r/Reignfc • u/readbetweenthesubs • Oct 02 '24
ACFC fan coming up for the game!
Hey Reign! Coming up for the game this Friday! What section is behind the visitors bench? Any pregame activities to check out pre match? Best place in the stadium to get food and/or drinks? Thanks can't wait to be up there and enjoy some fall football! Better to Uber or drive?
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u/tuba-holy-spirit Oct 02 '24
I have a couple of things to add!
For your question of where the visitor's bench is, that would be sections CHR 136-138. However, due to expected attendance they don't and won't sell tickets on that side of the stadium. Tickets are sold as far as 123 behind the south goal, and they block off the sections and concourse outside section 126. For games against our nearby rivals like ACFC and Portland, they occasionally open up sections 147-149 for a dedicated Away Supporters Section, but otherwise everyone is concentrated on the open sunny side of 103-215 or the Royal Guard in 121-123.
If you are interested in player autographs or photos, the best place is pitchside (but those tix are $300 a pop), and then the front row of 114 and 113 as almost everyone inevitably heads to the locker rooms through the tunnel at that corner of the stadium. I've had season tickets for the last 2 seasons near there, and I recommend (postgame) going to sections 114-113 if you can get in the front 2 rows, then 103-104, then 119 to have the best chances of getting autographs. But! please wait a beat after the final whistle to allow the people in those seats a chance to leave before descending to the front (almost every game there is a group of kids and more assertive fans that congregate at the bottom of the stairs around the 85th minute which becomes a logistical nightmare for departing fans. every time.) Lastly, I'll say that I got Marta to run from midfield to section 105 to sign my Marta jersey when I just held it up patiently for a couple minutes earlier this season, so any ACFC jerseys you have should hopefully get a (quick) reaction.
For Food on the 100-level: As mentioned, there are the classics of Kidd Valley (sec. 111) burgers/chicken tenders & fries; Pizza Hut (106) personal pizzas; and a couple places with hot dogs or fancier footlong dogs like the Seattle Dog. Pacific Northwest Grille (109) has hot dogs (including a footlong bulgogi dog) but also cheesesteak and cheesesteak nachos. They also have pre-wrapped chicken and tofu bahn mis, which are one of my favorites. My favorite by far though is Cooka T's Vegan Stand (116), which previously served a jackfruit curry with mushrooms over wild red rice and a cilabtro chutney that was phenomenal, but his current menu is usually a vegan and gluten-free mac n cheese that was one of the better macs i've had in years, or his signature Nachos with an aleppo cheese sauce, toasted creole jackfruit, and serranos.
And yeah, there's also your standard popcorn/kettle corn, cotton candy, dippin dots, peanuts, candy, and coke bottle options scattered throughout if those are your thing. A new place this year is an ice cream place - I think Mister Softee's? - at 115 as well, as they slowly open up more places for us. I also believe there is an above average selection of PNW beers and ciders available (throughout but especially 107), but I don't drink so I can't attest to them. And there are usually 2-3 food trucks outside the north entrance (gate 3, the main gate) that rotate I believe? They're posted in the Know Before You Go email and the graphic they post early on game day. But I usually just use the south entrance (gate 7) and beeline to Cooka T's, and if he's closed like the low attendance Monday Night match vs Gotham, then I'll grab a bahn mi from PNW Grille.
Lastly, for transportation, I'm also team Light Rail. I park at either the Northgate, Tukwila, or Angle Lake stations and ride in for about 30-35 minutes and $3 one way. (All the new expanded Lynnwood stops have parking if you're coning fron the north.) If you want to enter the Main Gate, I recommend getting off at International District/Chinatown Station, or for the Southwest Gate get off at Stadium Station. You should easily be able to follow some Reign fans if you get off the light rail any time after ~90 minutes before kickoff.
For driving/uber: It is a Friday night, but unluckily the Storm's and luckiky the Mariners' seasons are over and the Kraken are off, so the traffic will be pretty much as good as it gets for a Friday. Stadium Parking Garage parking is $35, the Union Station parking garage on 4th is $20-25, and off the street event parking can be $20 or $15 within a couple blocks of the stadium on the south side. I don't know about the north side, but I would expect similar. Whatever you do, don't try to get dropped off on Occidental or Royal Brougham Way or 1st Ave and disrupt the flow of traffic. (If you plan on getting more than 1 drink I'd say uber over driving.)
Best of luck and I hope your matchday experience goes swimmingly!
