I went to a Jay's game for the first time in many years, was surprised at the level of security. Although, I have also been to rock concerts that had high-level of security as well. Here's the thing, it is not our place to determine what is, or is not, acceptable. If they want to put a policy in place for random full body scans, it is their right. The league/venues are the ones responsible for security, and they are going to do what they feel is in their best interest. We can complain, but in the end, their policy stands. Welcome to the world as it is today. They are not doing this just to f*** with people.
If you have an issue with how a pat-down was conducted, you raise the issue with security. If you feel you are being touched inappropriately, you bring that to attention.
Fair enough. But it is inconceivable that MLS has actual threats, or the response would be far more strict, including cancelling games. Therefore the only conclusion can be that they want it to look like they are doing something so that they are protected in the extremely unlikely event something happens. And given that it is in their economic interest for us to carry as little as possible into matches, including sweaters and jackets, its reasonable to be cynical.
As for the safety of Canada, yes it is true that a seriously deranged person with a gun caused a tragedy in Ottawa (apparently after crying our for help for his mental illness and being ignored). But compared to the USA, we are perfectly safe, and the idea that North American Soccer Stadia are a terrorist target is absurd. Stade de France is a different symbol - more like the CN Tower in stature. If we want to reduce real threats to health and safety, we should force every car to drive to the game at 60 km and two car lengths behind the car in front, because it is on our roads where the real carnage is in Canada. The stadium stuff is fake protection that only inconveniences people and does nothing to make us safe.
Everyone is free to post their thesis here too.
WOW!
People are moaping and sobbing about a security check?
Did anyone really think that it would never come to MLS/BMO Field?
I'm surprised it took this long since the NFL, MLB and NHL/NBA (I'm combining the 2 since a lot are shared buildings) had it in place for a fairly long time.
First world problems I guess lol
Nobody is moping and sobbing. Using those words does not invalidate peoples legitimate concerns.
the 'crying, whining' argument is bullshit. People who use it are generally idiots who dont know how to have a conversation.
oh yeah, and beginning your post with WOW! doesn't convince me you are genuinely shocked either.
Last edited by ExiledRed; 04-21-2016 at 02:15 PM.
It would have been nice if they included a 'new' clear TFC bag with our tix.
Or perhaps they will hand one out during the home opener as per the 'new' security policy?
I've been to a couple of shows in the last few years where I have thought, "my wife doesn't even touch me like this." Do you really need to feel the inside of my ass crack, dude?
Bestival last year had sniffer dogs outside. Of course, they were not police dogs but some security firm's - it was definitely more of a scare tactic than anything else.
Toronto 'til I die - but I think they're trying to kill me.
Again, this has nothing to do with what "we" want. If "we" don't like it, "we" don't have to go. It's not a right to attend an event, whether it's a soccer game, hockey, concert etc. If we attend, it's under the conditions set forth by the event promoter, venue, etc. We don't have to like it, but we need to accept it.
To say you want security cams and highly trained professionals, are you willing to pay double for your tickets? Everything comes with a cost.
I don't go to the Jays games anymore for exactly this reason. BMO is a public facility and we actually do have some rights, as the owners.
as for the increased security, it is totally unnecessary and does nothing to make anyone safe. what does make us safe from organized terror is good intelligence work, if that is what this is really about, rather than stopping people from bringing their own water and food into the stadium so MLSE can make more on concessions. As I said before, the real safety risk is on the roads around BMO. If this was about safety, and we cared about safety based on factual analysis, someone would be forcing cars to drive the proper distance apart, not tail gate, etc etc, and would be forcing cars into one lane and having the other free for bikes. How many cyclists died last year in Ontario? How many car drivers? How many from alleged terror?
That's why its about the perception of safety.
Neither was grass, affordable water, flags, frozen ticket prices.... should I go on dude? I have the right to complain, and yeah I also have the right to boycott.
Ive been proven right on issues like this in the past. The moment security guards start getting beaten by irate fans who have been drinking, for inappropriately touching their girlfriends/wives/children this will unravel. When the sexual assault accusations start coming in, the cameras and the training will be mandated.To say you want security cams and highly trained professionals, are you willing to pay double for your tickets? Everything comes with a cost.
I live in the real world. dude.
Guess he didn't think of that before he got caught with it.
it happens at almost every other major sporting event. But without the patdowns and extra security checks, BMO field gates are already bottlenecked.
anyways, it's a moot point, people are going to believe in their minds what they want to believe, for the reasons they believe and it's their right to do so.
Who knows if you are even going to get frisked, the policy states wand or patdowns. All bags were previously searched before so this isn't a new policy, it's the elimination of "types" of bags or "size" that have people upset.
The policy states patdowns or wands, ML$E might surprise us and buy wands....
