New rules & regulations for Toyota Park, Giant steps backward Options

[goldstone97]

Alright boys & girls, here are the gory details from the Fire:

TOYOTA PARK takes the safety of all its patrons seriously. In order to ensure that, management is adding the following rules for all patrons of the stadium.

• Access to the TOYOTA PARK Parking lots is 3 hours prior to kickoff.
• 12 reserved parking spaces in the north parking lot will be reserved
• Section 8 Chicago will be allowed to bring noisemaking devices (i.e. drums, horns) or banners larger than 2ft x 2 ft into the stadium pending approval by TOYOTA PARK Management. Check-in procedure is as follows: 2 ½ hours prior to game time, all requested noisemaking devices must be taken to Gate C for management approval. If Section 8 Chicago fails to show for check in by that time, no items will be allowed into the stadium for that game. This includes ALL items that need to be inspected- banners, drums, horns, etc.
• Banner poles and smoke machines are no longer allowed into this stadium. See list of previously stated prohibited items.
• No one is allowed on the track or field to hang banners. Banners are allowed to be hung within the stadium in public access areas only. TOYOTA PARK management reserves the right to remove any banners which are deemed inappropriate.
• TOYOTA PARK will allow the use of capo stands in sections 117/118. Chicago Fire staff members will place the capo stands in these sections. Section 8 Chicago is required to strap them to the benches of the section for safety. Failure to comply will result in the removal of the capo stands.
• Use of foul or abusive language is strictly prohibited. Should Section 8 Chicago as a whole use foul language in a group chant, the leader of the chant (podium leader) will be subject to this policy.
• Outside food or beverage is prohibited. See previously stated prohibited items.
• Kegs are not permitted on the grounds of TOYOTA PARK. See previously stated tailgating policy.
• Sale of merchandise or food within the TOYOTA PARK grounds requires a Village of Bridgeview permit. Permits can be purchased at the Village of Bridgeview Town Hall located at 7500 S. Oketo Ave, Bridgeview, IL 60455.
• Overnight parking is not permitted at TOYOTA PARK.
• Flyers and upcoming promotional material must be pre-approved by TOYOTA PARK management before being allowed to be distributed at games.
• Prohibited behavior policies extend to the stadium bowl, concourse, stairs, plaza and parking lots of TOYOTA PARK. Stadium management reserves the right to eject any patron whose behavior is against policy, unruly or illegal in nature. Game tickets will be forfeited without refund. Violators of these rules may also be subject to arrest, fines or being prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
  
  Follow up to Section 8 Chicago concerns:
• Section 117 ticket text: Due to this section changing to general admission after the manifest was built, we cannot change the way the tickets are printed. Therefore, for the remainder of 2008, assigned seating will override the general admission section. This means, if a patron has an assigned seat in section 117 and they request their assigned seat, they will have a right to this seat over this seat being general admission. Should Section 8 Chicago want exact seat locations within section 117, they should consider purchasing these tickets in advance of the game.
• Monterrey Security removal from the stadium: Monterrey Security will continue to provide security service at TOYOTA PARK. They will be present at all games and in the stadium bowl. We will however, add local uniformed police officers in marked squad cars at gates to help enhance the public safety of all patrons. If you witness any acts of misconduct from any TOYOTA PARK staff, please report this to guest services, located on the main concourse behind section 128.

[hendo]

banners larger than 2x2. So does that include flags, since they're 3x5.

What if we give up standing on benches since a lot of the bad blood comes from paying to replace broken benches, in exchange for tearing up these new rules, and the FO at least offering us a level-headed Monterrey liason who will be there every match, sensitivity training for security guards and moving the problem guards to other sections? Just trying to think of a way to make this fun again.

[Sandinista]

...or banners larger than 2ft x 2 ft into the stadium pending approval by TOYOTA PARK Management.

...TOYOTA PARK management reserves the right to remove any banners which are deemed inappropriate.

good luck with the protest banners tomorrow.

[KineticSolution]

The FO certainly does know how to bring in the fun police, don't they.

[chileno18]

jeez, some of these rules are completely absurd. How sad.

[pezkoreaddict]

... that's why liam and i are sick to our stomach's over this. it's like we lit the place on fire with a section full of flares. none of this was discussed with the Ops crew. you might have seen the last of regular tifo/s8 colors for awhile... a long, long while.

and pola is right. the ISA only takes donations. there are no sales. all the donation money goes to projects funded by the ISA and supporters groups and helps with FWFK.

i'm also curious now if a single match day ticket with a seat number all of a sudden overrides any 117 season ticket holder. i would love to hear that explanation...

