June 21. The drum circle had moved, not that moving it had any real effect on passage in the concourse. It was also somewhat calmer in the stands than prior games. The "looking for someone to harass" atmosphere did not seem to be there (at least quite as much) with this individual gone. As others have said, if the stadium management really wanted to maintain clear access, they would remove the "bicycle rack" barricades from the portals into the stands, and get their damn act together at the food concessions. The big factor there is long lines going completely across the concourse from the concession stand clear to the other side, caused by extremely slow and otherwise incompetent service staff and poor logistics for serving food, particularly for the timing of a soccer game. Somehow I don't remember the lines at the concession stands being as big a problem several years ago, when real game attendance was higher.
there was one csc staffer (i think the one you point out) who was fired following the 14th game for cursing at oscar. andy, i'd agree with you except that the smoking rules are ONLY enforced in 134/5. i have seats in both 135 and 232 and i know the other day on of our employees using our 232 seats actually got a light from a csc staffer in their seat! i sat in 232 for almost 4 years and 114 before that and i never, ever saw it enforced until i moved down to 135.
As is the norm and because of the agreement we reached with the CSC and RFK at our meeting, I always introduce myself to whoever is working security in 135. I tell them to please come to me before anything serious develops and someone gets tossed out or worse. At every home game this year since the agreement, the staffer has been different and so have the rules. I've had security tell me "I don't care if they smoke, just keep them off the seats." At the double header with the Freedom, they were practically non-existant until late in the second half. At the last game they told me no smoking, but refused to enforce it. All we asked for at our meeting was continuity. Seems like I wasted three hours out of my life that night. ps....I'm an occasional smoker, but if they say no smoking then I'm cool with that. Just be consistant. That's where all the problems derive from.
Re: CSC Strike Back... AGAIN. Apparently, rights of habeas corpus do not exist at any MLS venue. We had a guy thrown out of Arrowhead a few weeks ago that wasn't told why he was being thrown out until he was actually removed from the stadium. Apparently some kid made up a story that the guy exposed himself, but since the parents did not want to press charges, and nobody sitting in our section actually saw him do anything, they revoked his "lifetime ban".
smoking is yukky. and I agree- people with mental handicapps should not be working at concession stands.
CSC = Gestapo Wannabes I agree that we won't win this fight so move the drum circle down to the right. Seems a shame some dweeb with a little bit of power and a radio should be able to ruin a good thing. I would suggest getting in writing where the drum circle will be allowed.
CSC does not have the brain power to be the Gestapo...Now the Brownshirts - they could fill that role... Good luck getting someone in the CSC who can write... Sheesh, you have high expectations to guess that they made it past the first grade...