USA v Honduras: March 24, Avaya Stadium, San Jose CA

Discussion in 'USA Men: Fans & Travel' started by Real Corona, Nov 25, 2016.

  1. Jazzy Altidore

    Jazzy Altidore BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Sep 2, 2009
    San Francisco
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sounds good, catch me in a torn-up Keller jersey from 2006 World Cup.
     
  2. TRUEAGGIE

    TRUEAGGIE Member

    Jan 26, 2005
    Las Vegas
    My group has an extra in the AO section as well, PM me if interested.
     
  3. HomietheClown

    HomietheClown Member+

    Dusselheim FC 1971
    Sep 4, 2010
    Club:
    --other--
    I'd like to get the opinions from people at the game last night but from where I sat in my living room it seemed like a good atmosphere on tv and the pro-usa crowd the Federation wanted from the lottery (kinda worked).

    Compared to the Utah game last cycle against Honduras which also felt like a pro-USA crowd (watching on tv) but people at the game said it felt a bit sterile and dull. I'd like to read a comparison/contrast.
     
  4. don gagliardi

    don gagliardi Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    Feb 28, 2004
    san jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Cannot compare to other World Cup qualifiers, since this was my first in person, but the atmosphere was electric relative to the several friendlies and last year's Copa match versus Colombia I've attended. I stood in the San Jose supporters terrace behind the goal and it was anything but sterile. I'm sure the AO section above had a similar vibe; their tailgate was rocking despite the intermittent light rain.

    There were a heckuva lot of Honduran fans in attendance. I would say 20-25 percent of the crowd. They were widely dispersed, even a few within the SJ supporters area who were escorted by security to and from their seats despite the absence of any overt threat (a fan wearing Seattle colors who wandered in to take a photo close to the pitch got the only verbal abuse I saw all night), so the Honduran fans were not going to be able to blunt the pro-American atmosphere. The Hondurans I met were uniformly friendly and festive; I even tailgated for an hour or so with a family I encountered from New Jersey who fed me well.

    The relatively new stadium itself may have been perceived by some as sterile. The temporary grandstand below the scoreboard opposite the supporters may have looked good on TV, but it detracted from one of the unique and appealing features of attending a game at Avaya -- the ability to wander up to the bar, regardless where you are seated in the stadium, and watch the game up close.
     
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  5. thethinwhiteduke

    Feb 13, 2008
    good atmosphere in bad weather last night....the crowd was very pro-US and in a joyous mood (obviously). the Honduran supporters were a bit more visible than in previous cycles but quiet, probably owing to score
     
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  6. HomietheClown

    HomietheClown Member+

    Dusselheim FC 1971
    Sep 4, 2010
    Club:
    --other--
    Actually only the last cycle seemed to have less Hondurans at the match on tv but who's counting?:D
     
  7. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Atmosphere was good. Stadium weirdly doesn't seem designed to handle a capacity crowd. Hallways were very crowded and there was only one bathroom on the endline. I dunno just seems weirdly designed for a new stadium.
     
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  8. SpencerNY

    SpencerNY Member+

    Dec 1, 2001
    Up in the skyway
    The luxary areas of Avaya need to be nuked and whatever idiotic committee approved of the player/staff/etc concourse cutting directly through the stadium needs to be hung. Very piss poor planning of the entry/exit areas around the stadium which gives it that extra claustrophobic chaotic feel.

    Beats the holy piss out of Levi's or the old Spartan stadium though.
     
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  9. wixson7

    wixson7 Member+

    May 12, 2009
    boulder
    My review:

    Pregame: the rain put a damper on the AO tailgate, but to be fair I got there just as the "march" started. Warm/free Oscar Blues was available. Lots of people huddle under their own canopies, but good energy.

    Stadium: can't complain about a new soccer specific stadium, perfect pitch, intimate setting. But damn....those bathroom lines were outrageous throughout the entire game. VIP box/lounges are on the concourse/field level and did make it a bit clunky. I didn't get a chance to see the "big bar".

    Supporters Section: Ok, this was sort of weird.
    - I was in the USSC, next to AO but over by the corner flag. There was zero vibe and quite disappointed to be honest. As many Honduras fans in our section as US fans, I would have thought it would have been USSC only, but it wasn't.
    - Ultras: This was weird but I understand. Lower level section/terrace is small and was for dedicated Quakes Ultra group. They were passionate and sang the whole time with their quakes flags, black shirts, and tons of fat dudes without their shirts on. Modified their songs for the US. I sat with them the 2nd half and was very impressed with their organization and commitment to the songs. Directly behind the net making game watching practically impossible...but fun.
    - AO: they were in the section above the Ultras and not coordinated with them at all. Made for a weird vibe if you ask me. I couldn't hear them at all which is strange given their dominate vocal presence usually. I didn't hear their chants or drums, nothing. It was all a bit strange and not in a good way.


    80/20 US fans.
     
