Serious Post: What will convince you to renew your TFC SSH next season.

[Fort York Redcoat]

But you are guilty of selective quoting to make it sound that Neil Davidson was writing all about sizzle items and not steak items!!!

He wrote...
No slogans !!!
CEO with a buttoned lip!
Make the playoffs!!

He sure did. And the other stuff that made up the majority of what he said is what I was commenting on. I didn't agree with it and said so.

Of course you could have my coupon. If we get them you can pick it up at the tailgate.

It sounds like you took this personally. If you're Neil or friends with him or wrote something similar in your own long running blog - I still don't agree. But your opinion is yours and you're free to it.

I know there will always be those who crave more interaction with the club. I've worked out how much of it I need.

[mook-life]

I need nothing from the damn club except trophies and success in the playoffs I could care less about meeting Players or management, pub nights and all that stupid crap

[Still Kicking]

Fort York Redcoat - I hope I did not take it too personally. When I write in a rush, it can sometimes SOUND more personal than I intend. I am aiming for comedy, but oops I end up sounding wounded.

I guess I thought the spirit of Neil Davidson's list was something I could get behind. I respect Davidson's writing highly. Then again I have been on this forum for eons and respect you Mr. Fort York Redcoat as much as I respect Davidson. I think there are some practical improvements to the game day experience that I can go for aside from the quality of the team questions that we will always dance around.

I am sensitive about the tailgating issue. Especially now that it is NFL and US college football season and I know folks going for their US tailgate experience. We had a provincial election last Spring and the issue never comes up! I am thinking of starting my own political entity and calling it The Beer Party. I am truly not much of a drinker and I more often avoid beer on game day than indulge, but I am tired of being treated like a perpetual baby by the Ontario liquor laws.

I suppose if we did not crave some interaction with somebody, the Red Patch forum would be a quiet place. I think I have worked out what I need too. Yet wifi would be a simple step and providing timely info would be a bonus. I understand that appeals more to the blogger side than the fan side, but I know we are always consulting phones during halftime. I guess section 220 is a quest for info sort of place...

[zeelaw]

I have trouble reconciling your response with the person who started this thread:

Should we sing the monorail song Saturday?

Also the same person who posted these comments:

Is anyone else bothered by the insulting amount of advertising they do? I want to support the club as much as I can but I feel like I'm berated with sponsors and needless silly games at every available moment.

The Defoe Saviour banner was such a poor idea last night. I wasn't really a fan of the Defoe Judas banner but come on guys...


But hey, maybe your "f**** field" encompasses more than you allow for others?

It was aimed at the front office, sorry if that wasn't clear.

[MightyDM]

The result wasn't what we wanted yesterday but I thought the game was still exciting. I brought my 10 year old son for a boys day out while my daughter and wife did their thing at home. He also thought the game was exciting and his favourite one this year that I brought him to. My love of the game is becoming his love of the game. I want more days like that for years to come so yeah...I will be renewing and keep the hope that they eventually straighten shit out at the club. If not I will still take many days like I had yesterday with my son.

same with my son, and in previous years he only liked it. This year he loved it. Worth gold

[Huyton]

Gentlemen...

Keep bringing your sons to games.

My son was at the first game with me and my best friend. He and I were at the final home game of that first season, gleefully joining in on the celebrations on the field.

He, and my friends girlfriend split games when we first got Ransom packs, and later they each got ransom packs. Later, when we graduated to being SSH's, he was with me when we got seats in a Supporters Section - 127. We were so happy, he and I sat in our new seats for half an hour...he even kept the sheet from the seat, taping it to his bedroom door.

The following year, he ran around the South Stand so we could pick up one seat in 116, another in 117 and two (in different rows) in 118. The grins we shared on the way home were plastered on our faces for days afterwards - finally we'd made it into Supporter Heaven. We just wanted a couple more "shit" seasons so we could get into 112 "officially" and TFC duly delivered!

It's not the same when I go to a game without him, and we see as many games as we can, whether MLS, Voyageurs Cup, CONCACAF, Canadian Mens and Womens games.

[FRANKIE65]

Gentlemen...

Keep bringing your sons to games.

My son was at the first game with me and my best friend. He and I were at the final home game of that first season, gleefully joining in on the celebrations on the field.

He, and my friends girlfriend split games when we first got Ransom packs, and later they each got ransom packs. Later, when we graduated to being SSH's, he was with me when we got seats in a Supporters Section - 127. We were so happy, he and I sat in our new seats for half an hour...he even kept the sheet from the seat, taping it to his bedroom door.

The following year, he ran around the South Stand so we could pick up one seat in 116, another in 117 and two (in different rows) in 118. The grins we shared on the way home were plastered on our faces for days afterwards - finally we'd made it into Supporter Heaven. We just wanted a couple more "shit" seasons so we could get into 112 "officially" and TFC duly delivered!

