Last night, D.C. United held a question & answer session for around 100 season ticket holders. Ben Olsen, Perry Kitchen and Bill Hamid were all on hand, as was United's newly promoted Chief Marketing Officer Doug Hicks. The team also demoed some of the new food that they plan to serve at the new STH-only Champions Club on gamedays. Two of your humble, but intrepid, bloggers were in attendance. I pulled rank and made Stephen handle the live tweeting duties, but more on that in a minute.
First, the food, which was a preview of what will be available to season ticket holders who make their way to the new Champions Club on the mezzanine at the south end of the stadium this season. Definitely a step up from the normal stadium fare (the pupusa stand notwithstanding): three types of sausage (brat, Italian, Salvadoran) with grilled onions and peppers, fresh-made quesadillas and fresh pasta. And the guacamole actually didn't suck. It wasn't fine dining, by any means, and the quesadilla in particular left a little something to be desired - mostly better cheese - but this Champions Club may really be worth checking out before a game once the season starts. Even more so if they follow through on having special merchandise available there.
On to the substance of the evening. As I mentioned, our own Stephen Whiting was on hand and live tweeting like a maniac all evening. We put together a Storify of the best from the night, which you can read right here. Hope you enjoy it.
[<a href="//storify.com/the_amt/d-c-united-2013-season-ticket-holder-q-and-a-w-dou" mce_href="//storify.com/the_amt/d-c-united-2013-season-ticket-holder-q-and-a-w-dou" target="_blank">View the story "D.C. United 2013 Season Ticket Holder Q&A w/ Doug Hicks, Ben Olsen, Perry Kitchen & Bill Hamid" on Storify</a>]<h1>D.C. United 2013 Season Ticket Holder Q&A w/ Doug Hicks, Ben Olsen, Perry Kitchen & Bill Hamid</h1><h2>Our man Stephen Whiting was live-tweeting like a maniac. Here's the best of what he recorded.</h2><p>Storified by <a href="http://storify.com/the_amt" mce_href="http://storify.com/the_amt">Adam Taylor</a>· Tue, Feb 05 2013 18:47:39</p><div>At #DCU STH event with @PPCSChase http://pic.twitter.com/xv1hVo0cStephen Whiting</div><div>Waiting for #DCU coach and players. Full house enjoying the comp'd food and drink http://pic.twitter.com/KxTsSjWVStephen Whiting</div><div>Great atmosphere at RFK. #DCU http://pic.twitter.com/NxwnmsZJStephen Whiting</div><div>Hey look! It's @swhitingDCU broing down with Benny Olsen. http://pic.twitter.com/rLcsOFMWBlack and Red United</div><div>Getting started at RFK. Doug hicks, Olsen, Kitchen, Hamid. #DCUStephen Whiting</div><div>Hicks just welcomed us to #olsensarmy. Coach said "Are we using that again this year!?!" Big laughs.. http://pic.twitter.com/0f6UfSIqStephen Whiting</div><div>#DCU STHs will have access to Champions Club for food and merchandise. --HicksStephen Whiting</div><div>Refer new STHs to #DCU, get credits for future tix--hicksStephen Whiting</div><div>Olsen up now. Thanks fans for the edge at RFK. We took it back.Stephen Whiting</div><div>We are a little banged up right now. --OlsenStephen Whiting</div><div>We kept our core players. That's a big deal in #MLS especially on defense. --OlsenStephen Whiting</div><div>Kitchen up. Thanks fans. Lots more people this year at this event. Good run last year, but we didn't win anythingStephen Whiting</div><div>Hamid up. #usmnt camp was great. Lots of good knowledge and instructionStephen Whiting</div><div>Questions starting.Stephen Whiting</div><div>Q: concerned we don't have enough creativity in center of midfield? What's our plan?Stephen Whiting</div><div>A: we lost creativity when we lost DeRo. Things changed. No one said we were pretty down the stretch. --OlsenStephen Whiting</div><div>A: we want to be an attractive team. I was pleased by how we played at the very end. We have to get better. News more reinforcementsStephen Whiting</div><div>A: there are steps to this. Winning was step 1Stephen Whiting</div><div>Q: was missing Champions League a benefit for a young team? Less gamesStephen Whiting</div><div>A: I was hoping we'd get in. Some of my best memories were CCL. Other teams didnt make the finals (laughs)Stephen Whiting</div><div>Q: what were your biggest improvents? A: