Questions For "third Rail"

I think that's a lot to ask (financially) haha but the ones that are relatively close (DC, NE, ETC) I think they're doing buses and well have a huge presence.

Yes, but it is a very numerous group and I think that also in Los Angeles and in the other few away games in the West Coast a true supporter group must be present with at least 1 hundred people.
 
Yes, but it is a very numerous group and I think that also in Los Angeles and in the other few away games in the West Coast a true supporter group must be present with at least 1 hundred people.
I mean I hear what you're saying, but I'm not sure how feesable it truly is. Personally, I have allotted PTO days from work and honestly, I'm all about this club, but I'm not gonna burn through my days off and spend crazy money that could be better used elsewhere.
 
Yes, but it is a very numerous group and I think that also in Los Angeles and in the other few away games in the West Coast a true supporter group must be present with at least 1 hundred people.
American soccer is a different animal entirely. There just isn't a large enough following of any team to be able to do this...with the exception of MAYBE ECS, Seattle Sounders group. Saying a Supporters Group isn't "true" is unfair. Someone like me cannot afford the time nor the money to make even ONE away trip. Does that mean that I am any less a fan than someone who doesn't need to work for a living?
 
American soccer is a different animal entirely. There just isn't a large enough following of any team to be able to do this...with the exception of MAYBE ECS, Seattle Sounders group. Saying a Supporters Group isn't "true" is unfair. Someone like me cannot afford the time nor the money to make even ONE away trip. Does that mean that I am any less a fan than someone who doesn't need to work for a living?
If I had a massive trust fund and didn't have bills or responsibilities I'd be at every game.SHIT I'd be at the practices...but I got shit to take care of
 
This response isn't really for you. It's for anyone else who may see this and think that's how everything operates with TR.

Let me tell you the whole story. I can be trusted to tell the whole story, and tell it in truth, because I was there to see it all in real time.

1. They didn't take 6 months to send out damaged scarves. The whole story is that they placed the orders for the scarves as soon as the winning member design was selected in August. Then, we got e-mail messages asking us to let them know if we wanted to pick the scarves up or have them shipped. I chose to pick mine up. Which I did at the TR Halloween Party on November 1st. The scarves arrived in the middle of October.

It was a complicated design to begin with. What do you mean "complicated?" I'll show you:

The design: http://www.thirdrailnyc.com/2014/08/and-winner-is.html
Me with my scarf: http://instagram.com/p/vBm2ZpEJxu/

The company hired to produce them is Ruffneck Scarves, so it's no janky budget company. This is a reputable business. The scarves took a while to produce. That makes sense. When the boxes arrived, we were notified. At the next meeting after the scarves arrived, I went to Nevada Smith's and picked my scarf up. Some people forgot that they said they'd pick theirs up. Some people joined late and thus got their scarves late. Some of the scarves were shipped and returned thus delaying the process (and likely cost the TR an assload of money).

In any case, the scarves were shipped out as fast as they could be given that probably 3 people tops were working on packing and shipping 700+ scarves in their free time. The ones that weren't 100% satisfactory were a surprise to everyone. They are taking care of all of them as quickly as they can from what I've seen. I know for a fact that you can return your less than perfect scarf and they will switch it for a new one that is satisfactory. That there are some mistakes doesn't surprise me though. That's how manufacturing works. Some stuff just isn't perfect.

2. I picked my membership card up at Nevada Smith's... at the first official meeting... in August. It's a beautiful card by the way. Delayed cards were probably the result of delayed scarves. It makes sense that they wanted to make one shipment instead of two.

3. What else have they done?

-Well, I was on field at MCFC vs. Liverpool with the TR. Right behind the goal and the game ended in PKs ON MY SIDE!
-They got other members in at every press event.
-I drove to Montreal with a guy I'd never met just because he is in TR.
-I've gone to almost all of the meetings and parties they put together.
-I went to the USMNT game in CT with them (and bought the t-shirt). A bunch of people didn't make it to the game because the buses they coordinated got totally obliterated for time by traffic. They gave everyone the option to either get a full refund or apply their money to a 2015 membership. The buses left from NYC at 2pm for a 7pm kickoff. Buses are commercial and have to take a specific way. They still made their way to a bar and watched the game together. I drove myself and even taking back roads, it took me over 4 hours. I just BARELY got there in time.
-They got us a great discount at Upper 90 (which I used to get my son a Japan national team jersey for Christmas for 22 bucks).
-They fielded a damn competitive amateur soccer team in the Supporters Club Cup.
-They are petitioning for NYCFC license plates.
-They've done two cash prize FIFA video game tournaments.
-They collected donations for the Gemmell Fund.

I mean... "What have they done?" Really? What have YOU done? I have done plenty with them.

They are absolutely fair game for criticism. I just want to know what basis the criticism is founded on.
So we can get another scarf? Mine is shit. I wasn't aware it was returnable.

I also never received a card. But that's just me. Can I get a replacement scarf and a card?
 
This response isn't really for you. It's for anyone else who may see this and think that's how everything operates with TR.

Let me tell you the whole story. I can be trusted to tell the whole story, and tell it in truth, because I was there to see it all in real time.

1. They didn't take 6 months to send out damaged scarves. The whole story is that they placed the orders for the scarves as soon as the winning member design was selected in August. Then, we got e-mail messages asking us to let them know if we wanted to pick the scarves up or have them shipped. I chose to pick mine up. Which I did at the TR Halloween Party on November 1st. The scarves arrived in the middle of October.