[SheKawGoFyeR]

Bad news bears. Was any reasoning for the changes tendered, or did they just hand over the rules.
This really is sad. I don't think I'll ever stop loving the Fire, and I think no matter how bad it gets, I'll still go to games.
I know we've all given a lot for this team; I don't understand why they're making it hard to love them. I feel bad for our players--except Blanco on this deal. They haven't done anything wrong and it's tough to play with zero lovin from your fans.

[Joliet_Jerry]

I've fucking had it now. I will be calling my ticket rep on Monday and telling her that as of right now I will not be buying season tickets next year. I'd rather pick and choose games and go on road trips. I will also not buy one item of mech or food that is sold by the Fire or TP. This is a joke. Do these people not realize they are not even a blip on the sports radar in this town? That the WNBA gets more respect and word of mouth in the media? That a good majority of people in the country probably couldn't tell you what MLS stands for? It's harsh but those are facts, yet they are going beyond all measures to alienate their most loyal fans and turn off people like me who were pulled into becoming a season ticket buyer because of Section 8...because going to baseball and football games bored me to death and I finally saw a sport that I very quickly liked (I didn't really watch soccer until going to my first Fire match) combined with a crowd experience that was actively supporting their club instead of just sitting there as if they were watching the event on TV. They should be bending over backwards for anyone who shows an interest in being as loyal to their club as the members of S8C have. 99% of my interaction with people outside of Section 8 has been positive and the people always comment how they love the banners, flags, and chanting at the matches. Everyone I have brought to a match has turned into a Fire fan and loved the experience they had in Section 8...everyone...no exceptions...and they returned to TP again, buying food, drinks, merch, etc mostly due to the experience of actually getting to support the team they were watching. Goodbye to that as well and I'm sure I'm not the only one in that category. I'm usually pretty low-key on these boards but this really pisses me off and I feel the need to vent.

Section 8 Chicago will be allowed to bring noisemaking devices (i.e. drums, horns) or banners larger than 2ft x 2 ft into the stadium pending approval by TOYOTA PARK Management. Check-in procedure is as follows: 2 ½ hours prior to game time, all requested noisemaking devices must be taken to Gate C for management approval. If Section 8 Chicago fails to show for check in by that time, no items will be allowed into the stadium for that game. This includes ALL items that need to be inspected- banners, drums, horns, etc.
And if they are not there at the checkin time to meet S8C are items also not allowed in? Because that's what I see happening.

TOYOTA PARK will allow the use of capo stands in sections 117/118. Chicago Fire staff members will place the capo stands in these sections.
Again, are they really going to do this? I doubt it...their track record sucks when it comes to being where they are supposed to be to help Liam, Eric, Ben, Match Crew, etc.

Flyers and upcoming promotional material must be pre-approved by TOYOTA PARK management before being allowed to be distributed at games.
Will S8C be able to review all upcoming Fire promotional material to see if it AGAIN uses almost exclusively pictures of Section 8 because otherwise you'd see nothing but people sitting on their hands waiting to be thrown free t-shirts?

Section 117 ticket text: Due to this section changing to general admission after the manifest was built, we cannot change the way the tickets are printed.
Another example of the embarrasingly amateur way this club is ran. An absolute joke. They should be ashamed.

If you witness any acts of misconduct from any TOYOTA PARK staff, please report this to guest services, located on the main concourse behind section 128.
So you can be ignored.

[ciudadcentral]

With that list, they are just rubbing it in your face.

I would expect a group as creative as Section 8 to respond in like fashion.

So I would like to remind everyone that various acts of civil disobedience are prohibited.

Particularly those which which would negatively impact TOYOTA PARK, MONTEREY SECURITY and THE VILLAGE OF BRIDGEVIEW.

Again, acts of civil disobedience are strictly prohibited.

[FIRExNECK]

I say fuck it everyone should continue to bring banners, flags ect up to the gate as if they had no clue they were outlawed just to piss off TP staff. This is FUCKING STUPID. I am beyond pissed right now.


Whatever happened to TRADITION HONOR PASSION?!

[kebzach]

All bad jokes aside, they probably are punishing section 8
because of the hiring of Brian Mcbride. Brian who will bring a new crowd
of soccer moms, and white subarban fans , just like Blanco
brought a new crop of hispanic fans . Just a thought.
They want to make Toyata park a family day out.

Not even the Fire FO would be that far off-base. At most, BMB is going to give the team a 300-500 person per game attendance bump.

[scottie]

good luck with the protest banners tomorrow.

i know something you don't know.

[jogadubwise]

There is absolute no way that any of these steps are justified by any stretch of the imagination. I have a feeling this has been sitting on that dickhead Leon's desk for some time now, just waiting for an excuse to put it into effect. I am fucking incensed.

[Sandinista]

i know something you don't know.

i like where this is going...

[jogadubwise]

I just called my rep and left a message saying that I will absolutely not be renewing my tickets for next season.