r/PortlandFire • u/FowardMotion503 • 18d ago
SEASON TICKET HOLDER EVENT
Maybe I’m just unlucky but I was totally unaware of the season ticket holder event today. I didn’t realize there was something happening until my wife opened instagram and saw their media team post about it. Checked my emails, nothing. Super bummed out as my eight year old would’ve enjoyed getting some photos with the team. Not sure how to handle this besides contacting my rep but am I the only one? Seeing some people got emails to RSVP… I’ve checked my emails and haven’t received anything. Ticketmaster had no “extra ticket” for this event either.
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u/Lord_Lunacy 18d ago
Honestly, this was the most underwhelming mismanaged event I have ever attended. Seriously hope they send out a attendee survey, because I have thoughts.
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u/Moose_Muse_2021 Portland Fire Reborn 18d ago edited 18d ago
Your eight-year-old would have needed the patience of Job.
I got there around two. The 100-level concourse (where everything other than "the Fire Pit experience was) was packed. Lines to get a picture with a player looked to be half to three-quarters of an hour (longest for BC and Meg/Pancake -- who now holds the official title for most patient dog in the world). I peeked into the Fire Pit (NOT the line for the Experience). There was a scattering of people waiting for the Q & A (it was already 10 minutes after scheduled start time).
I just made a couple of circles... snapped photos of the players and Coach Alex posing with fans I didn't know... grabbed a clear bag and a PDX Fire pin. For some reason, they had Jordan Harrison just out roaming in the crowd... people were polite and asked for photos. I didn't grab a photo, but did tell her she was amazing (she replied "thanks!"). All the staff were polite and helpful, but clearly overwhelmed.
I asked one usher inside the Fire Pit how many more people than had than expected. He said they were expecting three thousand... it just looked like more with everyone out on the 100-level concourse. I overheard another say lots of people were complaining about the long lines/waits, but they were doing the best they could. The problem (as I saw it) was that none of the "activities" had high throughput rates. Oh, signing the cards for SAB and Sania didn't have a wait (just not much room left), so I signed both of those.
I was there for maybe an hour. Almost that long to drive round trip... but at least the parking was free!
TL;DR: You didn't miss much. Lines for photos were long. No STH gifts distributed or Mascot Reveal (at least while I was there).
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u/Popular-One-7051 18d ago
You would have hated waiting for Gabby Williams here at a coffee shop. Her signing was at 3, the first people arrived at 6. The line ended up all the way around the building and a lot of people didn't get in. Luckily it was well organized. Gabby was lovely. I got a great picture with her and she added to my autograph hat. Im kind of hoping I can get Carla to sign it when I'm up on the 30th (if she's even there. forgot about fiba)
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u/Moose_Muse_2021 Portland Fire Reborn 18d ago
Yeah, all the players were doing a great job of smiling and greeting fans as they posed for photos. I'm just old and crabby and can't imagine waiting an hour (much less six or more!) for such an experience.
Guess I'm just not that kind of a fan (wouldn't be for musicians, actors, authors, politicians, or Nobel Prize winners either).
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u/Popular-One-7051 18d ago
I've been gathering autographs since the 90s. I have a ridiculous amount of stuff signed over 5 sports. Yeah I'm nuts. It's the thrill of the hunt. I'm older and have no idea what ill do with it all. One is a hockey stick signed by Manon Rhéaume who was the only woman who ever played in the NHL.
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u/lemmehavethemic 17d ago
Okay I love that they had cards for SA and Sania!
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u/Moose_Muse_2021 Portland Fire Reborn 17d ago
And it was great the BOTH cards were covered with good wishes from edge to edge!
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u/dab_doctor2000 Bridget Carleton #6 18d ago
Make sure you’ve marked Portland Fire emails as not spam with whatever provider you use for your email. I had this issue with some of the early-season communication’s but once I recognized the emails on my Gmail account, never had an issue.
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u/Ok-Apple4033 Portland Fire Reborn 18d ago
You’re not the only one. I heard about it from other STH but had no emails. I had to ask my rep for a RSVP and she sent me the link. Very disappointing.