It was a complicated design to begin with. What do you mean "complicated?" I'll show you:

The design: http://www.thirdrailnyc.com/2014/08/and-winner-is.html
Me with my scarf: http://instagram.com/p/vBm2ZpEJxu/

The company hired to produce them is Ruffneck Scarves, so it's no janky budget company. This is a reputable business. The scarves took a while to produce. That makes sense. When the boxes arrived, we were notified. At the next meeting after the scarves arrived, I went to Nevada Smith's and picked my scarf up. Some people forgot that they said they'd pick theirs up. Some people joined late and thus got their scarves late. Some of the scarves were shipped and returned thus delaying the process (and likely cost the TR an assload of money).

In any case, the scarves were shipped out as fast as they could be given that probably 3 people tops were working on packing and shipping 700+ scarves in their free time. The ones that weren't 100% satisfactory were a surprise to everyone. They are taking care of all of them as quickly as they can from what I've seen. I know for a fact that you can return your less than perfect scarf and they will switch it for a new one that is satisfactory. That there are some mistakes doesn't surprise me though. That's how manufacturing works. Some stuff just isn't perfect.

2. I picked my membership card up at Nevada Smith's... at the first official meeting... in August. It's a beautiful card by the way. Delayed cards were probably the result of delayed scarves. It makes sense that they wanted to make one shipment instead of two.

3. What else have they done?

-Well, I was on field at MCFC vs. Liverpool with the TR. Right behind the goal and the game ended in PKs ON MY SIDE!
-They got other members in at every press event.
-I drove to Montreal with a guy I'd never met just because he is in TR.
-I've gone to almost all of the meetings and parties they put together.
-I went to the USMNT game in CT with them (and bought the t-shirt). A bunch of people didn't make it to the game because the buses they coordinated got totally obliterated for time by traffic. They gave everyone the option to either get a full refund or apply their money to a 2015 membership. The buses left from NYC at 2pm for a 7pm kickoff. Buses are commercial and have to take a specific way. They still made their way to a bar and watched the game together. I drove myself and even taking back roads, it took me over 4 hours. I just BARELY got there in time.
-They got us a great discount at Upper 90 (which I used to get my son a Japan national team jersey for Christmas for 22 bucks).
-They fielded a damn competitive amateur soccer team in the Supporters Club Cup.
-They are petitioning for NYCFC license plates.
-They've done two cash prize FIFA video game tournaments.
-They collected donations for the Gemmell Fund.

I mean... "What have they done?" Really? What have YOU done? I have done plenty with them.

They are absolutely fair game for criticism. I just want to know what basis the criticism is founded on.
As little interest as I had in the Third Rail your post completely changed my mind. Well written and informative post. You should be their PR person seriously. They should give you a commission from my fees.
 
Just telling the truth. Hope to see you at some events in the future! Thanks for the kind words.
I was being serious. I didn't know I could exchange my scarf. It's pretty off. And I didn't get a card, either. They will fix this?
 
I was being serious. I didn't know I could exchange my scarf. It's pretty off. And I didn't get a card, either. They will fix this?

Midas, if you're able to attend the meeting this Sunday they'll get you sorted out right then and there. I was at the meeting in early December and exchanged my scarf and picked up my membership card as well. This Sunday you'll also have the option of plunking down your 2015 membership fees. ;)
 
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Posted this on Reddit, but wanted to bring this up here as well.

I'm starting to get a little miffed by their lack of communication - I haven't seen anything about the meeting this past Sunday - what was discussed, decided, and so on - only first hand accounts from some members online, yet nothing from TR directly.

How are members, like myself, supposed to be involved and know what's going on if they can't make it to the meetings?

Also, and this might be a larger discussion, but the recent news about LAFC and the Black Army has resurrected the discussion that the TR is directly tied to NYCFC - I'd like to ask them if they can release a statement outlining their exact relationship with NYCFC, but not sure how to go about it.

Someone asked on their private Facebook page about the recent meeting, but got no response, yet they answer questions when someone asks where their damn scarves are.

This might be my longest post yet and without a single picture/gif...
 
Thanks to R roxfontaine I'm now a member and on their FB page. I've seen a lot of the communication about people not getting their membership cards and didn't see anything about the meeting (although I may have glossed over it).

Maybe their emails are going to your spam folder? I dunno, I'm hoping things get smoother now that we're actually in the year that we start playing.
 
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Posted this on Reddit, but wanted to bring this up here as well.

I'm starting to get a little miffed by their lack of communication - I haven't seen anything about the meeting this past Sunday - what was discussed, decided, and so on - only first hand accounts from some members online, yet nothing from TR directly.

How are members, like myself, supposed to be involved and know what's going on if they can't make it to the meetings?

Also, and this might be a larger discussion, but the recent news about LAFC and the Black Army has resurrected the discussion that the TR is directly tied to NYCFC - I'd like to ask them if they can release a statement outlining their exact relationship with NYCFC, but not sure how to go about it.

Someone asked on their private Facebook page about the recent meeting, but got no response, yet they answer questions when someone asks where their damn scarves are.

This might be my longest post yet and without a single picture/gif...

I agree with everything you said. I know that they went over songs and things related to that but not sure what else. It's a shame that anyone that calls out the group immediately gets lambasted. I appreciate everything those who volunteer their time do but I don't think it's too much to ask to see some minutes posted or something related to what the actual plans are for opening day which is fast approaching.

As for TR being independent from NYCFC, I have no doubt that they are completely separate entities. I've been watching them grow since the day the team was announced and most of the same grassroots people are still involved and there's no evidence that they are plants or whatever ridiculous theories people have.
 
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