What would your top 5 priorities be during the upcoming offseason to improve the Columbus Crew. This can be from a "on-field product" standpoint, it could be from a "enjoying the Crew experience" standpoint, or you can even make it from a "North End" standpoint. I don't have 5 for each, but here are some main things that come to mind. OFP: 1. Replace the coaching staff. According to their site, we have a head coach, 2 assistant coaches, and a team manager. I would get rid of Andrulis, Launder, and Warzycha. Not sure who this team manager guy is, but give him the axe too just to clean house. Then I'd bring in a new head coach, 1 assistant coach, who shadows the head coach... not some specialist crap. Then have a seperate coach for the keepers and one for set pieces (FK,CK,PK). Get people in here who know what they're doing. 2. Look into the training staff. Could something have been done better by the docs and therapists to prevent or lessen some of these injuries? If so, time to clean up that area too. There were just too many injuries this season. That can't continue. 3. Evaluate the SI situation, clean that up for the upcoming season. I don't think any of the SIs are really looking at a secure job. ETC: 1. The biggest thing that annoyes me at Crew games is the "Let's Go Crew" chant, because the PA guy is always terribly off. It absolutely drives me nuts. Can we please do something here? Is it asking too much? For God's sake, pre-record that stuff and get it set up like a radio station. Then he just pushes a button and he doesn't have to worry about his lack of rhythm. 2. Get the Crewzers out of their obsoleet corner. I know we all like to take the mickey out of them, but they can really be utilized to improve the atmostphere. Get them with some placards to lead some cheers rather than just looking like dumb floozies that got rejected by some NFL Europe team. 3. Can we get some WWF type fireworks to come out of the scoreboard or something whenever we score a goal? Something like that would really appeal to a great number of fans, I think. Everything from the kids to the middle-aged.
Stadium club. Replace it with a permanent brick structure that can be used on non-event days to watch soccer from all around the world. Something that gets feeds from England, Spain, Italy, South America, etc. They could even charge for PPV EPL games. Maybe even set it up so you could buy a PPV EPL "Crew Card" that would let you in free. Like a season ticket. If it's $10 a day, but 10 weekends, sell the "EPL Crew Card" or whatever it's called for $85. But there's some reason why this can't work. If it's the "hospitality area" for season ticket holders, make it that. FSE ticket holders get 6 stadium club passes, but what good are they when the staff doesn't even stamp/tear them?? If the point is for anyone to go in there at anytime during the game, then make it that. Remove the signs that say what ticket you need in order to get in there. Basically, I think the stadium club needs a face lift. In it's appearance and in the way it's operated.
On Field/Off Field 1)New coaching staff--A must and how about actually hiring a Streangth and Conditioning coach to set streangth goals for the players and insure that they are fit and ready to go 90 to 100' every game. 2)How about finally getting some left sided players that can play soccer 3)Better Advertising/TV--sure would be nice if all of central OH knew their was a team that played in that place next to the fairgrounds. Advertising was just piss poor this year. I don't believe I saw one TV comercial about the Crew. How about a comercial during the 6:00 news. If "Splatter Park" can do one everyday, I'm sure the Crew can too. How about putting a flyer in "The Bag" that goes to pretty much every home in Columbus. Away games need to be televised, plan and simple. 4)Better Concessions--It's pitiful now. The food is bad and overpriced(not a good combo) and it should only take me 3' to get my food once I order and I should only have to stand in line 7' max. The 10' to get my food and the 15' I stand in line is horrible service. The last game my hot dogs were cold when I checked them at the counter. I should have F'en thrown it at that bitch's face for making me wait that long for cold hot dog's at 2.50 each. If it happens again, I will. 5)WIN GODDAMN IT, JUST WIN.
A lot of people don't know this, but the Crew uses volunteers in the concessions. Local soccer clubs send parents who work the stands for an hourly rate and then donate the money back to the clubs. It's a fundraiser. Except that, unfortunately, it involves some incompetence. There are always a couple of windows where you can starve to death (let alone surrender any chance of seeing the rest of the match) as somebody's Mom assembles an order. I agree that the service really blows and seems to be getting worse. With the number of windows they have it's inexcusble for it to take 15 minutes, on a good day, to get a hot dog. Screw the charity; hire a crew, fire the incompetent, and serve your customers in a professional manner.
But to "pay" people to work the concessions would cost the club more than having volunteers do it as part of a fund-raising capacity.
yep, but here is something i don't understand... the columbus bluejackets and nationwide arena use the same system of volunteers and they don't have near the same problem...of course they probably have 15 more concession stands than crew stadium, that could be part of the problem. advertising was horrible this year b/c the budget was cut drastically...not sure why, but it was. the funny thing was for the last few homes games there have been radio ads, which they didn't have any other time this year. why wait until the very end of the season to start this up? i don't get that at all... and for those calling for an improvement to the stadium club; to add a permanent structure better than the tent that is currently there...unless you have a few hundred thousand dollars to invest yourself it just is not going to happen. sure it would be nice, but to spend that money is not something i see lamar doing in the very near future unless this stadium starts producing revenue in the black big-time. it's time to be a little more realistic.
Considering what they have at United games, I don't consider Crew concessions to be all that bad. True story- I went to a DC concessions stand, ordered a $3 hot dog and a $6 beer. I figured they would have a tap back there, or one of those big cans or bottles. Nope, they cracked open a 12oz small can of beer and poured it into a clear plastic cup. Wasn't even cold. I'd just like to see a team that wins more games than they lose. Have we ever had a season like that? Plus, I'd love to see a team that scores goals. With the exception of the US/Mex game, I have been to a total of 5 matches at Crew stadium for a total of 3 goals. Are goals too much to ask?
I know Nationwide has "Beer" lines, where if you want beer you go in that line. Any other lines will not serve beer. Yeah, it's because they got in trouble for serving underage, but I wonder if this has anything to do with quicker serving times. I know they use portable carts, but what about more? I heard a couple at the beginning of the season, but hardly any until recently. Yes, there was a definite decline in advertising. It probably won't happen soon, but sometime down the road wouldn't be too bad. Perhaps next year on non CCS-event days, they could open Saturdays at 3:30 PM for the ESPN2 game in the Huntington Club, and stay open until the last match, with Crew matches taking priority. If they set something up on the website every month, where you'd go through the list of games and check off which you'd be interested in, then they'd gage interest. If it's a PPV game, they could list a price range to give an idea of what we'd have to pay. And if HDnet's gonna be around next year, some 16x9 HD tvs wouldn't hurt either. What about some picnic tables along the north and south upper concourses?? Some families might go for those.