USSF needs to suspend Crew Stadium as WCQ venue

Discussion in 'USA Men: Fans & Travel' started by Fajkus Rules, Feb 13, 2009.

  1. ZeekLTK

    ZeekLTK Member

    Mar 5, 2004
    Michigan
    Nat'l Team:
    Norway
    This game was a nightmare. We were at the exit for the stadium on I-71 around 5:35 (nearly an hour and a half before the game started) and we didn't get parked until 7:05. Absolutely unacceptable.
     
  2. JeremyEritrea

    JeremyEritrea Member+

    Jun 29, 2006
    Takoma Park, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ha ha. Good one.

    You know, my rain poncho got ripped to shreds by the wind. I blame God. He hates soccer. I bet it's his fault we have ESPN.

    You're right, your planning was totally unacceptable. You should have left at least an hour earlier
     
  3. MightyBombjack

    MightyBombjack New Member

    Feb 13, 2009
    Club:
    Charlotte Eagles
    I left Indy in time to arrive an hour and a half early without traffic. It should have been enough time. I know the game felt big because of the importance, but 20k really isn't that many people. I've been to the 500 (largest sporting event in the world) in equally bad weather and gotten in/out in half the time. Same for Colts/NFL games, and Pacers/NBA games 20k+ for games that start at 7). Crew Stadium is a pain to get in and out of, and when that causes people to miss part of the match (or not attend because of the required time commitment) it is a problem. It's not a huge deal, not worth moving or suspending the venue or anything like that. I don't want to quibble about it too much because I don't want to put a damper on a great experience. But everyone here who is saying the OP is crazy, or that people just need to get there 2 hours early, are not being realistic. Is it worth getting there 2 hours early to see all the action? Of course. But it shouldn't be necessary, and it makes it hard for people to attend on a weeknight. Not everyone can/will take 2 days off of work, especially more casual fans. That's all I'm saying. It was still a great night though, and I had a blast with all of you who were there.
     
  4. MightyBombjack

    MightyBombjack New Member

    Feb 13, 2009
    Club:
    Charlotte Eagles
    Most people are trying to be reasonable about this, but now you are just being silly. Seriously. Have you ever been to a sporting event or concert before?
     
  5. JeremyEritrea

    JeremyEritrea Member+

    Jun 29, 2006
    Takoma Park, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No, never.

    :rolleyes:

    Unless you want to count my over 30 US national team games I've attended, including the last three USA v Mexico games in Columbus. Oh and the three US games in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. I have NEVER missed a kickoff.

    There's nothing reasonable about a thread suggesting that we shouldn't have any more games in Columbus because some people weren't able to properly plan ahead and get to the game in time for kickoff.
     
  6. kebzach

    kebzach Member

    Dec 30, 2000
    Greenfield, WI
    People like me planned ahead. We walked out of our hotel room, drove across the street, came back, parked at the hotel, and walked to the stadium and that was all done by 6:05pm.

    Get there earlier next time.
     
  7. Fajkus Rules

    Fajkus Rules Member

    Mar 10, 2000
    Lake Zurich, IL
    Actually, if you go back and read the initial post, the title continues with the rest of the sentence that didn't fit into the headline window -- "Until such time as they've corrected the terrible parking logisitcs there." I'd say that you can't make the english any more plain than that. I'll admit that the first half of that sentence is a lot more attention grabbing than the second half, but I would have gotten about 3 responses to "Crew Stadium Parking Suckz".

    But if you want a problem solved, it's all about negotiating. If USSF were to privately tell them that they wouldn't get another important match until the problem is fixed, you don't think that would get their attention? And if they suggested that they need a couple more attractive friendlies to finance the cost of the improvements, you don't think the USSF would throw them a bone or two?

    All they have to do is gravel over probably about half of the open space south of the stadium, but north of any state fairground structures. Then separate the pedestrian flow from any concentrated auto flow and the problem is solved. Do those two things and those who want to get out of the lot within 30-45 minutes will be able to, regardless of weather.

    Now tell me why that is an unreasonable thing to ask of the fairground or stadium owner/operator?
     
  8. Prime Time

    Prime Time Member

    May 1, 2004
    South Florida
    If only things were that simple.
     
  9. MightyBombjack

    MightyBombjack New Member

    Feb 13, 2009
    Club:
    Charlotte Eagles
    Why is this hard for people? There are several people now who have said they were near the stadium by 5:30 for a match that didnt actually kick till about 7:20 and still couldn't get in. IT SHOULDN'T TAKE THAT LONG. Other sporting events of the same size get you in and out in less than 45 minutes, tops. You can't say "just get there earlier." What if it took 3 hours to get in? 4? At some point, you have to admit it is a problem. So how long would you say is too long to wait? I would say that point is well before 2 hours, especially for those who don't stay overnight. All that people are saying is that there is a traffic problem (which there obviously is) that the stadium should address. This should really be a pretty short thread, because there's not much to argue about. Everything was great, except the traffic took way too long to get in and out.
     
  10. JeremyEritrea

    JeremyEritrea Member+

    Jun 29, 2006
    Takoma Park, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Lesson learned for next time - if you want to see the kickoff for a really big game like a World Cup qualifier, plan to get to the stadium at least 3 hours early.
     
