TOP 4 HARDEST SUPER LEAGUE STADIUMS TO REACH
Maci Gian
When it comes to supporting your favorite soccer teams, watching and rooting them on at their stadium is a vastly different experience compared to doing so in front of your TV.
Getting to leave your house, explore the world around you, meet & chat with other fans, and popping into exciting-looking stores and restaurants around the stadium provides so much more fun than if you stayed on your couch. Plus, nothing beats the thrill of being surrounded by hundreds of fans wearing crazy, colorful attire, all cheering for their teams while the smell of popcorn fills the air.
But what if the journey to the stadium causes you more stress than it does fun? What if the trip results in you being late for the game? What if the stadium flat out refuses to let you in?
Not every stadium is perfectly placed in a bustling city. Some stadiums don't even have roads to guide people in the right direction. In this article, we're going to be looking at four of the hardest to reach stadiums in the Super League.
4. THE CAULDRON
While the Cauldron is a decent distance from the nearest town in Feratuvia, and it does have roads leading to it--albeit a bit worn down--when you do finally arrive to the stadium, you'll soon find out that your trip was all for nothing, as the entire place has been closed off to the public.
The entrance gate has a lock chained around it, and the entire castle has been fenced off by these long, narrow iron bars topped with sharp, jagged tips. There is no known back entrance, the bars are placed too close together to allow the average person to slip through, and if you do somehow manage to squeeze past them or climb over the fence? You'll have to deal with the Cauldron's security: Strange, hooded figures that the locals refer to as: 'The Grimm Guards' .
These guards are often seen roaming around the castle's outskirts and on its yard.
There's been many rumors as to where Grimm found this form of security. Some say they were once former agents of the Super League Disciplinary Board that were considered 'too cruel' and 'too rough' to keep their job, so Grimm's coach took them under wing, while locals theorize that they're actually the ghosts of former Grimm players.
While no one knows which rumor has the most truth behind it, what is known is the fact that when these figures spot someone attempting to break in, they lock on and charge at them, scaring them so badly that they refuse to go anywhere near the stadium ever again! And for the ones that do get caught? No one knows what happens to them…
3. THE FORTRESS
Many assume since the Fortress is only a day's drive from Feratuvia, the conditions for traveling would be the same, but that can't be further from the truth.
Snowstorms are a constant at the area, and if it isn't a heavy storm, then you're looking at a steady flow of flurries. During the rare instances that it isn't snowing, whatever sunlight that manages to come through the clouds is barely able to melt a few centimeters of snow before the water freezes over again.
These conditions make it quite difficult to navigate across the roads, and it's why many people--including Iron Tank's own Professor, Ms. Isle--advise taking their specially made buses or getting a taxi. Not only are the drivers more familiar with the routes, but their vehicles have been specially made to navigate through the harsh weather conditions. Bright headlines, large, thick tires to plow through the snow and ice, and strong heaters that are always on full blast ensure you'll get to the stadium safe & warm.
If you still decide to take your own ride or feel brave enough to walk to the Fortress, you must pack accordingly. You need layers upon layers of thick jackets, good gloves that let you grip onto your belongings, and goggles. It's highly recommended you keep track of the weather for the next few days before going out, as wind intensity during the snowstorms can result in your field of vision being completely obscured, and it can become easy to get lost. Even public transport has to pull over and wait for the wind to die down for up to multiple hours because conditions can get that dire.
The weather matches the intensity of Iron Tank, and while it adds to the atmosphere of the team's games, it also adds to the danger. Please travel safely!
2. THE OASIS
You might be under the impression that traveling to the Oasis would present the polar opposite problem of traveling to the Fortress, that the humidity would be so intense that it isn't safe to stay outside for more than a few minutes. Well, that's only a small fraction of the struggle.
Sure, the heat gets bad--real bad--and many sources highly recommend traveling in an air-conditioned vehicle and packing a lot of water, but what truly puts the Oasis so high up on this list is…
THE PRICES!
