Toronto FC Fails to Advance, Keep Fans

I don't know. I know people who use that exact camera with similar lens for professional use.

Jesus, TFC are dead to me now. Those guys just can't finish. Ha. That's what she said!!

I feel your pain, but are you against large flags? it adds to the atmosphere of the game and used properly dosen't affect anyones view of the game.

I'm OK with flags, but it seems odd to me that large flags (with poles) are considered safe and non-obstructing, but umbrellas are not and cameras really bother them.

This is a decidedly skewed review of the BMO field experience. The purpose of attending a sporting event, especially a TFC game, is to watch the football being played and immerse yourself in the fanatic surroundings, not to take photographs! This is nearly as bad as those doorknobs who stand in front of you at concerts to watch the entire show through the digital camera on their cell phone! Deplorable!

awwww poor muffin,

I dont kno why they dont start games at 7:30 on weekdays its bollucks!! Me and my uncle left my house in brampton at 6 and we made it on time :P.... we got off at islington and took the road on lakeshore and with a little bit of speeding and the lights staying green we made it into our seats just as the national anthem was starting.. and my that first picture you have only if you had moved it more to the left the back of my head would have been their :P... but dissapointing loss

"fanatic surroundings"? All I see is bunch of empty seats.

Sounds like you had a gret time! Did you atleast get a chance to wash the sadness with a couple of nice cold drafts?

I feel your pain. I was there, but somehow I got in with a rebel XT with 75-300mm lens. nobody checked me. The security came to talk to me in the middle of the first half and said if the lens is more than 70mm then I can't have it. I realized he has no idea about cameras (since he couldn't tell that my HUGE lens is obviously more than 70mm) so I said oh dont worry about it, they already checked it and said that I was okay. lol.
I took so many good pictures. I am going to post all of them online just to piss them off.
here's one of them:

http://flickr.com/photos/high_hopes/2694961188/
what a ridiculous rule.

"fanatic surroundings"? All I see is bunch of empty seats."

that's cause of the 7pm start, way to early...

STOP BEING A PUSSY!
BOO HOO....

OHH THE FLAGS ARE LARGE...

GROW A DICK!

Although at game time it looked like the stands were only half full, the place was packed the rest of the way. The fan shot with the flags was the best I had, but it was also just as TFC took the field for the second half, so all the guys filling the empty seats were probably still in line for the bathroom.

A 7:30 start would've made a lot of sense. If it weren't for the camera thing, we would not have been anywhere near the last to get to our seats.

Whoa, that post is 95% whining and 5% game report. Sorry to hear your first experience wasn't what you hoped for. But come on now. Everything you complained about wasn't some planned MLSE or BMO field anti-fan campaign. Every event venue in the world has rules like these. You broke those rules and now you're upset? All I can say is boo-hoo for you. Next time, (I suggest you not give up on team) how about calling the fan services line "in advance" and leaving your house early? Or even further, tell ?em that your from Blogto.com and get yourself some credentials?

Let's all give MLSE a hand. Ham-fisted policies and gouging ftw.

TFC probably lost (yes they tied) the most important game of in there history and your report is less about the game and more whinging at things you probably should of looked into before heading down to the stadium. Camera Policies like this are in effect in many soccer stadiums around the world.

Blog TO Fails to Impress, Keep Fans

I've been to 5 games in 2 years during all weather. I'm not soccer fan. The experience is by far the best sporting experience in Toronto. Your article is grade school whining. Seriously, grow up.

Well, last nights game was not my first, but its true there was little to mention about the actual play unless its to say that Robert pissed the bed. Not the best soccer I've paid money to see. The RPB were the bulk of the entertainment.

I have never heard someone complain so much. Did you start getting upset at everyone and everything because you couldn't bring in your camera.

By the sounds of it, you wouldn't want any pictures anyways to remember such a horrible outing you had.

I was there last night and I've been to a couple of other TFC games and I have to say they're the most fun you'll have at a sporting event.

This is a completely pointless self-involved story. I couldn't care less about your parking problems. At least find something more interesting to whine about.

I've been to 3 Toronto FC games now (including both games last week) and never took a camera once. For me, the experience was about awesome crowds and 28 oz. beers for $12 (one of the best deals at a sporting event in Toronto). Not to mention awesome food.

What I don't get is why the CONCACAF or Canadian Championship matters. Shouldn't national champions be national teams, not pro teams with less than half of the roster being Canadian? And shouldn't TFC be playing towards an MLS championship, not the CONCACAF?