  11. JeremyEritrea

    JeremyEritrea Member+

    Jun 29, 2006
    Takoma Park, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You want to suspend Crew Stadium as a WCQ venue until then?

    No.

    If you want to see a game there next time, get there earlier.

    We're not going to change the venue for your convenience. Sorry.
     
  12. MightyBombjack

    MightyBombjack New Member

    Feb 13, 2009
    Club:
    Charlotte Eagles
    Uh... isn't convenience for the fans kind of the point of the venue? I'm going to drop it 'cause this isn't going anywhere, but I don't get your attitude. Do you have a personal connection to Crew Stadium, or are you intentionally being obtuse? If there is something about a venue that makes it hard for American soccer fans to attend, why are you so arrogantly determined to ignore/defend it? I love Crew stadium, I just think they need to work on some logistical issues to make it more accessible and easier to attend. Requiring people to arrive 3 hours early is ridiculous and not necessary, and I can tell you for a fact that it keeps lots of people from going, yet you act like that's a good thing that needs defending from those of us who are silly enough to have assumed that it was capable of functioning even half as efficiently as a professional sporting venue. I'll still be there in the future, just like I will be in Nashville, but there a lot of people who don't want to put up with it and I can't really blame them. Minimum of 3 hours early? That's stupid and amateurish, and if you can't understand that then it's not worth discussing.
     
  13. redchick

    redchick New Member

    Feb 15, 2002
    Columbus, Ohio
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    i totally agree... no more WCQ in c-bus until there is a better parking system in place, and let me offer a suggestion;

    i think the best solution would be where someone arrives at my front door (Hilliard/west side) in a limo equipped with a keg, drives me to the stadium, picks me up after the game and proceeds to the bar.


    i left work @ 4:30 (Dublin/West side of c-bus) and didn't get inside the stadium @ 7:15.... and i'm sure that there's no way that was because of the crazy weather, the regular rush hour traffic on 71 or even because i had to wait for AAA to unlock my car when i stopped to buy Newcastles for GLU :)

    (looking back, i'm not sure we even drank any of that damn beer)


    oh, and Thank God for AAA.
     
  14. JeremyEritrea

    JeremyEritrea Member+

    Jun 29, 2006
    Takoma Park, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The title of this thread is "USSF needs to suspend Crew Stadium as WCQ venue"

    The OP doesn't want any more World Cup qualifiers in Columbus. Do you think that's a good idea?

    As for your other points, what time do you think people show up in the parking lot for the Super Bowl?

    If I can get the time off work I'll show up in the parking lots in Nashville no later than 4:30 PM.
     
  15. JoeSoccerFan

    JoeSoccerFan Member+

    Aug 11, 2000
    I was there 5 1/2 hours early and didn't miss a moment of action. Given that there was discussion about closing the grass and problems parking, why not get to CBus a little earlier?

    For me, warm-up is part of the fun. I am typically in the stadium an hour before the game begins. I usually factor in a large fudge factor to compensate for any problems that arise.

    However, to each his own.
     
  16. irish56

    irish56 Member+

    Oct 30, 2006
    indy
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Had a case of stomach flu Tuesday into Wednesday.
    6 hour drive(to and from)
    took a wrong turn on Front St. to miss Claddagh(left directions at home)
    Got caught in two squalls/hailstorm.
    60 minutes to get out of the lot
    Watching US kick Mexico's *ss,2-0, the best Wednesday I have had in years.
    Crew Stadium is awesome.
     
  17. blazindw

    blazindw Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jul 30, 2007
    Washington, DC
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Planning to arrive at a game earlier allows extra time should unforeseen and foreseen circumstances arise (in this case, rush hour traffic, weather, 20K extra people on roads). I left Mansfield at 3pm because I knew that with perfect conditions, I would be parked in an hour. Also, I wanted to make sure that if I hit traffic on the way down or bad weather conditions that would slow my trip, I would still make it inside for kickoff. Luckily, I arrived and was parked by 4pm, but if those things had slowed me down, it wouldn't have mattered because I budgeted the extra time to make sure I was there.

    Sometimes, you just have to budget the extra time if you can. If you plan on arriving at the stadium 3 hours before gametime and something happens, you have that extra 3 hours to compensate for the slowdown. If you leave your house an hour and a half before kickoff expecting to be inside for kickoff and something happens, you've just cut down the margin of error that you have with the unforeseen and foreseen conditions that you may encounter along the way.
     
  18. Fajkus Rules

    Fajkus Rules Member

    Mar 10, 2000
    Lake Zurich, IL
    Jeremy:

    You're really amazingly daft!!!

    You either can't read or you intentionally ignore half of the very clear message that I've put forth here. I specifically used the word "suspend" rather than "terminate" because I believe the problem is correctable, and I think that as a smaller venue, Crew Stadium is otherwise a fine place to watch a match.

    However, your admonishment to get here earlier is simply not an option for those of us with work or family obligations on game day. And if USSF felt the same way as you do about ability to blow off whatever else is going on in your life, then they would start the match at 1 pm instead of 7 pm. Of course that would hurt both the gate & TV revenue, which simply proves that those who can arrive well in advance of a match are a minority of the fans attending, not the majority.
     