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  10. wixson7

    wixson7 Member+

    May 12, 2009
    boulder
    And good to see a few BS peeps, Leo and the dude heading down to Chile for the qualifier tomorrow, big kudos for that.
     
  11. Eddie Stiel

    Eddie Stiel Member

    Sep 27, 2011
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    I saw you and your helmet in 115 from our seats in 116. Went over to say "hello" after a piss break at halftime. Since you were gone, I figured you joined AO for the second half. Glad you enjoyed the Ultras. I stand with them at Quakes matches.

    The sheepification of the populace continues and is troubling. There is no entrance/exit specification for the Avaya bathrooms. Both doors/portals can accommodate people heading in or out. Yet people decide to form a long line to enter only on the right side and get mad when I say, "Split up. It will go faster for everyone." and take my own advice.

    The stadium cannot handle its capacity. The crowded concourse at halftime was a drag. In addition to the unnecessarily long bathroom lines, another logistical error is vending on both sides of the concourse which clogs it. Not as noticeable at Quakes games because of the lower attendance (announced 18000; actual 12000 to 14000).
     
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  12. wixson7

    wixson7 Member+

    May 12, 2009
    boulder
    Sorry i missed you, see you on tuesday?
     
  13. Eddie Stiel

    Eddie Stiel Member

    Sep 27, 2011
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    #238 Eddie Stiel, Mar 26, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2017
    Hopefully. I have a ticket in the US section. Without your helmet, I may not recognize you, so look for me. If I get to el estadio early enough, I will try to peek into the AO bar.

    I'm trying to figure things out right now (bus system, vegetarian food...). I have been to Panama City before. I think the metro card thing for the buses has me more anxious than necessary because I'll have to buy a swipe from an accommodating Canalero at the Airport bus stop which was unnecessary in 2005. We did something similar in Managua on a non-soccer vacation to Nicaragua in 2015. There, only Nica residents can legally buy the cards for the Managua rutas unlike in Panama where anyone can get one (just not at the airport).

    Should be no worries. I have a reservation at a pension for tomorrow night. In 2005, I arrived alone at Tocumen Airport on noon on game day with just a guide book and game ticket, and things went flawlessly.
     
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  14. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah I was in the section to the left of AO. The front row stood up during the game. Now don't get me wrong I don't care if I stand or sit really. But if the group in front of me is going to stand I'm going to stand. Well dude behind me decides that's nearly worth fighting over which is just unbelievably annoying.

    I really thought being in the USSC section would mean you had been to a soccer game before but I guess not.
     
  15. joebarnin

    joebarnin Member

    May 3, 2003
    Santa Cruz, CA
    Years ago stadiums were designed with too few bathrooms for women. Now I think they've over-compensated too far the other way - the Men's room lines were absurdly long, and the Women's lines were non-existent (from what I saw). Time for some re-balancing, at least at Avaya.

    As for the concourse - it's a reasonable size, but then they cut into it with things like the temporary USMNT shop that slices the width in half. Brutal.
     
  16. Joe Waco

    Joe Waco Member

    Jul 23, 2011
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Pregame: Can't comment since I missed it. I was checking out Monterrey and Santa Cruz earlier in the day and barely made it to the game on time.

    Stadium: I hated how the Honduran players entered the field through the concourse/walkway. Getting herded and stuck to allow for the Honduran team entrance sucked. Bad flaw in stadium design imo. Shouldn't happen with a new stadium considering it is a known issue from past stadium design. Didn't use the restroom out of fear of missing a goal, so can't comment on lines. Cool venue otherwise.

    During the game: I was in section 115 and echo what wixson said. The chants were discernible because the Ultras and AO basically had a shouting match where they sang different songs at the same time. I thought it was beyond stupid. Should put ultras and AO on opposite ends to help alleviate this.

    Quite a few Hondurans in the USSC section. 115 was pretty subdued from a chanting/singing standpoint. I think that's typical in the USSC sections. That said, I think there were enough passionate people to sing had there been any effort at all between the ultras and AO to sing the same song. Unfortunately there wasn't and you couldn't really hear either so it felt kinda pointless to try most of the time.
     
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  17. Joe Waco

    Joe Waco Member

    Jul 23, 2011
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Haha. That's always the worst. Fought that battle more than once at college football games.
     
  18. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So annoying man. I just want to watch the game! Not play usher
     
  19. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah there aren't many stadiums like it left but I remember back in the day at the Kingdome my mom would wait for ever for the bathroom.

    Thing is for soccer you have to know your entire stadium is coming to pee at the same time.
     
  20. doogiemo

    doogiemo Member

    Aug 11, 2005
    ohh USA, USA USA USA
    YEAH I hear you!

    [​IMG]
     
  21. UcanHateMeNow

    UcanHateMeNow Member

    Jul 3, 2013
    San Antonio, Texas
    Club:
    San Antonio Scorpions FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Quakes need to do something about paving those damn parking lot areas. My God.
     

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