kitchen--spacing got better, more to do. Hamid--organization improved, it showed (Pat Onstad ref)Stephen Whiting</div><div>Q: tell us about new roster adds? A: a few coming that haven't been named yet!!! Rafael is young, but great skill. --OlsenStephen Whiting</div><div>A: Rafael has all the tools. Transitioning to #MLS tough. Has a hammy injury. Set us back a little. Get him back in the next weekStephen Whiting</div><div>A: Rafael will be competing with Pajoy. I like Pajoy a lot. Also getting Thorington. He's an old wise midfielderStephen Whiting</div><div>Q: what was the last month or two of 2012 like? How does it carryover (Houston, New York). A: Kitchen-loss of home field not a big dealStephen Whiting</div><div>A: Hamid--playoffs were a war. Hits you haven't seen before. You do what you have to do. #tchubStephen Whiting</div><div>A: we had a chip on our shoulder. I couldn't believe last year (snow storm, Hamid red card). We were angry. We've now been to the playoffaStephen Whiting</div><div>Q: how will you accommodate national team players (us or Can). A: we plan for it. Branko loss is big for us. we have $$ to play with -OlsenStephen Whiting</div><div>Q: Hamid, are there any individuals who can hold you back (big laughs). A: #tchub (big applause) http://pic.twitter.com/SXGajrp9Stephen Whiting</div><div>Olsen - "I'm evaluating goalie coaches now. Timing in losing Pat wasn't good"Stephen Whiting</div><div>Q: what's unique about MLS that makes it hard for players? A: Hamdi was great, would have scored lots of goals of I played home moreStephen Whiting</div><div>A: you must be physically equipped for this league. It's not the best league, not Barcelona. But you have to be athletic--OlsenStephen Whiting</div><div>Q: what about he new stadium? A: we've been waiting for that (fan "so have we!). We have a group of specialists working this, all aspectsStephen Whiting</div><div>A: we have deep pocketed owners. Time is now more favorable, stars are aligning. We are hopeful. --hicksStephen Whiting</div><div>A: you will wake up to great news one morning , and 18 months later that dream will be a reality -HicksStephen Whiting</div><div>Q: what will you do with Richmond Kickers? A: they're coach will be in Orlando with us. We'll be feeling each other out this year--OlsenStephen Whiting</div><div>A: I won't miss Sunday morning Reserve games. These will be real games unlike Res. once put my brother in a Res match (big laughs)Stephen Whiting</div><div>Q: why did defense improve last year? A: more experience, have to have the will to hang on. But I want more 2-0 wins this yearStephen Whiting</div><div>Q: question on trialists? Altman released today due to injury. He played very well for us. He might come back. We have our keepers set-OlsenStephen Whiting</div><div>A: I'll be encouraging Richmond to sign players we are interested in but can't sign -OlsenStephen Whiting</div><div>Q: question on Olsen's inexperience as a coach ("your getting better", big laughs)Stephen Whiting</div><div>A: I'm growing with this team, trying to get better. -OlsenStephen Whiting</div><div>Q. What's the right roster size for #MLS? A: 30 is right. Need the right players. You get help if you make CCL ( #DCU didn't back in day)Stephen Whiting</div><div>A: #MLS will win CCL soon. - OlsenStephen Whiting</div><div>Augusto is our mid, Rafa is our forward. Augusto one of most talented players. Should have used him sooner last year. Has a knee injury nowStephen Whiting</div><div>Olsen-finding the right position for him is tough. 2 way middie in Brazil. Need to get him in our midfieldStephen Whiting</div><div>@beardyblue augusto/Rafa comment was how to tell them apart, not a statement of who will playStephen Whiting</div><div>I asked a Q about Korb and Pontius. Olsen said their confidence in Korb allowed them to sell Najar.Stephen Whiting</div><div>Pontius had to learn to play with double teams, getting kicked,etc. he needs to get on #usmnt. Needs to be healthyStephen Whiting</div><div>Q about forwards. Lots of talk of Pajoy. Olsen said Pajoy missed some shots, but that's the life of a forward. Streaky...Stephen Whiting</div><div>Olsen said Rafa needs time, and Townsend will compete for minutes. End of Q&AStephen Whiting</div>
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