Quick update on the Rhinos game April 6 as well as on the new 2003 Nike Jerseys- 1) Rochester Rhinos/MetroStars pre-season scrimmage is a closed private training session for MetroMembers and Half Season holders only. You must be a paid in full MetroMember or Half season holder to gain entry into Giants Stadium for the scrimmage as well as the Meet the Team autograph session following the game. So renew your MetroMemberhsip now! The game is on Sunday April 6th at 2PM- Giants Stadium, as part of MetroStars week. Entrance to stadium is located at Gate D where you need to show your membership card. Half Season holders will be sent passes to get into the stadium. Parking is located in Parking lot 15. There is no charge for parking. For additional comments or questions please call 1-888-4METROTIX or log on to Metrostars.com. 2) 2003 new Nike MetroStars jerseys- we can hear the conspiracy theories already, but unfortunately- here is the real story behind the new MetroStars jerseys that are being offered as part of the special ESC Membership packages- - We placed our order through Nike for the new Metros Jerseys back in August 2002- at this time, they told us they would deliver them to us by March 1 2003 - As the March 1 date drew near, Nike called and told us the delivery date would be pushed back to March 15 - Sure enough, as March 15 came and went and we had no new jerseys, we called Nike to complain... -Nike is now telling us that we can expect delivery some time in May. Once again, we are not happy with this news given to us by Nike, and are trying everything possible to get them to speed up their delivery. Along with many of you who have committed to 2003 ESC Memberships, we also have over 500 orders via our website for the new jerseys as well, which means we have many customers waiting for delivery of the jerseys. We hope you will trust that this is all accurate information based on what Nike is telling us, and we are posting this info so you remain updated on the situation. If you have any questions, concerns or comments- you can feel free to call me directly- at (201) 583-7032. Thanks for your understanding, sorry to be the bearer of bad news. We will see you all during MetroStars week as well as at Opening Day 2003 on April 12. Sincerely Mark Washo VP of Ticket Programs MetroStars
Any word on when the 2003 Nike replica jerseys that are listed on www.mlsnet.com for $30 will be available?
Doesn't make sense - we'll have Basra by the end of March. More likely, they're made in Nike's Paris factory.
I have not yet received my 2003 metromembership card and I have not yet received my season tickets. Were they sent out?
I received my season tickets over a month ago, I would call your rep. I don't remember receiving a membership card though ... Any word on when I will be getting my folding chair?
I received my season tix and membership cards via Fed Ex i think, I am very pleased , I have a wonderful sales agent in Tim. The jersey issue realu sux, I been looking forward wearing it to the first game. When are they coming out with new kits ? should send in my order now . I will be at the stadium april 6 th, 2 pm, can't wait !
Mark, Nike does this to us every year. It's time to find a new uniform supplier. We need a company that wants our business.
At $70 a pop? Yeah, right. Hey, no problem. I'll be the guy wearing the "I CAN'T BELIEVE I WAS SO FU**ING STUPID TO TRUST METRO ENOUGH TO BUY A TICKET PLAN THIS YEAR" t-shirt, insead of my new Metro jersey.
I view this as another bad move by the Metros. They should make this game open to the general public instead of just the Metromembers and season ticket holders. While, I do believe that tyour loyal fans should recieve some kind of reward making this game available to everyone for free could be a good move one week before the season opener. It could draw some of the curious and spark some interest in the area before the seaon opener. It could also be used as a good advertising tool. Let just the loyal fans meet the players afterwards.
Re: Re: Rhinos game/New 2003 Jerseys Kind of over-reacting, no? If they are stuck under the foot of a supplier that is screwing them, how does that affect your season ticket plan? You buy tickets, not jerseys. Do Met fans get jerseys with their season tickets? It would be nice if they were on time, but I don't think they control that as much as we would like to think they do. As Paul mentioned, they could switch to someone else like Adidas, but maybe they have a contract that precludes that. Personally, I think Nike's treatment of us sucks, it's lame that you can't buy an away jersery, etc, but who's to say that Adidas would make away jerseys available either? At least with Nike we get a decent product. If we went to Kappa or Atletica....I'd be scared.
Re: Re: Re: Rhinos game/New 2003 Jerseys No. I've been a season ticket holder all but 2 seasons, and the 2 seasons I didn't buy the full plan, I went to virtually all matches anyway. The 2 seasons I didn't buy, was because I was so thoroughly frustrated with the previous season that I vowed not to send the message to the team that I approved. I wasn't going to buy again this year, but I thought I'd give them the benefit of the doubt, what with all the new logo/coach/attitude/spirit/whatever. But this is more of the same. I've got confidence that the team on the field will be improved, but I totally feel hosed on the shirt deal. Mostly because if MFO says it's May, you can bet it'll be June or July. Big deal--it's a friggin' shirt, right? But I paid a premium on my ticket plan for that shirt, it was not a free gift with purchase, and fronted a good chunk of my lousy paycheck to get it along with the tickets. I was duped into the notion that I'd have it for a whole season. It's not so much that I need that jersey ASAP, but more that I'm once again not getting what I was promised by a team/business that has very seldom kept promises to fans and ticket buyers on anything since it's inception. As for blaming it on Nike, why should Metro offer something that they can't guarantee to the people I would guess are their most important customers, season ticket holders? There is a long history of Nike treating MLS and Metro poorly--so why should MFO bank on them this year? For MFO to just give us an "oh well" kind of note on a message board is totally typical. Why didn't my sales rep or ticket manager or whatever he's called pick up the phone or send me an email to say, "Gee Eddie, sorry about this, but here's the story on the jerseys--". That would be the correct way to treat a customer,I would think--wouldn't you? But after all these years I'm convinced we're not thought of as customers and fans that are cultivated and made to feel like members (MetroMembers as it were), but rather we're thought of as rubes who are listed on the big "Chumps Who's Money We Have" board in the Harmon Plaza lounge of guys who are only different than shoe salesmen because they get to take turns driving the Metro-Ambulance every once in a while. So, no, I'm not over-reacting. I'm reacting appropriately to more Metro baloney.
