https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?p=16352716 There's already a thread in the USNT Fans & Travel forum and people are already getting impatient. I see no harm in starting to throw ideas around now. If, for some ungodly reason, the USSF screws the pooch and decides to have the game elsewhere, we can always cancel things. While Fado and Keegan's are nice places, the Arena District did such a nice job last time, I'd say we go back there. If O'Shaughnessy's is too full, one of the benefits is the other bars in the immediate vicinity. Last time, my group arrived at the post-game party a bit late, saw O's totally jammed and decided to go to Gordon Biersch. Plus, didn't O'Shaughnessy's help us with the tailgate last time? That's always a big plus. We just need to make sure they have enough beer this time. I still can't believe that two nights in a row, we drank those guys dry. I certainly wouldn't discourage people from going other places though. As for the stadium, there's Tifo and the location. No way in hell do we cram EVERYBODY into the Nordecke. Do we put the other group by the tunnel or in a south corner? It seems the card stunt was a hit, but why can't we try something else? Then again, why change a good thing? The truth of the matter is that in 11 weeks, it will be "Gameday Eve." Between hotels, pubs, tifo, tailgates, stadium logistics, and probably a million other things, we don't have a whole lot of time. Honestly, when you factor in the Christmas and New Year's holidays, we really don't have 11 weeks. It's kind of hard to plan things when people are preoccupied with the end of December. And honestly, if US Soccer doesn't announce the game as in Columbus, they're more stupid than we all thought.
We're going to get lots of media play on this, as I got the 1460 midday show guys whipped into a frenzy over this game yesterday when discussing what was next for the Crew and for soccer in Columbus. They don't understand much about soccer, but they understand the pure hatred that is USA-Mexico and they want to be right in the middle of Sam's Army and the American Outlaws for it.
Great. Honestly, the way things went last time, I see no reason to rock the boat too much. We're in luck with the Arena District. There's a CBJ game on Tuesday which starts at 7, but nothing in the arena on Wednesday night.
I am pumped for this game and can only hope Chad gets a Call up. I said it in another thread but i think we need a red white and blue "Nordecke Americana" banner for the Norther Corner. Perhaps do 'we love ya" for the nats as well?
Yeah, the Sam's Army Brigade from North Jersey has a 20x30 and a 30x60 US flag. Someone also has this huge "Don't Tread On Me" flag. I'm sure the walls will be covered in flags. Of course, if people can make some, do it. Red is the primary color of Sam's Army, so use lots of it. (Oddly enough, the red SA banner went missing a few years ago and the new one is white...) Based on past experience, i'd say attempting to plan chants this far out might be futile. I saw you suggested Ruby's. How many people can it hold? Any other bars nearby? That might be a good idea for people not wanting to tailgate for several hours before the game. I do think it would be a very good idea to hold off on announcing stuff until we're ready with everything. As I said, there's a hell of a lot of people coming into town, and the last thing we need is chaos and confusion.
Ditto on both counts. As painful as the last couple weeks have been, now that the MLS season is over...I'm certainly looking forward to this...it better be in Columbus...
If we can't fit everyone in the Nordecke, then I suggest we look to the South End. I expect that they'll remove the "party on the pitch" and put in bleachers. We should have the 2-3 sections directly behind the goal filled with US supporters. That way SA/AO and other hard-core American supporters control the Nordecke and the bleachers directly behind the south goal. Another thing we need to work on is banners. This is something that we have really fallen short on...in my opinion. I would like to see more than just American flags, I want to see banners of cities where people are travelling from. I would love to look around the stadium and see banners reading: Columbus, Brooklyn, Highland Park, Fairfax, St. Louis, Kansas City, Chester, etc. Below is a link to a picture taken from the US/England match in Chicago. I don't see anything American in this photo. http://www.flickr.com/photos/incandopolis/57160094/in/photostream/ I'm not saying banners will win us a match or anything, but they can have a big visual impact. I wasn't at the match in Chicago, but from what I see, it looks like the crowd was 95% English and perhaps 5% American. This cannot happen against Mexico.
"Cause we support the US, the US, the US, and that's the way we like it..." I am so stoked for this, having not been at the last 2. I think we should take over both ends of the stage. Take over the whole North End and then wrap around the sidelines as much as we need to. And then we can have Bruce Springsteen play at halftime.
We already have our US scarves and jerseys out and hanging on the bedroom door( in case of a soccer emergency? I don't know why, just excited I guess.) There will be a tailgate like last time, yes?
I am sorry guys. I have been sick as balls for the last two days and off the grid. Is this official? When did they make the announcement? Tickets go on sale? Thanks.
I'd suggest staying downtown. We'll try to set up a deal at one of the hotels near the Arena District. One of the supporter group leaders' concerns when we were informed of the stage this time last year was about such a future match and Sam's Army/AO. We were told the options would be either to fill the stage area with temp bleachers or put temp bleachers in the south end. This was before anything was completed so we will need to revisit with the front office on this and see what logistics would work. We have a ginormous Columbus banner that was at the Cuba home game in DC, did you watch the match? (can't post pic from work or I would) With how cold it will likely be we will look at the tailgate option or a bar with shuttle option. BTW, Ruby's will not be big enough, not even close. (Which is the same reason why Fado, Keegan's and Cladaugh wouldn't work)
Mike and I discussed options for cold weather tailgates including getting a couple of those outdoor heating units. They are relatively cheap at $200 a piece. Problem would be more for size. Crew Union tailgates, 2 of those things would probably be good. For this type of situation it wouldn't be enough.
There has to be SOME folks among us that owns or works for a construction company that has a couple of these they can lend out for the evening. I thought HSH_B was in construction.
MASSIVE plans from the Rust Belt I waaaaaaas going to work on chamiponship tifo, but priorities have changed. Seek and Destroy? Stand Up for the U.S.A.? Something in Spanish? Two-stick flags? Heck, I don't know. My brain is in a storming mess.
Buying my tickets ASAP... Can't wait for this one, it will be incredible. Hard to imagine the game coming to the C-bus if we didn't win the cup.
I was at that game - I don't remember seeing more than 1 US flag. Every single person around me was supporting England. It sucked. One positive? Dempsey's goal. Local 317 is making the trip - assuming it's in CCS.