Insufficient number of security scanners & poor management
by N. M. on 1/4/19Rose Bowl - PasadenaRating: 1 out of 5Had Will Call tickets from ticketmaster. No option for e-tickets or to have them mailed to me prior to event. Arrived to parking at game 2 1/2 hrs early. Left parking for seats 1 hr 20 min before kickoff. Appreciate the security but all the fans from our parking area, I’ll guess many thousands, were funneled to only 8 metal detectors. No signs or instructions of any sort to guide Will Call fans or allow alternative routes into stadium. Only after waiting through 35 mins of crowded security lines (with people pushing and others cutting in front and still others arguing with those cutting) just to get close to stadium were we told to go back out through security, walk around the stadium fencing to Will Call (this wasn’t presented as an option as we were walking in), and then re enter through another security line on the other side of the stadium. I knew where the Will Call was located at the outset but from the lot, we we’re given the option to head that direction as fencing and security tape funneled us directly to the metal detectors. Once we were able to finally get tickets in hand, there was another 1/2 hour wait to get back inside the security fence as thousands of others were still waiting to get in. Again, a lot of pushing, cutting, and arguing in the lines as fans were beginning to realize they were going to miss the start of the game. We missed the National Anthem, the Stealth flyover and the kickoff. Appreciate the security, but poor crowd management, only 8 detectors per thousands of fans, and a Will-call only ticket option, made for a frustrating start when otherwise we felt we set aside plenty of time to arrive at our seats on time. Tickets were hundreds of dollars each. With the price of tickets and the amount of money coming in to that game, it should have been managed much better. Will never do Rose Bowl again.