Serotonin:

CONCACAF is the America's version of UEFA.
Hense the CONCACAF champions league is our version of the Champions league.

It is supposed to be a tourament of the best teams in North and South America, which is very important.

However, the fact that TFC failed to qualify against teams that are not even MLS statndards (however great that is) is pretty sad.

No matter what though this guy this article needs to get a grip

you're coming to a soccer game leave the camera at home
take transit even though that is a poor option
and accept it for what it is

there are many issues that must be resolved.

I noticed when i saw Arsenal v. Everton in May that in the program there was a transportation survey attached by Transportation for London.

perhaps the MLSE shoudl liaise with the City of Toronto and MTO to get one in the toronto fc programme or hand one out at the game.

i tried to write an article on teh transportation conundrum that is BMO field for Spacing magazine but their lazy ass editor wouldn't even get back to me on the topic. Oh well why would they need a master's educated transportation planner to write an article for them?

MLSE if you need some help i'm here.

I am not disputing that the games are fun and that fans have a great time. Obviously, they sell out regularly. But MLSE/TFC should do more to ensure fans can get to the game on time, through better traffic and parking attendents and more support/publicity for transit options. And if so many fans want to leave their cameras at home anyway, it shouldn't cause a problem that the occasional fan wants to snap a few pics of action on and off the field.

Because -if- they allowed cameras, then people wouldn't be inclined to leave them at home?

Great posts Joshua, Roberto

Wow, I guess the unwritten rule is "thou shall not be critical of the TFC in any way". MLSE must be happy to have another Leaf situation - no matter how bad the team is, people will still support it. Any guesses on how much they will raise ticket prices next year?

apetimberlake, just to clarify. Concacaf only includes North America and the Caribbean. South America is ruled by CONMEBOL. But I agree, it is an important tournament.

Oh, and Central America: Concacaf= North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Sorry.

orly

Posting just to mention that this definitely isn't the first time I've seen people not allowed in somewhere with their digital SLR. It seems to be pretty common practice. And you can't blame a security guy for not knowing the difference between a 400D with a Sigma lens and a 5D with some fancy L lens. Do you think he reads the EXIF when he views his photoblogs at night? Simple rule is.. if it's bigger than a p&s, security will think it's a professional camera.

Jesus, what a whiner... please write this kind of stuff on your personal blog. noone's interested to read such whining. thumbs down for blogto for allowing this crap to get published.

"But MLSE/TFC should do more to ensure fans can get to the game on time, through better traffic and parking attendents and more support/publicity for transit options"

It is called personal responsibility, get on board. Trying to publicly flame an organization for a series of personal blunders is quite sad.

While blogto is not covered in advertising, you still do find ads on every page- therefor it is a for-profit company and the images you were trying to capture with your "non-professional"camera, whether you like it or not, have a value to them(even if you never see a penny). The policy MLSE has in place is to stop YOU and what YOU were trying to do, I suggest next time you want to write an article like this, take the proper route and get your self accredited.

MLSE/TFC have the responsibility to try and put a winning team on the field and ensure the safety of their fans, not to baby sit them on the way to the game.

hahaha internet comments.

I always thought you should be able to bring whatever camera you wish into a sporting event. We PAY for the seats, media doesn't. So why do they get to make money taking pictures while we have to document out experiences with a lens so flat, you nearly have a panorama!

That said; not sure how much the TFC has to do with the ineptitude of the exhibition staff....but even marlie games get stupid with parking, so I can imagine a throng of cars from a team that actually draws a decent crowd!

Associated football. Tough day by the lakeside.

Correction: ASSOCIATION football. Tough that I can't edit my own comments, either.

Heh, I guess it's up to attitude and timing... I too went to my first TFC game that night, brought my Nikon D200 with a 12-24 lens on it - I had read the rules and phoned ahead to the fan support line to ask about the policy - the nice lady on the line said that it's more a question of who's checking the bag than what the rules are. Most of the security guards have no idea what a pro camera is or if a lens is even detachable. So it's luck of the draw.

TFC shouldn't have to worry about your tardiness. Fans show up half an hour late or more to games on Saturday afternoon and evening, so it is obviously the fans who can't arrive on time and not a logistics problem to be fixed by the club.

I have been to 4 TFC games this year and have not had any trouble with TTC service to the games. (Away from the games could be improved but it isn't terrible.)

if your biggest concern is your camera, you're obviously not there to watch a soccer match.

Is there even any transit option for that stadium? what buses would you take.

I was also at this game and the person that was parking the car didn't get into the game until into the second half.

Yay! Interesting.