To hell with the Euros or Copa America, save your money. Save it for the away qualifiers. We had a good number in 2001. We had even more in 2005. Lets see how many we can get for 2009. Start saving for it now.
They better damned well not have it on Easter SUnday again (I'm gonna try to do both the Copa if this US goes and all the away qualies - you guys looked damned lonely in Guatemala)
There are 22 weeks left in 06, 52 weeks for 07, 52 weeks for 08. Just a measly $10 a week gets you $1260 saved up for the trip heading into 2009. Depending upon what month the game is in, you could have up to an additional 2 to 300 hundred more.
Mexico ain't expensive either. Pretty good place to party, and it's $1 for an ice-cold Corona (in the Azteca itself, it's $2). Not bad, no matter how low the rate is for the dollar these days. Hopefully doing CA and the Azteca. The Mexico away qualifier is a great time, and you can say you went to one of the biggest stadiums in the world. Start your saving, fellaz.
I will tell you what I know about tickets in Mexico City. In 1997 there were about 7 American dressed in patriotic gear. I don’t know how they got tickets. In 1999 for the Confederations Cup, the US was the only one of the 8 nations competing that did not offer tickets to its fans. When the US stunned the world, beating Germany and getting out it its group, some US fans got tickets for the US-Mexico game through USSF officials who were staying at the same hotel as some of the fans. In 2001, there was a big push to get US fans at the game. I called Azteca a number of times and posted the public sale information here. The USSF did not offer tickets for sale to US fans. Soccer Travel, then known as Soccer Vacations, offered a variety of packages. Some of the packages included air fares, some were land only. I think I paid $185 for one night in the Hotel Aristos, game ticket, and bus to and from the game. The game did not sell out until after kickoff. The Mexican FA offered deeply discounted or free tickets to last-minute porros, who packed the place. The Mexican sports tabloid Esto said the attendance was 112,400. Later in 2001 I also attended the Mexico-Honduras qualifier. Azteca was completely sold out. I bought a 200 peso ticket for 500 pesos seconds before kickoff. Esto said the attendance was 112,300. In 2005 there was again a big push to get US fans in Azteca. The USSF said no tickets would be sold to fans, contact the Mexican FA. I think you know how that went. In the end there were 3 subgroups of fans, all herded in the same section of Azteca, a different section than the one behind the goal in 2001. Soccer Travel offered packages again. I paid $100 for a game ticket and bus to and from the game. The Soccer Travel hotel was in the Zona Rosa again. The Screaming Eagles put together their own package with tickets from the USSF and a hotel near Chaputepec Park... In the end, the USSF offered tickets for sale to US fans, I believe at the face value price of $35. About 20 fans that I know of took the metro and Tre Legero tram line to Azteca, taking the Soccer Travel bus back. I imagine the qualifier in 2009 in Mexico City will be on a Sunday at noon, no later than September. I don’t think that the draw is random, and the US-Mexico games have become such a big money spinner that they have good time placements. The 1997 game was on a Sunday, “The Day of the Dead”, a big festival in Mexico. In 2001, it was on Easter Sunday, which probably held attendance down to “only” 100,000, once again according to Esto. I don’t think FIFA will put the US Mexico game late in the hex because of the chance that both teams will have advanced. Look for a February-July period, and on a Sunday at noon.
I remember the Screaming Eagles were organizing a trip, because I almost went. But I chose Hawai'i instead....
Lol I just got back from Germany and I cant wait til the Azteca ! I made fifty dollars yesterday scrubbing the tile in my kitchen , and im putting it in the bank today so I dont spend it . The Azteca is an amazing stadium and I want to see as much red in it as possible ! Ill be wearnig my USA flag pants again for sure !
Unless I am mistaken, aren't the games scheduled based upon a draw of names out of a hat or something random along those lines.
The beer in Azteca is actually free for Americans; you just need to pick up all the peso coins thrown at you.
Mexico City was by far the best trip of the last quallie cycle. In addition to having all the regulars there, we had access to that incredibly cheap beer - the Corona in 32 oz. bottles that only cost $1.50. I thought it was nice that it was on Easter weekend b/c it reduced traffic through town and kept the air cleaner. Of course, it also meant that a lot of stuff was closed. Regardless, that is definitely a trip I intend repeat. I also reccomend taking the subway/train to the game. We did not have any problems and had several memorable encounters/sing-offs with the El Tri fans along the way.
Totally unrelated to Jack Warner's status as president of CONCACAF! http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/2006/concacaf.html SEMIFINAL ROUND -- GROUP 1 United States/El Salvador/Jamaica/Panama GROUP 2 Costa Rica/Guatemala/Honduras/Canada GROUP 3 Mexico/St.Kitts & Nevis/Trinidad & Tobago/St.Vincent & Grenadines OTOH, T&T did beat Mexico at home to squeeze past Guatemala in the hex http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/2006/concacaf_final.html then beat Asian #5 Bahrain on aggregate in the playoff! http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/2006/afc-concacaf_po.html IMO CONCACAF won't get 3.5 spots in WC'10.
Hell yeah. Next time around, I think the numbers of the "regulars" will increase 2 fold at the least. I'd love for at least 2 to 3 massive USA flags to be unfurled for all those green shirted bastards to see.
Most likely in Columbus again. It's been held there the past 2 times with overwhelming support for the team and they've won both times. Maybe they'd move it to Cleveland if they think demand will be high enough by US fans.
Ed, as you know, I have been saying for years that the “random” draw is rigged and many of the games are rigged. After watching the Ghana and Italy games, I see no reason to buy a new crystal ball! In May, I read an article in the Tehran Times protesting that the US had been treated unfairly, with Mexico getting the seed and the US getting stuck in a group of death. All of the seeded teams did well at the Cup, and I guess you could say if the Iranians are siding with the US against FIFA, the circle has been closed. Has anyone else noticed that the visiting team to Azteca usually gets a “random” draw that allows for 2 weeks of altitude training? Now whether takes advantage of that or not is another thing entirely! Getting back to Mexico City… It is indeed a wonderful place to visit. There is so much to see and the food and drink are delightfully good and cheap. I know I sound like a broken record, but if you are spending the money to go to Mexico City, it would be great if you could spend a week or more traveling around. Rishi, I took the metro and Tre Legero-alone-to the Honduras WCQ in 2001 and had no problems. I am not sure what it would be like if we win…
im wearing my Gooch jersey to the Dodgers game tonight , it will almost be like im in Mexico City . lol For all of you that went to the Azteca last time around , Whats a rough estimate of how many Americans were there ?
Doubt they'd even move it to Cleveland...got a good thing going in Columbus. If anything, increase the capacity at CCS (permanently or temporarily) to 28-30,000 or so.
If the Mexicans have the game at Azteca, the USA will have the game in Columbus. Didn't they offer Mexico the game elsewhere in the US, if they didn't play us in Mex City last time around?
Yeah, when the home qualifier against them for 2002 was scheduled for something like February, we told them that if they agreed to hold their home match at any other venue, we would hold ours in LA or something like that. They refused, we held it in sub-freezing conditions. I actually remember reading a quote from one of their players that year, he said that it was about time the US started using the weather against the Mexican team, as well as get the matches out of LA, they were second home games for them.