ECS Expanding Stadium Presence Significantly In 2012
by Jeremiah Oshan on Dec 4, 2011 2:00 PM PST
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ECS has seen their gameday presence grow each of the Seattle Sounders' first three years in MLS. During the group's end of year business meeting on Saturday, ECS Co-President Greg Mokos revealed several changes for the 2012 season that will take their gameday presence to a whole new level.
Chief among the changes are ECS formally expanding into the upper sections of 121-123. Making that expansion possible is the sale of about 300 more tickets to ECS members in what will now be called the "Supporters Section." The section that was formerly called simply "general admission" will now have a name that formalizes supporters' presence there. Those sections will remain assigned seating and no season-ticket holders have been forced to move. Those 300 tickets used to be reserved for gameday sales and ECS members were given priority to purchase them.
To help coordinate with those upper sections, ECS also has plans to significantly expand their use of capos. Two capos will now be given spots in the camera wells in front of sections 121 and 123 and a third capo will have some kind of mobile stand.
Mockos also said ECS has now sold more than 3,400 unique memberships since 2008. A unique member was defined as someone who has purchased a membership at least once. That makes them one of the biggest in MLS and possibly the biggest among groups that have paid membership. To help grow even bigger, ECS will be selling memberships at CenturyLink Field for the first time.
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This is great news
I don’t know if I’ll ever be officially part of the ECS, but I am very much in favor of them growing their presence, making their chants even louder.
I'm curous about a few more details
Upper sections of 121 – 123 were not general admission, and there were season ticket holders, there. What options are they being given?
They weren't GA, you're right
Will see what I can find out. I’m guessing a lot of those STHs were given the option to move into Hawks Nest, which would offer a similar, maybe better, vantage point.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Dec 4, 2011 2:48 PM PST up reply actions
my family is season ticket holders in upper 122..
basically we had first shot to renew our seats (which we did), any seats not renewed went to ECS and upper 121,122 and 123 are assigned seating.
yep
Just was about to post this exact thing
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Dec 4, 2011 5:52 PM PST via iPhone app up reply actions
Last I heard...
…as a plain old ECS member, is that the sections of 121, 122, and 123 above the aisle are NOT going to be general admission next year- it’s still assigned seating. But they are going to be part of the ECS section, primarily because there is so much demand from people to move into the ECS areas.
by Blue Eyed Buddhist on Dec 4, 2011 7:39 PM PST up reply actions
FYI
The story has been updated to more accurately articulate the situation.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Dec 5, 2011 10:41 AM PST up reply actions
Let's hope
that the Sounders FO gives these fans a discount for moving. The Hawks nest is not the same as the south end.
Sections 121 through 123 are above/behind the 2011 ECS section
The Hawks nest is 146 through 149
Nos audietis in somniis, Nos audietis in altum: You will hear us!
Personally...
… I think the HN is actually a better place to see a game than the Brougham End, thanks to the more steeply raked rows. Shorter people can see the game more over the heads of taller ones and you get a better (IMO) angle on the flow of play over the pitch.
There are seats available throughout the Brougham End every season, though, for those that don’t want to partake in the ECS hubbub and want to move but want to stay in the same general area and pricing tier.
by Blue Eyed Buddhist on Dec 5, 2011 11:32 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs
I just re-checked my e-mail to make sure I didn't miss anything.
My seats are in the Upper 122 and we were given no notification to the change before or after season ticket renewals. I still have yet to receive any sort of notification from the club in regards to this change.
One reasons I am concerned about this move is that I do like sitting near ECS because they do provide a great atmosphere. However I choose to sit in the upper section of 122 because I like to still be able to watch the game without major interruption; such as flags completely blocking my view for 10 plus minutes at a time, specifically because I do let my parents use the tickets on occasion and I know they don’t want their view blocked in a major way during the game. I do hope ECS is willing to listen to the opinions of people who have been in this section for 2.5, going on 3.5 years now when they arrive this coming season.
I would contact your ticket rep
rather than wait for a situation that may/may not work out right try to fix it ahead of time.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
I wish they'd spread out a couple games a year
I’d love to see some ECS folks spread out for one or two games a year to help get other sections singing. I know it would probably be impossible since the stadium is full with season tickets.
I’m not a member but I really appreciate what they bring every single game and I’ve really enjoyed meeting people at the pregame BBQs at the away matches I’ve attended.
No, it'd be a culture shock for too many
I’ve seen groups, families, and individuals upset by the proximity to the supporters, for some, they’re good from far, it’s not for everyone.
Problem is...
that when you’re out in other sections, unless you have a significant bloc of people singing, the others don’t join in.
I know, because I’m the crazy guy singing in the back of 130 when I choose to be in my seats there instead of my seats in the ECS section. And not very many people join in with me- but I’ll keep working on it! LOL
by Blue Eyed Buddhist on Dec 4, 2011 7:40 PM PST up reply actions
And I sing from 219
Have season tickets with my brother and dad, so I’ve never actually sat with the ECS before.
