By the way, its Red Bulls not "Metros"

This was written in response to a post I made on the USOC thread.

Is there anything more asinine and arrogant than using the phrase "but I wouldn't expect the new fans to know that."?

Red Bull bought the team. GET OVER IT. The team will attract fans that haven't been following the league since 1996. GET OVER IT.

I have been a supporter of the club since I went to the first game at RBA (a friendly vs Santos FC). I bought 4 tickets, rode the path, walked around the arena, enjoyed the game (a victory), and thought to myself:

"You know what? These guys are really serious. They have built a great venue. They brought in some international staff (Soler, Backe). The game-day experience is phenomenal. I am really excited to become a Red Bull supporter."

I don't know how many of the people who post to these boards are ticket holders, but I am.

Do you know who makes up the bulk of fans on a given game-day? Not people wearing throw back Metros jerseys.

Its kids and their parents. I would estimate kids between 10-18. They are wearing Henry, Angel, Ream, and Lindpere jerseys. They love Rafa Marquez. They love the arena. They love John Rooney who has played what, 3 minutes this season??

There is a generation of young fans who have known nothing but soccer for their whole lives. They are the future of MLS. They want to see their club playing big games against big teams (like Arsenal). They want to see Henry hoist an MLS Cup.

It is so annoying to run into people at the arena, and read stuff on these boards and in comments sections, about "true fans" or "metros fans".

Appreciate the history of the club, but don't insist that fans who don't share your love of everything metro aren't true fans or don't want the club to succeed.

How about:

1.) Any longtime fans who are arrogant, unwelcoming to new fans, and assume that new fans aren't as passionate or loyal as them get over themselves. New fans have an obligation to understand the history but by no means should anyone put themselves on a pedestal because they've been there longer. I've witnessed this attitude and it doesn't help the culture around the club. All supporters had a first time at a game, right?

2.) Fans who recognize that ownership is impermanent and choose to call the team they love the Metros not hear it from other fans. I'd enjoy watching one tell Racing Santander fans not to call their club Racing Santander when Franco's regime forced them to rename it Real Santander in 1941. In 1973, it went back to Racing Santander after 32 years of still being called Los Racinguistas by supporters.

West Ham United is still called the Irons by many because of their previous name, Thames Ironworks. Or just think of it as a nickname, like the Cottagers for Fulham, FC Hollywood for Bayner Munich, or La Maggica for Roma.

Both points are well put.

The chants are fine...and if Backe had shown up the USOC wouldn't be such an issue.

Just don't want to hear that I am somehow less of a fan or have less knowledge.

Especially since i put my money where my mouth is and buy tickets.

I ain't changing my name......

I feel the same way, and have expressed the same sentiments. Welcome to the club, and by club I mean Red Bull New York.

Also, prepare to see just how 'mental' some 'fans' go...

totally unexpected.

You mad, bro?

Way to COMPLETELY miss the point, which is that we have zero cups and had a chance to win one right there. I'm not mad because the team is called Red Bull, I'm pissed because we threw away a golden opportunity to host a cup semi-final on our home ground.

You're a ticket holder? I'm a 7 year season ticket holder, and have spent way more money than I want to think about on this club. For some perspective, I caravaned down to Wilmington, NC for an open cup game against a second division side. This competition is very important to me, and a lot of other fans as well. I'm young as well (22) and grew up wearing Savarese and Guevara shirts (just like those kids who are growing up with Lindpere and Marquez). So you're off base if you think I'm not "putting my money where my mouth is". Try some more sweeping generalizations while you're at it.

I still call the team Metro, build a bridge and get the fuck over it. That is not what this argument is about.

You still don't get why throwing out a joke lineup is a problem. If you value promoting the brand over winning, you're damn right I will call you out on it. Your priorities are completely ass back-wards if you don't value winning. I can think of nothing more important than earning a cup in a legitimate competition. Why? Because our trophy case is bare. A cup final is a "big game", a preseason warm-up for Arsenal is not.