Good heavens, the Sultans probably have some of THE priciest tickets out of any other team in the Super League! Just look at this:
And these tickets get bought out almost instantly! While I'm glad the Sultans are getting the excitement and support they rightfully deserve, it's near impossible to grab any spots as most seats get sold out in a matter of minutes.
What makes it harder is the fact that the Sultans' coach--Sheikh--also has a 'high priority' website exclusively sent to the big named journalists, reporters, celebrities, and fellow teams! I haven't seen this website myself, as I'm not high priority (YET. But I will be one day!) but Valeria has mentioned that from time to time, she'll get contacted by the Sultans' social media team and given a special link to their early access tickets, and the link is always different from the last one!
Apparently they do this to avoid having thelink shared with too many people and messing up their system, but it's a little disappointing because not only do all the good seats get taken up, but so little seats are left once the big-names have claimed their spots. By the time the rest of the tickets are available to the public, most of them have already been snagged.
Again, it's fantastic for the Sultans to know they have so many supportive & eager fans, but it's an absolute hassle for the other fans to know that their chances of getting to watch their favorite team at their home stadium is slim to none. You're better off waiting for the Sultans to have a game away from home to see them in action.
HONORABLE MENTION - THE HUB
Getting to The Hub is not hard.
It's in the middle of a city, it's very, very easy to spot, the parking lot is huge, and the roads are easy to traverse through. By all means, it's an easy to access stadium.
The reason why it's here, however, is because it is an absolute PAIN to get OUT of.
Whoever did the interior design of that dang stadium was rather really lazy or really liked the steel plated look because ALL you'll see while walking through the Hub is the same, sickly blue-hued walls with metal plates and dividers jutting out from them, long, thin, white, fluorescent lights that are constantly buzzing above you, and floors that are the same exact color as the walls! This place is about as welcoming as a hospital, but at least hospitals have windows so you can remember there's a world outside of this place.
Every corner you turn, every hall you enter, they all look the same! The doors are also identical, and while they do have plaques above with the name of each room on them, you'll soon find out that they're basically useless, as multiple rooms have the same exact name, so your best way to figure out which room is which is by going blindly into them and hope it's what you were looking for.
The last time I was there, I decided to check out the gift shop--fittingly named 'The Laboratory'--during halftime, but I must've taken the wrong turn, because before I knew it, I had gone through about 10 different corridors with no signs of anyone else around!
When I finally got to what I thought was the gift shop, a door with a sign above it that read 'Lab', I stepped inside only to be promptly yelled at by Technicali's coach!
I managed to snap a quick picture before I slammed the door shut and ran off, but c'mon! Who can blame me?! Why on earth does your gift shop have the same exact name as your actual lab!? Why does a soccer coach even HAVE a lab? Is that just a coach thing!?
I ended up missing nearly half of the game I was there for, and I probably would've missed more had it not been for the janitor helping me out.
Speaking of Technicali, they got their rematch with Iron Tank coming up soon. I should try and attend that one before Iron Tank goes up against Colossus… I need to update the site accordingly!
1. THE FLOATING STADIUM
It's in the middle of an ocean.
Not by a shore.
Not by a boardwalk.
In the smack center of an ocean.
Yes, you can buy a ticket for one of Hydra's boats to pick you up and take you there, but those spots fill up fast. So what's your alternative?
Getting your own boat.
A boat is very expensive.
It's usually recommended that you get a boating license, boating lessons, and a ton of tools for repairing your boat because accidents will happen. Those all cost money.
The ride from the shore to the Floating Stadium can be a few hours, sometimes more depending on the weather.
Speaking of the weather, if it's severe enough, the stadium will go underwater. Really cool safety procedures unless you're still miles away from the stadium and won't reach it in time, because now you have no way of entering the stadium.
That is unless you know how to swim (I don't), and if you have diving gear (I don't).
Do you know what diving gear costs?
That's right, money.
So unless you're able to book a ride on Hydra's boat as fast as Liquido can run, you're better off waiting for Hydra to have a game away from their home stadium to enjoy their performance.