One of the biggest stories in the Rochester Media over the past few days has been the establishment of the Rochester Raiders, a "professional" indoor football team who compete in the lowly Great Lakes Indoor Football League.
I was a fan of the old Arena League 2 team. the Rochester Brigade, so I decided to check out their first game at the ESL Sports Arena. Unfortunately, this was not a good experience, and I found the Rochester Raiders "organization" to be very unprfessional by the deceiving tactics thay used to fill the arena.
When I first arrived at the ESL Center, I noticed that since the main lot was full, people were parking in the adjacent MCC lot. But I was shocked to find out parking for the event was a whopping $5, to park in an empty lot on a Friday night when classes are not in session. This is more than what you pay at the Blue Cross Arena, or in any parking garage downtown.
Then in an obvious "bait and switch" tactic, the team announced that Mark Rypien would quarterback "one game in April" for the Raiders. The only problem is that they never announced the date, leading many to believe that Rypien would QB the game Friday night, when in fact he did not. This lead to many disappointed fans, and made the team look really unprofessional right off the bat.
To make matters worse, I had paid $14.95 for tickets for a section close to middle of the field. When I arrived inside the ESL Center I noticed that the sections were not marked. So when I asked an usher where my section was he said "Yeah well, it's the first night they overbooked it and whatever so just sit wherever you can." This was absolutely ridiculous because these weren't general admission seats, and the only section that was open was the back corner of the endzone. So basically I paid $14.95 to sit in $9.95 seats. Once more "bait and swith" and again the team looks unprofessional for charging for seating, and then not being able to guarantee those seats.
One I sat down, I found the overall presentation of the arena to be poor at best. The field goal posts were LITERALLY PVC pipe suspended from the ceiling. There was a pirate ship in the corner of the endzone, which was supposed to look like the one in Raymond James Stadium (Tampa Bay Bucs). Instead it looked like it was created and painted by a team of second graders. Also, the "Foxhole" which the Raiders have hyped on their site was simply a banner hanging from the rafters.
As for the product on the field, it is what it is. Nothing will knock your socks off, but it is something that the crowd had fun with. There was a halftime show that was painfully long and boring.
This was a very negative experience. I wouldn't necessarily discourage anyone from going, but I want people to be warned about the teams unprofessionalism and "bait and switch" tactics. I would be wary to spend more than $9.95 on a ticket. I know that the team has to get money while it can, but by misleading their consumers, the Raiders will surely go the way of the Brigade!
I was a fan of the old Arena League 2 team. the Rochester Brigade, so I decided to check out their first game at the ESL Sports Arena. Unfortunately, this was not a good experience, and I found the Rochester Raiders "organization" to be very unprfessional by the deceiving tactics thay used to fill the arena.
When I first arrived at the ESL Center, I noticed that since the main lot was full, people were parking in the adjacent MCC lot. But I was shocked to find out parking for the event was a whopping $5, to park in an empty lot on a Friday night when classes are not in session. This is more than what you pay at the Blue Cross Arena, or in any parking garage downtown.
Then in an obvious "bait and switch" tactic, the team announced that Mark Rypien would quarterback "one game in April" for the Raiders. The only problem is that they never announced the date, leading many to believe that Rypien would QB the game Friday night, when in fact he did not. This lead to many disappointed fans, and made the team look really unprofessional right off the bat.
To make matters worse, I had paid $14.95 for tickets for a section close to middle of the field. When I arrived inside the ESL Center I noticed that the sections were not marked. So when I asked an usher where my section was he said "Yeah well, it's the first night they overbooked it and whatever so just sit wherever you can." This was absolutely ridiculous because these weren't general admission seats, and the only section that was open was the back corner of the endzone. So basically I paid $14.95 to sit in $9.95 seats. Once more "bait and swith" and again the team looks unprofessional for charging for seating, and then not being able to guarantee those seats.
One I sat down, I found the overall presentation of the arena to be poor at best. The field goal posts were LITERALLY PVC pipe suspended from the ceiling. There was a pirate ship in the corner of the endzone, which was supposed to look like the one in Raymond James Stadium (Tampa Bay Bucs). Instead it looked like it was created and painted by a team of second graders. Also, the "Foxhole" which the Raiders have hyped on their site was simply a banner hanging from the rafters.
As for the product on the field, it is what it is. Nothing will knock your socks off, but it is something that the crowd had fun with. There was a halftime show that was painfully long and boring.
This was a very negative experience. I wouldn't necessarily discourage anyone from going, but I want people to be warned about the teams unprofessionalism and "bait and switch" tactics. I would be wary to spend more than $9.95 on a ticket. I know that the team has to get money while it can, but by misleading their consumers, the Raiders will surely go the way of the Brigade!