The Mets are doing exactly the same thing having a public workout open to their season ticket holders at their minor league park here in the city the day before the season opens.
Who was the genius at the meeting who said "Let's make it available only to MetroMembers....this way more people will sign up because so many people will want to see an exhibition game against the Rhinos!" As far as the shirt, it's hard to blame anyone on the Metros. Mark's just being the bearer of bad news. Is there anyone here that actually expected them to arrive in March?
Personally I think its BULLSHlT that only metromembers can go to this game. I am not a metromember only because I work primarily on Saturday nights. I do frequently take off for Metro games despite having to work. I would love to come to this game as I like both teams playing. Why not offer the regular public the option of paying $5 or so to come to the game? This sucks... Too bad the metro front office has IDIOTS working instead of bonafide business people with common sense.
Actualy I like this move, as a metromember I feel very special now. I say shame to every metro fan who is not a metromember. You should do it , doesn't cost that much, you could always give the tix away to friends, family or kids and help out that way. It's not like it will get you broke. thank you Metros ,
I am not convinced that the public would come out in big numbers if it was FREE, the difference would be maybe 500 people if that Metromembers are not equal to the other fans since they actualy made an investment and commitment to the team by buying season tix.
I think Metro finally got it right by offering this match to MetroMembers. They've been promising special benefits that never seem to materialize for a couple years now, and this is the first thing that actually might appeal to an adult soccer fan, as opposed to discount laser surgery or a player autograph day.
As for the game, it might be that calling it a scrimmage and allowing only metromembers to come they avoided paying the full rental fee for the facility. If they call it a game and allow in the public (500-1000 at most), they would have to pay the 80,000 fee. It is possible that they don't have to do that for a private scrimmage with a few fans in attendence. On the shirts, I think you are being naive blaming them. Do they screw up? Yes. Often? Yes. Treat their fans poorly on occassion? Yes. Is this an example of that? No. To me, this is a supplier not getting it's act together. Nike had to make the 200-odd jerseys for the team in time for the season, right? Then- at some other time- they had to produce more jerseys for sale. Is making the 1000 to give to us and Metro for sale really that different than making the 200 that the team needs for the season? That's an extra couple of days on a production line at most. Do you honestly believe Metro wanted to delay them? That they took orders knowing it would be 6 or 8 months before delivery? They took orders on their web site, orders they now have to delay or refund. Why would they do that? Nike isn't delivering them on time- how is that Metro's fault? Nike wouldn't do that to the NY Giants because they know they'd lose tons of money not having those jerseys available for sale to the public on time. With us, they look at losing a couple of sales- maybe 100- by not having them on time. They don't care. I think Metro do. If you want to look at is as a promise on which they didn't deliver, call them and ask for a refund on your season tickets. I would agree that you are entitled to that. Aside from doing that, what does bitching at them for something they can't control accomplish? What does wearing a t-shirt on opening day accomplish? If anything, it will make them not want to make this offer next year. If they look at the shirt promotion as a headache, they'll just cancel it next year and we can all pay $ 75 instead of $ 40 or whatever for the shirts. That's better to you? Yes, they could have mailed a letter to us (maybe one is forthcoming), but you can't jump on them for telling us here. You wanted to be advised, and you were. Here. One place they know they can reach a bunch of us quickly. They do owe us a letter or phone call, but you can't ask to be told and then bitch when they tell you. They promised it to fans because they made a deal with Nike that included them having it by a certain date. Then Nike pushed that date back. Next year maybe they should make the shirt delivery date January 1, but other than that I don't see a remedy.
What he said. That being said, It would've been great from a marketing standpoint to have those jerseys to the fans by opening day. Having those NEW jerseys on fans in the stadium could've generated a buzz and have other fans (especially the kids) clamoring(strong word) for a new Metros jersey. To a certain extent, ESC members who got this package & who want the jersey could be considered "tastemakers"(stronger word). You'd have interested folks pulling you over to the side to ask you how you got that shirt so soon- similar to when we got those '02 road jerseys last season. It's also a chance to see the shirt up close and personal as opposed to seeing it on Mathis & Pope from several rows back. They may be so inclined to purchase the shirt at the stadium soon after. All in all, Nike could've done better with getting these kits to Metro and us by opening day. And I'll say it again, ManU and Juventus'll have their new Nike jerseys on display and for public consumption by the time the tour comes around this summer.