The bags which they gave away outside the stadium do meet the guidelines, there is no policy regarding "clear bags" at BMO, So should be all good.
I live in the real world, too. You do have the right to complain, and to boycott. I did not mean to imply that you do not have those rights. All said, if you, and a couple thousand others, decide to boycott games, that may change nothing. If this is what they want, they will implement it, regardless of incidents that have occurred. There will always be issues, no matter who/what/where/when/why. If a security guard gets attacked by a drunken fool, he will suffer the consequences. A drunk fool won't care how well trained a guard is, if they think they saw something that they didn't actually see because they're piss-drunk.
I live in the real world too, and understand that venues have a right to implement whatever security protocol they want. If I don't like it, I won't attend. Frankly, I don't have a problem with this at all. Have had a pat-down a couple times, not an issue for me, or my girlfriend.
This has nothing to do with cyclist getting killed, tail gaiting or terror threats. If a person does not want to go to a facility/event because of the security protocols in place, they have that right. The city of Toronto, and its tax payers, have zero say in the security protocols that MLSE/MLS put in place for events they hold at BMO field. You/we/anyone else, has zero right to say and complain about event security, regardless whether the land and/or facility itself is owned by the city. These are security measures being put in place by MLS/TFC, not the city. A pat-down does not violate a person's rights. If it did, no one would fly.
If anyone does not like the security measures in place, they can call and complain to those in charge. But the reality is, those people are in the minority. Hence the reason there are so many people at Jays games... most people don't care.
Oh my god oh my god!! Of course we have a RIGHT to say and complain about event security if we think it's unreasonable! For example, why can't I bring a 16x16x8 soft-sided backpack to a TFC game, like I can to a Jays game?
I've been going to old Trafford for 30 yrs, obviously not as much in the last 10 yrs since being in Canada but still get to 3-4 games a season.One of the things I did notice upon arriving in Canada is how much stuff people take to matches here. I am not knocking anyone for it, everyone has/her reasons, but I can honestly say in 30 yrs at United games I 've never taken anything to a game that couldn't fit in my pocket. See the items United do allow and do not allow for compariosn with these new MLS rules:
http://www.manutd.com/pix/emails/Fil...20Use%20V4.pdf
Did the USA , of all countries, just fix soccer? - C. Ronaldo, May 27th commenting on the FBI-led investigations into fraud and corruption throughout FIFA.
Ok, but if you're going to talk about economics, consider the additional cost that the club is going to swallow for extra guards, training, equipment, etc. I don't think this is a move that creates any net revenue. If anything, MLS is the last major sports league on the continent to institute a major overhaul on venue security, which suggests to me they aren't all that keen themselves on it but are having to at least meet some sort of standard.
I agree it's more theatrics of security than anything else, though I'm sure there is some effect of deterrence as a result of all this. The millon dollar question is whether or not it's all worth it. Like you said, this is soccer in Canada - is it really a target of priority for lunatics? I'd wager not.As for the safety of Canada, yes it is true that a seriously deranged person with a gun caused a tragedy in Ottawa (apparently after crying our for help for his mental illness and being ignored). But compared to the USA, we are perfectly safe, and the idea that North American Soccer Stadia are a terrorist target is absurd. Stade de France is a different symbol - more like the CN Tower in stature. If we want to reduce real threats to health and safety, we should force every car to drive to the game at 60 km and two car lengths behind the car in front, because it is on our roads where the real carnage is in Canada. The stadium stuff is fake protection that only inconveniences people and does nothing to make us safe.
Did the USA , of all countries, just fix soccer? - C. Ronaldo, May 27th commenting on the FBI-led investigations into fraud and corruption throughout FIFA.
You most certainly do have a right to complain, but not simply because BMO field sits on public land. If the yelling falls on deaf ears, I am saying there's not a thing anyone can do about it. Suck it up if one is opposed to it, or don't come. Some have made the choice to not go to a Jay's game because of the security, yet their security procedures are still in place. Why? Because the number of people who are steadfastly opposed and refuse to go, are an insignificant number of individuals overall, and not enough to warrant a change in a procedure that the men in suits is best for them and their organization. By all means though, if you are female and they request a pat-down, you can ask for a female to do the pat-down, that is pretty standard.
I'm not trying to be a prick about this, but people's skin has gotten pretty thin. Why can't anyone handle the fact that sometimes there are rules that we are not going to like, you either abide by them, or don't attend? By all means, voice your concerns, as incidents happen. Complaining about what MIGHT happen, will not make a difference. Saying you don't like being touched, is like saying you don't like heights but want to go up the CN Tower.
Whether the added security is actual, or perceived, these are the measures that have been mandated. At game time, accept them and attend, or reject them and do not attend.
Red bulls do not change policy... bags still allowed.