If you can get that through your thick skull, then there's no point in dragging this out. It's about the club on the field, not promoting a brand. Grow a thicker skin and get your priorities in check.

By the way, PLENTY of fans are pissed off about this. You speak for no one but yourself, so don't lump the rest of the fanbase into this. By "new fans" I meant no-one but you. I should have called you out by name.

Cups mean more than friendlies. End Of.

You mad, bro?

Come on man. I have said over and over that Backe and the rest of the staff should have shown up, and they should have treated the players better (fly in a day early). There is no doubt that it was handled very poorly from that perspective.

If those two things had happened, and the team lost, would you still be as upset? Don't you think it is vitally important that a team with as little depth as the Metros gets their reserves some quality minutes?

When I talk about brand, I am not talking about Red Bull the drink I am talking about the club and the league. It is important to raise the profile of both.

Obviously, winning trophies would be great. But I ask you, if they had played starters and lost a guy like Lindpere or Henry for 10 games how would you feel?

No team in MLS will get away without playing in season friendlies. Its part of the deal. I think it is exciting that we are playing in London in the Emirates cup. Doesn't make me and less of a fan than you, or any less "smart" a fan as you.

There is no doubt that the USOC is very important to you and thousands and thousands of other fans. But everyone is allowed their own opinion. And playing the "new" fan card is pretty fcking dumb.

My first match was the playoff game vs. Houston in 2008. I sing Metro because it's a nickname that had stuck with the club for its first 10 years of existence. It's much like calling Fulham the Cottagers, or Newcastle the Magpies. Take a look at Velez Sarsfield. Their supporters' verticals are red, green and white, but the team changed their colors to blue back in 1933. I don't mind people singing Red Bulls, but I do mind when people sing it and act like the team started in 2010.

So which other MLS club is going to jettison off to London (or anther city for that matter) to play a friendly this year? You want to play a one-off at home? Fine. But don't piss off to London in the middle of the year when our players are clearly gassed.

So, how would you feel if Henry or Lindpere pulled something in London and is done for the season? I'd rather not have it happen at all, but I'd prefer it happen during a game that actually meant something.

You raise the profile of your club by WINNING, not by playing a preseason warmup against Arsenal. In club football nothing should take precedence over winning a trophy. Nothing.

It is not the responsibility of the club to raise the profile of the league. Their responsibility is to this fanbase; those of us who spend money with the hope of seeing them achieve something worthwhile.

There is no excuse for this. Raise your profile by hoisting silverware. No club has ever become famous for playing friendlies.

I can understand both sides. But think about.. To be in the red bull network under Beiershofer give you a huge advantage over other MLS clubs to get (good) Europe players. For example Beiersdorfer was manager at HSV and F. Rost played there.

To amr888: Being one of those that saw this club start off as the MetroStars in 1996 I will try to settle this argument. While I do agree with what you are saying, you have to understand the years upon years of frustration with this club. So many times this team both as Metro & RBNY has had that slim margin of getting a trophy either in the MLS Cup Playoffs or the US Open Cup.

In the 2000 playoffs Ocatvio Zambrano was the first head coach to get this club one goal away from making MLS Cup at DC against the Kansas City Wizards and when they had Adolpho Valencia playing the match of his life he scored a brace at Soldier Field in Chicago and when he scored his hat trick, it was taken away on a poor off-sides call. He was even with the last defender and the ball deflected off that defender first. Lost the game to an Ante Razov goal.

In the 2003 season Bob Bradley took us to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final and it was a great tournament as the boys defeated the Michigan Bucks in Round 3, Won at the Columbus Crew in Round 4, Defeated in extra time against the New England Revolution & a thrilling Semi-Final against DC United both were at Yurcak Field down in Rutgers University (By the way that was the last road game in the US Open Cup for DC United). Sadly lost in the Final at Giants Stadium to the Chicago Fire.