Keep it how it is
If fans wanted to be in ECS, they would look to get seats there.
there has been a long list of people DESPERATE to get into the GA for some time now
I first put my name on the list in July ‘10, and still don’t have my own GA tix in my name (I acquire my tickets through a friend’s account).
I really don’t know where you’re coming from with that statement
...and you will hear us scream
by malcontentjake on Dec 5, 2011 10:57 AM PST up reply actions
Right, I only have mine through that same method.
If those tickets weren’t in high demand they wouldn’t cost what they do on the secondary market.
by Aaron Campeau on Dec 5, 2011 11:13 AM PST up reply actions
Um...
maybe you missed it, Samuelson, but ECS has hundreds of people who are moving into the Supporters Section.
Last I heard, we only got a few dozen into the “GA” portions of 121-122-123, so around 300ish moved into the upper portions of those sections (which are above the aisle and not GA).
I think that’s pretty compelling evidence that people ARE looking to get into the ECS action. The ECS board thread on this topic had post after post of people who were anxious to hear from their account reps about whether or not they would get moved.
by Blue Eyed Buddhist on Dec 5, 2011 11:39 AM PST up reply actions
Agree, culture shock would ensue
There is a guy in 105 who practically bursts into tears when we stand the whole match, forcing him to stand the full 90. (He is able bodied & 5’10"). We are close to the Away Fans section and the families with small children leave when THEY chant. There are enough people complaining about obstructed views and the chanting being too loud now. They would not appreciate the South End Experience at all. There is no way they could handle ECS, which can get pretty profane from my experience and are always loud.
These issues...
…happen all over the world when it comes to the supporter experience and the fans who aren’t as into that sort of thing.
By far the best way to handle it is to have clearly defined areas and to continue educating everyone involved how things work, so people can make informed choices for themselves where to stand or sit.
One thing- it’s really something that it’s a big problem, but it’s a good problem to have, that our stadium is so full that moving people is at all an issue. Go to many other places around MLS and moving is super-duper easy, because they aren’t selling 32,000 season tickets!
by Blue Eyed Buddhist on Dec 5, 2011 11:35 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed, whole heartedly
I sit in the north end (not below the Hawks’ Nest) and had to upgrade my seats down to the lower level because I couldnt stand being around people who refused to sing/chant/stand do anything other than sulk or cheer when a goal was scored. IMO, move the families and people who arent into the ‘supporters experience’ to the seats near the sidelines and reserve the south/north end for supporters and people who dont mind an occasional expletive.
Everyone will be happier.
Go banana!
The North End is not designated a supporters section
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
This seems weird
To have mixed ECS and non ECS in the same section, and rename it a supporter’s section. Not only that, maybe only 50% of the people in GA actually participate. Mainly 122 and the inner 3-4 seats of 121 and 123. I would know, my season tickets are in GA, and if I don’t get close enough to the middle I’m stuck standing with a bunch of people who yell about flags.
I think they are many who want to be part of ECS but want assigned seating
GA can be difficult and intimidating, especially if one doesn’t arrive early. I would imagine they’re reacting to member’s feedback, suggestions, and complaints, probably from their forums, I’m part of ECS and have access to their member forums but I prefer the articles and discussions here so I dunno but it’s logical.
I can 100% agree with that
GA is awesome but being first come first served sucks for those of us that can’t make it early enough to get a good seat. But the way it sounds, they’ll have ECS members mixed with regular people. That’s where I think the problem lies. I’m all for them expanding, I just hope it works out the way they intend.
by chrisperry1983 on Dec 4, 2011 5:39 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
mixing not all bad
I think the idea is two parts: 1 you have more ECS encouraging people to participate 2 you name it supporters section and there’s more of a expectation of what you’re doing when u sit ther
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Dec 4, 2011 5:55 PM PST via iPhone app up reply actions
That is true
I didn’t think of it that way. Calling it supporters section is definitely a great idea. Mixing could work too, but I also bet you get a lot of people who want season tix who just searched for the cheapest ones they could find?
by chrisperry1983 on Dec 4, 2011 7:05 PM PST up reply actions
It's been less mixed every year
as a percentage that moves out is always replaced with people that know exactly what they are getting into.
I’m curious why anyone has stayed for 3 years in a section that they don’t want to be in
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
I'm curious too
We’ve been in GA all three seasons, and there is still consistently that large sized group within GA that act as if it’s their first time there and they didn’t realize flags would be there. I would LOVE for all three of 121, 122, and 123 to participate and kick the rest of those clowns out that complain. I will admit that the supporter to regular ratio is growing in the supporter’s favor, but I would still bet they are at less than 50% participation across all three sections. Just about everyone in 122 is on their feet pogoing, etc. 121 and 123 however, just those inner seats probably 4-5 deep are into it with a couple fringe people here and there.
Anyway, I hope nobody’s taking my original post as ECS shouldn’t expand. It just doesn’t seem that the need is there yet. Although, if they had a designated capo in each section (121-123) that might invigorate people. AND, maybe if ECS had their core members spread out rather than clumped into 122? I’m just spitballing here.
by chrisperry1983 on Dec 4, 2011 7:04 PM PST up reply actions
Within ECS...
…we talk about this problem all the time.