It's not the same when I go to a game without him, and we see as many games as we can, whether MLS, Voyageurs Cup, CONCACAF, Canadian Mens and Womens games.

Great stuff!!! Took our boys to three games each this season (teenagers) win, lose, or, draw...they had a great time EVERYTIME.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Fort York Redcoat - I hope I did not take it too personally. When I write in a rush, it can sometimes SOUND more personal than I intend. I am aiming for comedy, but oops I end up sounding wounded.

I guess I thought the spirit of Neil Davidson's list was something I could get behind. I respect Davidson's writing highly. Then again I have been on this forum for eons and respect you Mr. Fort York Redcoat as much as I respect Davidson. I think there are some practical improvements to the game day experience that I can go for aside from the quality of the team questions that we will always dance around.

I am sensitive about the tailgating issue. Especially now that it is NFL and US college football season and I know folks going for their US tailgate experience. We had a provincial election last Spring and the issue never comes up! I am thinking of starting my own political entity and calling it The Beer Party. I am truly not much of a drinker and I more often avoid beer on game day than indulge, but I am tired of being treated like a perpetual baby by the Ontario liquor laws.

I suppose if we did not crave some interaction with somebody, the Red Patch forum would be a quiet place. I think I have worked out what I need too. Yet wifi would be a simple step and providing timely info would be a bonus. I understand that appeals more to the blogger side than the fan side, but I know we are always consulting phones during halftime. I guess section 220 is a quest for info sort of place...

Glad to hear. And this proves there's more than one type of support. Just different. To clarify, the interaction I refer to is club interaction. I prefer to keep a distance between player, coach, manager, and most of FO to maintain some semblance of objectivity. It's what I personally need. Some don't.

Group interaction has no limit for me.

And as much as I distance myself from the social media info elsewhere I still end up asking about gameday lineups sometimes if someone is looking at it.

[Still Kicking]

I saw online that Charlton Athletic is bringing in free wifi for their supporters at The Valley.

I too was thinking about club interaction, although if I bugged TFC FO enough for press credentials - I would hope to get access to their locked wifi. I don't want to be press. I am a fan. I blog partially from team and sport love and partially as a challenge to myself to improve my writing skills. Oh, and also as aid to memory.

I know this it teetering on a thread hijack.....

[OgtheDim]

They keep wanting people to tweet and follow, and yet unless you use your mobile data (oh wait...).


IIRC, Rogers provides free wifi at SkyDome so I don't see why not at BMO.

[C.Ronaldo]

They keep wanting people to tweet and follow, and yet unless you use your mobile data (oh wait...).


IIRC, Rogers provides free wifi at SkyDome so I don't see why not at BMO.

if supporters groups could push messages through to initate a chant or TIFO drop, that would be something

[Miko]

Gentlemen...

Keep bringing your sons to games.

Just had our first at the end of July.

Have already brought him to 3 games.

Hope my love of the game becomes his as well.

That may be enough to get me to renew (for now).

[fiji_blue]

Look up FireChat introduces a new way to chat: "off-the-grid".

[Derko]

Get rid of Defoe, and become competitive. Be professional

[prizby]

we don't need free wifi...that is an awful idea...watch the football in front of you, not your phones

[Primavera]

we don't need free wifi...that is an awful idea...watch the football in front of you, not your phones

^this.

[OgtheDim]

we don't need free wifi...that is an awful idea...watch the football in front of you, not your phones

You know, some of us actually show up WELL before the game and....

[ensco]

Stadium wifi (and especially a dedicated app for ticket holders) is coming to every stadium in the world. Like it or not. There are a lot of these types of stories out there....

http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article...ch-5765459.php

[jazzy]

You know, some of us actually show up WELL before the game and....

and catching up on half time scores.......but wouldn't want to miss any of our thrilling half time shows ................or the shrieking Rachel...

[Still Kicking]

What if I pledge to only use the free wifi prior to the anthem, during the halftime and then after the final whistle?

What if I only use it to post my blog and check on game reports from Cyprus?

[Detroit_TFC]

The unending bad decision making from the FO is exasperating and dumb. But looking around the league, it seems to me that the FO conduct with SGs is decent, despite occasional issues coming up now and again. I think that would be the line for me, if the FO really started to abuse the organized supporters.

[Ultra & Proud]

we don't need free wifi...that is an awful idea...watch the football in front of you, not your phones

If the team would ever do away game updates or scores at the half I wouldn't have to. A place like KC has it right. Wifi can be good for the match if it is done well and the team app offers replays and things right after the play happens. Sometimes the sun and stuff makes the big screen hard to see but if I could actually pop it up on my phone when we're all screaming at the ref it would be useful. I however do not count on any of that.

[SirBobSaget]

If the team would ever do away game updates or scores at the half I wouldn't have to. A place like KC has it right. Wifi can be good for the match if it is done well and the team app offers replays and things right after the play happens. Sometimes the sun and stuff makes the big screen hard to see but if I could actually pop it up on my phone when we're all screaming at the ref it would be useful. I however do not count on any of that.

