Hi guys! I'll be moving to Chicago in 2017 and couldn't find a newcomer thread. So, I guess my intention here is to have a place for newcomers to get a feel for the club and city in general. From browsing around the threads and watching from afar, it appears that the fan base and club could use a refresh (in multiple areas... similar to what was needed with the Blackhawks some years back). With that said, could any long time poster/fan/Chicagoan give a general introduction to the club/city in its current state? Are there any tips as far as getting season tickets or getting to and around Bridgeview near Toyota Park? Actually, any new advice for a potential new community member and fan would be appreciated. I've been to Chicago a couple dozen times being from the upper Midwest, but this will be my first time living in an MLS market. I'm genuinely excited to be able to go to Fire matches regardless of current situation. Thanks in advance from myself and hopefully others.
Tickets in the Skyway are affordable and have an incredibly good view of the field. That said, there isn't really a bad view from any seat except for the fact that you're watching basically the worst team in league history. What part of the city are you moving to? The city is incredibly vital. It's terribly segregated but very diverse in culture. You can get basically anything you want 24/7. It has a lot of good things happening. ******** the police.
Yeah, looking at the stadium it seems that viewing angles shouldn't be too bad. I was visiting England recently and some of the stadiums can be claustrophobic. We will temporarily be in the Lake View neighborhood, but haven't decided on a more permanent place yet. Just hoping its dryed up a bit since the Cubs won the series. The segregation of this major American city is perplexing to me given all the potential (from an outsiders perspective), but not it's not unfamiliar being from Michigan where Detroit has been a unfortunate case study in segregation gone horribly, horribly wrong. Anyway, one of our jobs will be in the the southwest part of the city near Toyota Park. The other is still pending.
Welcome. We are very bitter and angry bears here on BigSoccer but it is all in good fun. We have hope that the team will improve, but realistically it will take a change in ownership. That said, tickets for the Fire are pretty cheap and the sight lines at Toyota Park are great. Too bad the teams has been horrid for the past several years.
Eh, horrible or not, I'll still show up. I love this sport and am looking forward to hopefully watching the Fire take the Blackhawks road to relevance. I can't express the disdain I have watching the Red Wings mediocrity while the Blackhawks had such a rise in the last 1o years. The Fire can get there with the right management but how did the club get to this point?
Yeah it does, but there's a ton of memes and personal banter. It's hard to get through in order to fully appreciate the situation. I Its hard to disappoint a person growing up watching the Lions and Tigers. Luckily, I've seen both those teams go from hopeless to some form of relevance. The Chicago Fire can too given how great this city is. I'd just rather it be sooner rather than later. Cynicism is hard to avoid when you are down on your luck but it might be surprising how things can change.
It's a good 4 year read but the last 12 months of posts get way over frustrated and a lot more difficult to follow. If anyone could post a recent history summarize that might be helpful.
Hello, welcome. In order to not only survive here, but thrive, you should memorize these two people: and these two things: NEVER associate them with eachother, but memorize them.
Hauptman 1) Has has never spent anything but league funny money on players 2) won't spend money on a new practice facility. They currently play in the middle of an unpaved parking lot 3) Has never brought in a big name player 4) Game days are a mess by either ticket takers, parking , lack of supplies and food 5) please read about the editorial where he basically told the supporters to ******** off and die 6) let the field go to shit 2 years ago in order to get out of the lease. Field actually caused a serious injury during a USWNT game 7) Allowed current GM to run out our starting keeper 8) Rumored to have allowed a former GM to skim transfer fees from South American players 9) Never has apologized for the editorial previous mentioned 10) Let the current GM blame the former equipment guy for the last place finish
You should feel right at home then. Don't expect this team to go anywhere while Andrew "The Douche" Hauptman owns them. I stopped my season tickets two years ago to preserve my sanity. Instead I give my season ticket money to the Red Stars and Aurora Borealis SC.
1998-2003 - The good old days of happy memory. 2004 - Tornado of shit. For some, it's all deathwatch all the time from here on out. 2005 - GM and team president Peter Wilt fired. We wear black. 2006 - Fire move to Bridgeview, and win the USOC, their 6th and most recent major trophy. 2007 - Fire, while still owned by AEG sign Blanco. Later they sell the team. 2008-2009 - With Blanco on the team, our fresh faced new ownership gets a bit of a pass, although problems new and old crop up. The Megabandera was apparently lost by the FO, serious accusations of racism and abuse were made against Monterrey Security, the first team under-performed under a first time head coach, and so on. 2010 - Present - the darkest timeline.
This needs tweaking. Something like: insert year(s): Dark insert year(s): Darker insert year(s): Darkest
But tickets to the Harlem End known as Section 8. I'm a STH and my first Tim win Section 8hooked my and feel in love with it. Also Sing, Stand, Participate.
Also if you want autographs (I do this at every game) around the 80-90th minute mark go down to home bench. If it's a crowded game they will likely not let you but say your a season ticket holder. Once the players go and applaud every one, on word two might come and sign. Rarely no one comes. I have about 10-15 autographs from a small amount of games. (including Rolfe and Palmer.) If you have bought the club 70$ seats before you buy them ask a Fire employee if there is any player scheduled to come up to the club lounge. If yes then after the game if you are the tickets you can go up to the lounge and a player will be their signing. I have hooted Shipp, Morell, and Lampson this way. If you don't have then then beg and plead- let the kids do it if you have kids. There is also the meet the team event on fan appreciation day or if your a STH(season ticket holder.) ALWAYS BUY TICKETS TO THE HARLEM END. SECTION 8 or 118.
Also Section 8 is general admission. This means that no matter where you have bought your seats you can go down and sing. But they are the cheapest tickets so just buy then anyways.