A lot of people in ECS believe the problem lies with a lot of ticket brokers who sell tickets on the secondary market without warning people “hey, this is in the Supporters Section, and that might mean flags, two-pole signs, and people screaming/chanting/singing their lungs out and expecting you to do the same.”
Quite a few people believe that the brokers own a lot of season tickets, and that the Club needs to do what it can to stamp this type of ownership out.
Personally, I’m a skeptic that brokers own a lot of tickets themselves; I think that they do sell tickets without warning people what they’re getting into, but I also think that a lot of tickets are bought/sold on the secondary market by non-professionals and they ALSO don’t warn people about what they’re getting themselves into.
Then there are a lot of people who simply go and keep complaining. Yes, even after three years, they’re still complaining, despite it being made perfectly clear to them what’s going to go on in those sections.
These folks are perfectly decent folks; they just think that they paid for the ticket, and they ought to be entitled to sit (or stand) there and watch the game without a flag blocking their view.
Unfortunately, these folks do not understand the supporters mindset and the traditions that go along with soccer. If we want to have a vibrant stadium with that noise and song and color and energy, we have to have designated areas where those things happen- and that means some blocked views.
Considering that even with the expansion, well over 90% of the overall capacity of the stadium is still NOT a “supporters section”, people who don’t like the style of those sections really have almost no room to complain. They should move, plain and simple. Hate to be blunt, but there it is.
by Blue Eyed Buddhist on Dec 4, 2011 7:46 PM PST up reply actions 4 recs
i've been there 3 years
and the whole middle section is ecs. the left and right side are people who yell the whole time about flags being put up in the fucking worst times imaginable. ecs is cool and all, but i have a feeling this just wont work out… I put up with it because it is BY FAR the cheapest seats in the house. and i get them for 2009 prices because i signed up for season tix right when you could. It will be interesting. thats for sure. hell knows non ECS members wont support it…
by greenriverthriller on Dec 4, 2011 8:58 PM PST up reply actions
There are plenty of seats outside of the GA/Supporters section at that price
Have you asked to move?
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
by Dave Clark on Dec 4, 2011 9:04 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
For Example,
I’m in 125. 2 sections over from GA. Same cost to GA, and a pretty similar vibe but without the flags and a little less jumping up and down.
You should check out the surrounding sections if you are like me and enjoy the vibe without the obstructed view.
"The fans are excited. And the stadium, well, it ignites with explosion."
with all due respect
I would look into moving into the Hawk’s Nest
- one of the guys who waves flags “in the fucking worst times imaginable”
...and you will hear us scream
by malcontentjake on Dec 4, 2011 10:04 PM PST up reply actions 7 recs
Keep on waving
- guy that gets your back when clowns are yelling at you
by chrisperry1983 on Dec 5, 2011 7:06 AM PST up reply actions
I love the fact that we have flag-wavers.
The supporters culture in Seattle is unrivaled. But I personally would go absolutely bananas if I had a flag being waved in front of me – I’m way too anal about not missing any portion of the match to put up with that. I just never get seats in GA I guess.
Never been a problem before, I hope it never is, as I certainly don’t want to do away with flag waving.
La Vecchia Signora Forever!
The sections that ECS have occupied over the last few years were obviously inadequate (size-wize)
The team can’t simply kick people out of the sections ECS wants, so this is really the only way to expand the supporters section; slowly, waiting for people to move or renew.
On a side note; Timbers Army has no signup fees?
No for TA membership takes this
“I’m Timbers Army”
Done. Same for Section8.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
They do have a sub-group called 107ist
Which basically sounds like a mix of Gorilla FC and ECS in that it deals with the FO and supports local charities.
I met a possum.
by s0merand0mdude on Dec 4, 2011 7:23 PM PST up reply actions
The 107IST is the organizational body behind the TA
it would be above TA if there was an org chart.
ECS supports charitable works, last night they did a Toys for Tots drive
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
for them it's all about who's playing seattle that day.
Thizz or die.
by mjkleko on Dec 4, 2011 7:23 PM PST up reply actions 4 recs
Depends
107ist is the TA’s organizational arm and they sell a membership.
You don’t have to pay to become a member of the ECS.
You need to “buy into” Supporters Culture and consider yourself apart of the group though.
The membership fees are a way to fund raise for tifo and other projects that people just take for granted.
Again, anyone who wants to can consider themselves a member of the ECS. You don’t have to pay anything. Just show up and support the team.
ECS Rocks
I like the energy, enjoy sitting behind them and I glad they have not lost the fire and are looking to improve.
Most of us sat among a spreadout 5k in the USL days and it was fun and great soccer, but the atmosphere we currently have is not something I will never take for granted….it takes a LOT of hard work,.
I do hope that the ECS energy is used first and foremost for coming up with great and original songs/chants/cheers etc.
by Charles J on Dec 5, 2011 8:31 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
94% of GA renewed this year
According to the ticket rep I talked to this morning.
Just not enough space for ECS to grow in the GA as the demand is so dang high, maybe if we weren’t “selling out” every game, people would move around a bit more, but right now, it’s just not happening.
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