In 2008 Juan Carlos Osorio took advantage of a playoff run after DC United allowed the club to enter the playoffs thru the back door on the last regular season game. Draw at home and a win at Houston advanced to a semi-final match at Real Salt Lake and a win to go to the final and lost to the Crew.

Out of those few moments including reaching three other Semi-Final matches in the US Open Cup, where they lost against FC Dallas (97), the Columbus Crew (98) & the former Miami Fusion (2000) this team has some good memories, but zero trophies.

What Hans Backe and Erik Soler has to understand that you can't pick and choose which cups you need to win, because there are no real trophies in the case, only pre-season trophies from La Manga, Spain & the Disney World Pre-season. Look how long it took Man City to finally get a cup and the supporters didn't care which one it was.

While it is the fault of MLS & US Soccer to not give a damn about the fixture congestion, it's more the fault of Backe & Soler to not put a strong squad against the Fire who flew all the way back from Los Angeles to play an important match and as a four time US Open Cup Champion, they want a fifth and showed it.

Now we see that there was a chance to get into the final as the Richmond Kickers defeated Sporting Kansas City and the Semi-Final match was going to be at Red Bull Arena. That's why the hardcore and respect them who's been here since the start of the league, is very angry that they got slapped across the face this past Tuesday as well as those who went to Toyota Park.

You have to understand that while we want them to win and understandable that not every game it's going to happen, but when you send that reserve squad and not bring in more than just Mehdi Ballouchy from the starting lineup, it's a problem. If Marcos Paullo who looked fantastic against FC New York was in the starting lineup on Tuesday, maybe things would be a bit different.

That's why the supporters since 1996 are upset. They want hardware now. If the MLS Cup Playoffs will finally get us that trophy this year, then so be it. Still I hope their priorities change for the 2012 tournament and they want to win it.

I hope that helps you out.

Let us all agree to the following:

I have the right to be excited about the Emirates cup.

Although I may not be long suffering, I am no less of a fan than someone who has been a supporter for 10yrs.

We all want to see RBNY win trophies, hopefully MLS Cup this year, even though we may disagree on the best means to that end.

As a supporter since 1996 as well i can say you have explained our history of things fairley well including the recent Paullo question. I true am veryfristrated right now as the seasons have built upon themselves including the last playof game last year that we blew with a 1-0 totally aggregate goals advantage going in.

I didn't mean that the team had only been in existence for 10 years lol

As a new fan you should stop posting and do a ton of research and reading before you post again. Most of your posts lack intelligence and clear thought.

A lot of people including myself sing Metro because of the corporate aspect of the name Redbull and yes I came after the take over.

meaning what exactly?

Why? You realize its a tournement Arsenal is required to put on as part of the sponsership deal with Emirates right? You realize none of the teams competeing take this remotely seriously as a competitive event. Its a warm up and run out for the european sides as part of a pre-season preperation. NY's involvment is purely so Arsenal fans can see Titi again and they think that will be a dcent draw to get people to actually show up to the lame event.

No one can tell you who played in the last few Emirates Cup's unless they were there. If that makes you excited, so be it.

Actually you are, not in the sense you are not as good of a fan. But less in the sense unlike you that other fan has gone through events and treatment that would make lesser fans quit or stop supporting or coming to games. He has been tested as a fan, his loyalty has been put to the test and he or she still comes and supporters even though for 10 years every reason not to existed.

You got to ride on the backs of the fans that suffered before you and walk into RBA and yet you seek equal footing? You are less of a fan, but that is ok. Its not an insult its just reality. After a few years of suffering and you're still here then you can wear that badge of honor too.

Meaning the Red Bull vs Metro arguments have taken place a ton on these boards and other metro boards already. Use the search button to search for these threads and you will understand why people use Metro.

Emirates Cup is only a quick pay day for RB corporate.

Admittedly I do have tix as it is the only time I will see Metro play this year.

The point of the post is that people who have been fans for a long time need to accept the fact that new fans will come to the club and not share their cynicism.