Stadium and Game Day Issues

[woody]

My only complaint is the sun.Its blasting right at me for 2 quarters which makes taking pictures difficult.Im hoping for sunny but with some clouds at the next game

[Whisperin' Jimmy]

I really enjoyed the facilities, particularly the lawn area at the north end. The one issue that is concerning me is the level of drunkenness. I sat next to two young 'fans' openly drinking beer on Skytrain, and on the bus I saw more young 'fans' chugging beer and swilling vodka out of a mickey. When I got to my seats, I could not enjoy the first half because of a foul-mouthed lout behind me who was obviously legless and bellowing nonsense until he lapsed into a semi-comatose state after half time.

When I saw the PNE promise to serve beer faster, my first reaction was, "Really? The problem is it's too HARD to drink at Lions games?!" There was even an interview with someone complaining he had missed the entire third quarter in a beer lineup. Apparently I am alone in thinking the solution might be to STOP DRINKING OVERPRICED BEER AND GO WATCH THE GODDAMN GAME, ALREADY.

Did anyone else find this a problem, or was I just unlucky? The row behind me seems to be available for single-game sales, so I fear the worst.

[Lionheart]

STOP DRINKING OVERPRICED BEER AND GO WATCH THE GODDAMN GAME, ALREADY.

I find this offensive. Stop yelling at people who may want to go outdoors on a hot saturday evening football game and buy a beer. You had two guys yelling at a game? Outdoors?

I'm sick of these type of quibbles.

[Whisperin' Jimmy]

Stop yelling at people who may want to go outdoors on a hot saturday evening football game and buy a beer.

Meh. I merely taunted fans who would spend over 30 minutes in a line to buy overpriced beer in a plastic cup. If they don't wish to heed my excellent advice about NOT DOING THAT, it is a free country. But I can still make fun of them.

You had two guys yelling at a game? Outdoors?

I didn't complain about yelling. I complained about an obnoxious drunk spewing meaningless profanity. Not the same thing. Personally, this was the worst game for boorishness I've experienced in five years as a STH and it shocked me.

Didn't you see the YouTube video of the fight in the stands posted here earlier? Don't you remember the unsavory reputation the Lions games had for drunkenness and aggression only a few years ago? I fear that by mid-season we'll be reading letters to the editor warning casual fans to keep away from Empire because of the louts. This thread is about off-field issues at the new stadium, and that is the one I see potentially becoming as the biggest. I hope I'm wrong, but that's why I asked if anyone else experienced this.

[Toppy Vann]

Where did it say this guy was yelling at fans to stop buying beer? He was making his point of how he felt about it - not saying he shouted at anyone.

Surprised that long time Lion fans would attack him for his views. His point is a good one. My wife won't go for the very reasons that the poster notes. Drunks, profanity and beer spilling. Even though when Bobby Ackles returned the Lions got it under control she is one like many I know who hadn't forgot the bad old days including the days at Empire. So they stay home and when the topic of going to the Lions vs the Canucks come up you get women and men who say no I dont go due to the drunks.

[Lionheart]

Where did it say this guy was yelling at fans to stop buying beer? He was making his point of how he felt about it - not saying he shouted at anyone.

It was the large caps in his post Toppy. It constituded yelling.

Unless you're hurting someone, no one should be telling others how to spend their time.

My point was quite reasonable, and said in small caps.

[West Coast Blue Fan]

On a hot night in July, it could be expected that even the best fans in the World, may want to indulge in a beer. I sit with one of the guys that was interviewed. He's a long time ST holder, huge supporter of the team, has been to every Grey Cup in the last 10 years and promotes the team whenever possible. He went out at halftime to get 2 beers, because I had bought 2 for us when we first arrived.

The beer lines were ridiculous. The lineups for washrooms were also bad. This vid shows how bad they were;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxQrF029 ... re=related

If you want to make fun of us, why not come and have a beer with us first. Or if you like we can brew some tea and lemon for you. Sec 227 row 4

[Whisperin' Jimmy]

Toppy Vann has grasped the serious point I was trying to make. Thank you.

Obviously I confused the issue by expressing in the same post my amazement that anyone - especially a real football fan - would waste so much time in a beer lineup. That rant was not intended to be taken as seriously as it has been.

The beer lines were ridiculous.

Agreed! Hence, my point - not worth it. Personally, I would not waste 40 minutes away from the game waiting for free ambrosia from a naked supermodel, let alone a $7 Budweiser from a pimply PNE employee.