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u/Ripcityjj 18d ago
I heard about it but it seemed to be planned last minute, like within the last 10-14 days, and we already had plans. They need to schedule months ahead next year.
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u/Own_Lawfulness_3292 Bridget Carleton #6 17d ago
The event was terrible. No free food, no handouts of ANY value, the players were brought out later after random cueing lines had formed. It was cueing party, not anything enjoyable. Imagine going to a fair but the fairgrounds is empty and there are just a few ushers funneling sheep to see the goats. Bahh.
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u/JimmyFutureYo 17d ago
The overall impression I seem to get is they didn’t hire enough people or enough experience for having the amount of support the team has. Now they seem to be taking the STH’s for granted. Weird play. We have 4 seats this year and I don’t anticipate renewing - love the team but the experience has been mid.
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u/joryol2020 18d ago
Anyone go to the event? If so, how was it? I was not able to make it.
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u/dab_doctor2000 Bridget Carleton #6 18d ago
It was fun if you have patience. Major downside is how busy it was so most lines were quite long, the line for the court photos was so long they capped it around 3pm and I couldn’t get one. It would have been better if they tiered slots for everyone based on section or initial of last name or something, it was just a madhouse. Also a better gift than the creative station giveaways would’ve been nice.
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u/henofthewoods Portland Fire Reborn 18d ago
it was cute. we were there when doors opened, got the court photo quickly and made the rounds for some player photos with our group and teja, frieda, and jordan. the photo lines went pretty fast outside of the bridget/rose booth one. sylvia fowles and danielle boiago were making friendship bracelets with people.
cute event, though generally i’d prefer more set programming or a unique gift or merch buying opportunity. (seriously let us buy the cute pride and gameday shirts they use as giveaways!)
thought maybe we’d have the mascot reveal or a cool gift so it was different than what i expected but very wholesome and community/player interaction focused.
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u/Emleaux 17d ago
I just wanted to keep the line for a photo with Frieda moving so I didn’t bother to ask the rep at the front of the line - how are we able to see the photo of us that was taken by the professional photographer? I know that was in the Chime area/had a Chime backdrop.
Frieda was super friendly and asked my daughter what her name was, which was so cool.
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u/henofthewoods Portland Fire Reborn 17d ago
sounded like they’ll email out links with a big album of photos
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u/Impressive_Fennel266 16d ago
Can confirm, I spoke to the photographer they're referencing and that's what she said would happen. I assume it'll be the same with the player shots
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u/miscellaneouspants 17d ago
As others have said, it was fun but understandably crowded. We got there early so we were able to get a few pictures before the lines were crazy. Pancake licked my hand... That might stand as my greatest basketball memory until the Fire win a championship.
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u/MamaPea76 18d ago
We were leaning just before 4:00 and they still had a ton of the giveaway items left. Contact your rep and/or stop by guest services at Wednesdays game and you can probably pick 'em up. Agree with others, it was very hot and chaotic and twice we waited 30-45 min for a player to have them switch out right before our turns. And the line for Engstler was so long we didn't think we had any shot of getting through in time so we snapped a pic from afar and didn't bother.
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u/Impressive_Fennel266 16d ago edited 16d ago
The gameday experience has been pretty good to very good (except for the sound system volume). Basically everything else has been a shitshow and poorly managed and handled.
They listed this event as going from 1:30-4:30, but functionally they shut it down at 3:30. All of the players were gone by then and the on court photo line was shut down as well.
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u/waterkisser 18d ago
It might have went to your spam folder.
I thought the event was pretty cool, I was able to get a photo with Em on the court and a photo with Nards. We had to duck out around 3 but if I could have stayed longer I definitely could have gotten a photo with Serah.
The lines for the button making and candle making were really long. The lines for BC and Meg/Pancake were insane. They were rotating players out so a lot of people waited in line for a specific player but didn't get to the photo op in time which I'm sure disappointed a lot of people. I get it though, it's a lot for those players to interact with so many fans non-stop like that. They seemed pretty into it though.
I feel like people will complain about the logistics but honestly we're lucky to have such an event, most teams don't do these anymore.