This would be great. But they would prob make us watch a 30 sec advertisement before each replay.

[Ultra & Proud]

This would be great. But they would prob make us watch a 30 sec advertisement before each replay.

Oh they would for sure. That's why I never use that app. It''s slow, not updated often, and loaded with ads.

[eustacchio]

If the team would ever do away game updates or scores at the half I wouldn't have to. A place like KC has it right. Wifi can be good for the match if it is done well and the team app offers replays and things right after the play happens. Sometimes the sun and stuff makes the big screen hard to see but if I could actually pop it up on my phone when we're all screaming at the ref it would be useful. I however do not count on any of that.

A decent in-venue app can add a lot to the game day experience outside of match time too.

[mook-life]

How about we focus on winning before all these bells and whistles like free WiFi.....

[JuliquE]

How about we focus on winning before all these bells and whistles like free WiFi.....

Not to single you out, but this sort of comment comes up, now and again, and it's always a head-scratcher, for me.

For one: we don't run the team, and likely have even less influence on things than most think.. and, as such, what we focus on, in the end, won't be of much consequence.

Two: I don't understand the thinking that, because we aren't winning, we need to be constantly hashing out formations or talking about players, etcetera, and are NEVER allowed to mention anything else, lest someone tells us to focus on winning.

Just seems silly, to me, and makes supporting the club one-dimensional and, thus, less enjoyable/interesting. For a club that loses as much as we do, it would be torturous for us to focus on that, alone; I don't think anyone's overly obsessed with all the peripheral stuff, which, then, I would agree with you.. because that would, over time, be the message conveyed to management.

I remember when I made one of my six threads, ever, in my efforts to pass the time, as I was getting hyped for an upcoming match, I was told that "we're going into battle," as a response suggesting the thread was ill-timed or w/e. Sorry, but, when you're not privileged to live within the vicinity, for instance, you're going to find different ways to try and connect. Point being: you never know from what angle someone is supporting the club or why/what it means to them; to tell them "you're doing it wrong; do it my ONE way, only" is, for me, just not the thing.

[/rant]

[Pookie]

^ Maybe winning and free wifi represent the two extremes

Winning should never be tied to ticket prices as it gives the FO a license to raise prices when they eventually win. Ticket prices should be tied to our collective disposable income. I don't get a raise if the team makes the playoffs. The amount I have to spend tends to stay constant.

Similarly, if "TFC: We have Wifi" becomes the tag line, we should really seriously consider adopting another sport.

The renewal focus should be on value. They are asking you to pre-pay to approx 17-18 matches a season. For that, you get a discount off of regular rates and access to a guaranteed seat. That's the basic premise. Other markets offer:

- playoff games included at no additional charge
- An ability to exchange tickets for games you can't get to for extra seats to games that you can.
- Free or discounted parking.
- VIP lot parking.
- Food packages.
- A further discount for committing to buying for multiple seasons
- Loyalty rewards program
- Early stadium entry
- Discounts off youth soccer camps


Under TFC's Season Seat Holder Benefits page, here are the 6 highlights they have opted to put forward. http://www.torontofc.ca/content/seas...lders-benefits (my comments in parenthesis) :

1. Your own dedicated Account Representative - (you get to call TFC and they answer your questions… imagine that?)

2. Access to Account Manager - (if you don't want to call you can log in and pay an invoice… unless of course the system is down then you can call your own dedicated Account Representative… the benefit that just keeps on giving.


3. Ticket Exchange feature inside Account Manager - (good value here - except you can only sell to existing seat holders)

4. First Access to Playoff Tickets (Here is value. Of course, at what price will they be offered is another question. Note that LA and other markets include those games in their package)

5. Discount Card for Toronto FC Merchandise
 (a nice benefit on par with other MLS clubs)

6.E-mail Subscription
 (Someone who answers my questions AND sends me bulk email???? Oh TFC, you spoil me)

[Ultra & Proud]

How about we focus on winning before all these bells and whistles like free WiFi.....

We've been focusing on winning for the past 8 seasons and it hasn't worked. Maybe it's time to focus on something more attainable, like wifi and better beer. If I gotta go down and watch us lose consistently then my game day experience might as well be at least somewhat enjoyable since the on field product rarely is.

[Fort York Redcoat]

^ Maybe winning and free wifi represent the two extremes

- playoff games included at no additional charge
- An ability to exchange tickets for games you can't get to for extra seats to games that you can.
- Free or discounted parking.
- VIP lot parking.
- Food packages.
- A further discount for committing to buying for multiple seasons
- Loyalty rewards program
- Early stadium entry
- Discounts off youth soccer camps

Don't want to be forced playoff tix
exchange is good
parking sure but VIP? maybe discounted.
multiple season discounts. Yep.
Early stadium entry? Earlier than usual?
Youth camps discounts are a great idea.