If you want to make fun of us, why not come and have a beer with us first. Or if you like we can brew some tea and lemon for you. Sec 227 row 4

Actually, I think I heard from your buddy with the same offer for a tailgate. I'd be happy to, if I can get there on time on a Friday. Othewise you can text me when you're in the beer line, and I'll come out to make fun of you there! Section 228, row K.


(Tea??? No need to be insulting! )

[Soundy]

I'm usually an early bird (take in warmups etc...). I had no end of trouble getting to the stadium via Transit. Many Taxi's were picking up stranded fans.

Caught the 135 from downtown, but it filled up at the first stop and sailed up. So getting there was not a big problem, but we did pass a lot of stops with people staring at us. Ended up sharing a limo back downtown after waiting for a while in a non moving bus line.

BC Place was easy, being so close to SkyTrain... obviously people are going to need to plan a little better for this destination.

Personally, I found Transit to be a breeze when I took it for the Riders game: I got the Lions' email newsletter about the special shuttles from SkyTrain, so I gave myself about an hour, got a ride to Braid Station, hopped the train, jumped off at Renfrew, crossed the street, and climbed right on the bus. 15 minutes later, we were being dropped off directly across the street from the Playland main gate. Total time on transit: under 45 minutes.

The bus did fill up and the driver had to tell some people to wait - he assured the group at the front of the line that it had nothing to do with their green jerseys He also told us all as we arrived where to catch the return shuttle after the game... although he did have to talk over a few loudmouths to do it, and suggested that they must be from Saskatchewan.

After the game, I hung around for a while, took my time getting out, and hung back as the first couple buses went by. After that, I jumped on the next bus, no problem. It was a slow go, granted - I think it was a good 20-25 minutes before we managed to make the left from Hastings onto Renfrew. But then, everyone heading that way in their cars were in the same predicament.

If the crowds and waiting around are really that big a problem, then consider either leaving early (should be a lot easier during the nailbiter games), or wander over to any of the numerous tailgaters and hang out with some other fans for a while.

[notahomer]

I had a much easier time coming/going to the Aloette game. The Hastings bus was pretty much empty on my way up (4:45 PM).

I'm not a beer drinker but it seemed like it was a lot more accessible? Hope everyone had a blast, I did other than the outcome of the football game.

[sj-roc]

I suppose this issue has already been beaten to death, but I couldn't believe my eyes when, not once but at least TWICE, Crazy P was egging on the fans to start cheering just as we were about to go on offence. I don't recall the circumstances the first time, but the second was just after Mtl hit the goal post on a FGA and we got called for UR (what happened there? I need to see the tape, it must have been away from the play). The first time he was up in the stands in my section with his back to the field for the whole schtick. The second, he was down below me at field level, looking back and forth between the crowd and the field, with Printers and the offence out there. So both times he got the crowd roaring, only to realise too late what he'd done and then sheepishly shushing everyone. Twice. Luckily there was a TV timeout the second time, so the crowd noise died a fairly quick natural death relative to the scrimmage.

Unbelievable. I suppose anyone could make a mistake once, but the second time he was actually watching the game situation and really should have known better.

[CatsEyes]

Maybe Crazy P needs this:

refresher

[Soundy]

My only complaint is the sun.Its blasting right at me for 2 quarters which makes taking pictures difficult.Im hoping for sunny but with some clouds at the next game

I talked to Mark Madryga, he's scheduling some nice cooling downpours for the next home game, just for you, woody!

[Soundy]

I would just add to this, regarding the issues with transit, beer lines, and so forth: keep in mind that this whole temporary-outdoor-field thing is new to pretty much everyone involved, not just the fans. The club, the PNE, and everyone putting on the show is obviously having to learn a lot of they go along... and so far I think they've done a pretty stellar job of responding to issues and complaints.

Look at the tailgating thing: there were communication problems, maybe a misunderstanding along the way that led to some frustration for the preseason game... but by the next game, everything seemed to be ironed out and everyone was handling things beautifully. I even heard a PNE radio ad touting that tailgating was allowed at the games (restrictions available on their website, of course).

At the Sask. game, it was the beer lines... they looked at what wasn't working, what was... and apparently sorted out a lot of the problems by the Mtl. game.

From what I've seen, the folks running the show have been pretty responsive to fan issues and venue problems... I think it really behooves the fans to cut them a little slack and try to work with them - submit your problems and complaints to the right people rather than just whining about them on the internet and in the press, maybe offer suggestions, and give them a chance to figure it out before crucifying them.