  19. Bluecat82

    Bluecat82 Member+

    Feb 24, 1999
    Minneapolis, MN
    Club:
    Minnesota United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm not sure letting folks into a stadium full of metal bleachers during a severe storm that potentially included lightning would have been the best idea.

    Though I agree, getting pounded by the wind, rain and hail for those 5-10 minutes was not a lot of fun...
     
  20. JeremyEritrea

    JeremyEritrea Member+

    Jun 29, 2006
    Takoma Park, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Since World Cup Qualifiers only occur once every four years, suspending them next cycle would be the dumbest thing US Soccer could ever possibly do.

    The only amazingly daft people around here are the ones who think your brain-dead stupid idea of suspending qualifiers at CCS is a good one.

    If you want to make sure you don't miss the kickoff next cycle, don't be a dumb ass. Get there early.
     
  21. Fajkus Rules

    Fajkus Rules Member

    Mar 10, 2000
    Lake Zurich, IL
    Given that you're in Maryland, I recommend that you apply to the Obama administration right now, so that when the stimulus package doesn't work, you'll be able to make good money telling anyone who complains about the stimulus package about how it was their fault for losing their house or their job, or that they shouldn't complain when inflation goes back up to 10% or higher.

    If people would just stop complaining, we wouldn't have any of these problems!
     
  22. Timon19

    Timon19 Member+

    Jun 2, 2007
    Akron, OH
    What I find fascinating is that there are a bunch of people here that clearly have rarely if ever actually dealt with Crew Stadium or have the tiniest clue of the actual situation that prevents all these "simple, wonderful, corrections".

    Here in Reality, if you knew the first thing about the grounds, and the attendant arrangements, in addition to the weather conditions going back a week or more AND THE HISTORY of all the hundreds of times this was brought up BY CREW FANS, you'd STFU real quick.

    1. The grass parking is not owned by the Columbus Crew LLC, Crew Stadium LLC or any other entity associated with the team. It is owned by the Fairgrounds Commission, which is run by the State of Ohio. They, AND ONLY THEY, decide what to do with the parking lot.
    2. If they even wanted to put gravel down - which they don't, over 90% of the area - it would take such a massive amount as to be both financially and logistically stupid. You can't just put a thin layer of stones down on stuff that is prone to drainage problems. Well, you can, it's just that you're going to have to do it all over again after the first event after a moderate rain. You would have to put a truly overwhelming amount down. Now if you wanted to grade it, pack it and THEN gravel it, you might get something that will last more than 3 events (like they did with the first several rows in the middle). But that's a lot more effort and money and planning than just dumping a bunch of aggregate and spreading it out.
    3. The temperatures in Columbus were ball-shrinking cold for 2 solid months prior to the week of the game. The ground everywhere not inside the stadium was frozen solid several inches down and there were several inches of snow sitting there most of that time. Then, a miracle occurred, and the first inch or so thawed. Then it rained. On top of a half a foot of snowmelt. It rained a lot. Had the temperature dropped ONE DAY earlier than it did, there's a likelihood that we can park on the refrozen tundra with little problem. Had it not reached the mid 60's the day of the event, we also might have had a shot. They had to make a game-day decision whether to risk miring 10,000 vehicles or make people walk a bit.
    4. For the love of God, IT WAS RUSH-HOUR in a (like it or not) MAJOR US CITY! Right off the ********ing highway!
    5. It was rush-hour and 2 of the 7 plagues of Egypt were visited upon Columbus twice in that time. And the strongest winds since Ike came looking for Tina back in September, on top of that.

    The only thing they got wrong was not putting clear signage as to what was going on, nor did they appear to notify local radio stations or the traffic reporters to give everyone a hand.

    This same sort of shit has been hashed, re-hashed, and re-re-hashed on the Crew boards since time immemorial. #1 & #2 is all you really need to know regarding what they're going to do about it. It's whatever the hell the Fairgrounds want to do with it.

    #3 & #5, you can blame on God.

    #4 is squarely in your court.

    Not accounting #3-5 by budgeting more time - your bad. Quit whining.
     
  23. irish56

    irish56 Member+

    Oct 30, 2006
    indy
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If people stop focusing on the "little" negative things and enjoy the positives.
    Like 92% of people still have jobs.
    Gas prices are half of what they were in July.
    And Columbus Crew Stadium is a great place to watch a match.
     
  24. Glenwood Lane United

    Apr 28, 2001
    Hanover Park, IL
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Btw, in a kinda related subject, Soldier Field can be a real tough place to park, especially when the lots just outside teh stadium fill up, because then they send you either up north to the Grant Park lots, or south to the 31st street lots. And from there, it's at least a mile walk.

    So, to avoid a similar thread on June 7, if your coming to the Honduras WCQ on June 6, please: show up early.
     
  25. Bootsy Collins

    Bootsy Collins Player of the Year

    Oct 18, 2004
    Capitol Hill
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No. Beating Mexico is the point of the venue.

    HTH. HAND.
     

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