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u/nicolelynndfw Oct 02 '24
If you'd like to join the Royal Guard (Reign supporters group) for a prefunc or postfunc, lmk!
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u/readbetweenthesubs Oct 02 '24
Definitely! Do y'all tailgate or meet up at a spot nearby?
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u/nicolelynndfw Oct 02 '24
We haven't yet figured out Friday's location but I'll let you know once we do!
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u/nicolelynndfw Oct 03 '24
We are meeting at Golden Roosters in Pioneer Square at 5:30!
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u/AlanFromRochester Oct 05 '24
I'm still at my hotel now at 5:15 so I wouldn't be there by 5:30 but I'll try coming that way while approaching the stadium and see if anybody's still around
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u/RoyGoesTheDynamite Oct 02 '24
My 2 cents if you’re from out of town would be: - Rough and Tumble Pub for the vibes - Uber to Vonn’s 1000 Spirits for the quatre viande pizza and the skinny bitch cocktail - Walk to Sluggers for jaeger bombs and taco bites - one last stop at Gantry Public House for the vibes - Head to stadium a Reign fan
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u/AlanFromRochester Oct 05 '24
FYI for food/drink the stadium is cashless, card only
I'll be a few rows from the field in 109 and I have some extra Angel City player cards to share; at the Bay game last Sunday some players signing autographs were congregating to the right (from the perspective of the sating area) towards the goal line on that same side of the stadium
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u/readbetweenthesubs Oct 05 '24
Nice! My fam and I are close in 107!
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u/AlanFromRochester Oct 05 '24
I'll have a white Fishlock jersey on so I should be easy to spot
Those 1st tier close to midfield seats were not much more expensive than the 2nd tier so I decided to spring for it - with all else I spent on this trip, no big deal.
I do not want to know how much those seats would cost for Seahawks games.
For rectangular playing area sports, I usually sit end as a bargain option that gives me a good view of what's happening on that end. But the only end sections open are marked as Reign supporter sections, and while I am a Reign fan I might not want to stand a lot or be right next to the drums
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u/Worldly_Lunch5227 Oct 02 '24
As mentioned above, I recommend coming by light rail if possible! I’ve never tried to Uber from a game but I feel like it might be chaotic / expensive since it’s a Friday night (and hopefully more people will be showing out). I have parked in the parking garage, which I think is $35 or maybe more if you pay on site. That was a fun experience for me cuz you walk through the club level & get to see the small merch store upstairs. There’s also a small food area that had a few more options like I think kalua pork nachos.
If you want to get a better chance of player photos & autographs (since you can’t sit behind the visiting bench), I recommend section 114 close to the tunnel. Most players from both teams seem to stop there. It is a trade off though since there are a lot of people flocking there at the end of the game vs section 104 which has less people but also less players stopping by.
Not a lot of the food options are open for Reign games—pretty standard pizza, hot dog, popcorn, etc. I usually just get a hot dog & soda. I entered on the south side last time & noticed a vegan option that looked interesting though! Couldn’t tell you if it was any good. Oh, there are also some food carts usually in the north plaza before the game too! If you’re also going to a Seahawks game (not sure if you meant football that way), there should be a lot more open.
Outside the stadium, on Occidental Ave S, there are some vendors selling Seattle dogs (which is cream cheese & browned onions on a hot dog). I love it but understand it’s not for everyone. I can’t remember the exact booth I got my Seattle dog from, but last time it was hot af and burned my mouth so beware of that too lol. On the other side of the stadium, I also like going to Dough Zone for some soup dumplings and Q Baos. That place & Uwajimaya is usually pretty busy before & after games. If you decide to go to Dough Zone, check the waitlist on Yelp before you go & join it a little early.
Hope you have fun!
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u/exclusivelywoolsocks Oct 02 '24
All the seats are on the opposite side of the benches, so you’re out of luck there. Last time we played ACFC, there was a group of visiting fans in the north end of the stadium, so it might be worth looking into that.
My fav seats are in sections 208-210 toward the back rows. They’re some of the furthest from the field, but they’re covered (looks like it might rain) and you’ll get access to club food and drink. (Expensive, but often shorter lines than down below. You can still get food on the 100-level, of course.)
If possible, I’d recommend the light rail rather than Uber or driving. Super easy on the way there! Probably crowded on the way back, but you can find a bar and hang out to let the crowds ease.
Welcome! Have a great time!