MLS: Chicago Fire offer fans the "Pub to Pitch" service, to take them from bars to the stadium

The Chicago Fire franchise, which play in MLS, has offered its fans a "Pub to Pitch" service, a subsidised bus service from seven bars downtown in the city of Chicago (USA) to Toyota Park (30,000 places) in the suburb of Bridgeview, outside the city, since 2013. During the 2014 season, an average of 10 buses were filled per match for this service, double the previous season.

"I think Fire fans in general are really crazy-active on social media, and the Fire do a great job of garnering a lot of attention toward what they want people to watch or see," said Mallory McSweeney, sales and event marketer at Fado Irish Pub, an official Chicago Fire bar which is involved in the Pub to Pitch programme, 10/11/2014.

The initiative is carried out in collaboration with the Dutch beer brand Heineken, the new official beer of MLS for the 2015 to 2018 period. In addition to its league sponsorship, Heineken also has specific agreements in place with several MLS franchises, including the Chicago Fire. Heineken enjoys visibility in the club's communication campaigns around the "Pub to Pitch" service…