Ways to get pro-USMNT crowd

[galperin]

i was thinking about ways to make sure usmnt games get pro-us crowds, other than having them in columbus (which i love, by the way).

i am sure there are legal reasons this would never work, but...

1. what if us soccer set up a kind of permanent seat liscence (psl) program? buying a psl would guarantee you tickets. here's where the legal issue comes...us soccer would have to have you prove, somehow, that you are indeed a usmnt supporter. don't ask me how that is suppossed to get accomplished, but maybe someone can come up with an idea. there are also other obvious problems, like some stadiums have more seats than others, etc.

2. what if us soccer began to have some sort of membership, which you had to be able to qualify for? then, us soccer only sells tickets to its "members." again, i am sure the legalities of this are nightmarish.

3. soccer becomes immensly popular in the us, making options 1 and 2 moot.


comments? fire away. i'm sure i'll get killed for this.

[eric d]

You forgot Pool Noodles.

[FIXXXER]

I think that the true USMNT fans, the ones that would go to every game, support the team, etc are too spread out around the country to have "US V Mexico in Columbus" atmosphere at every game. I would love to go to every game...2 problems.

1) money
2) time off

I think the best way, no matter what the stadium, is to get more "real" fans. I've been to a couple of games where the crowd was 80% US, but the other 20% was making all the noise. Lots of kids, wives, etc that just were not really into the game. I'm USSF is open to any reasonable suggestions...

[pweakland]

the best way to get pro-US crowds is to win. Start winning and the sheep will follow...

[drdi]

i agree!!! start winning and the crowds will follow the national team anywhere in the world!
U.S.A FOREVER!!!!

[CrewDust]

NO RFK.

[UncleSam527]

Originally posted by CrewDust
NO RFK.
Or LA.

[Sandon Mibut]

If US Soccer actually tapped into the Hispanic market istead of just talking about doing it, I think the Latino fans would feel that the US national team was more repressentitive of them and therefore they'd be more prone to cheer for the US.

As it stands now, I think most Latinos, even the ones who were born here or have lived here for many years, feel very disenfranchised by the mainstream US Soccer community and not only do they not feel like the US national team represents them, they are resentful because they feel it represents an organization that looks down on and ignores them.

[Bajoro]

I agree with Sandon. USSoccer is not exactly an "inclusive" organization, unless you just so happen to have something they want.

I would love to see them do what BigSoccer is doing -- sell memberships that would entitle you to certain enhancements. Thus, if you pay $25 a year, you're entitled to pre-public sales of tickets and maybe some special magazine/t-shirt/id card/supporters' scarf or something.

And I would love to see them do more for the amateur soccer community, ie, help them raise funds. This would include the Latino soccer community. Right now, USSoccer planning to take more funds from the amateurs (affiliiated leagues) by eliminating gate sharing for international matches.

Kinda sucks, the MLS/USSoccer and the amateurs (youth and adult) don't seem to be in it together for the good of the game. Maybe they think they are, but that's not how some people see it.

[Bajoro]

Originally posted by Bajoro
...I would love to see them do what BigSoccer is doing -- sell memberships that would entitle you to certain enhancements. Thus, if you pay $25 a year, you're entitled to pre-public sales of tickets and maybe some special magazine/t-shirt/id card/supporters' scarf or something...

Oh, and maybe for the price of admission you'd get a full report on the behind the scenes politics and how you can actually get involved.

(Like that will ever happen...)

[dheck]

Resonses to several posts:

1. There already are pre-sales to the "US Soccer family." I have no idea how exactly one becomes a part of it, but I get pre-sale stuff all the time. I think there are many ways to get on the US Soccer list for pre-sales.

2. Charging membership fees would only serve to alienate many people. US Soccer can't afford to do anything of the kind. That should remain the role of organized supporters' groups, a la Sam's Army (which always has great seats at a good price).

3. There is no reason to single out "Lots of kids, wives, etc that just were not really into the game." There's plenty of apathy to go around at every US soccer game I've seen, and the louder supporters' sections tend to be about as diverse in terms of gender and age as any other section. The problem is there just aren't enough rabid fans in the stands. It has nothing to do with demographics.

[FIXXXER]

Originally posted by dheck

3. There is no reason to single out "Lots of kids, wives, etc that just were not really into the game." There's plenty of apathy to go around at every US soccer game I've seen, and the louder supporters' sections tend to be about as diverse in terms of gender and age as any other section. The problem is there just aren't enough rabid fans in the stands. It has nothing to do with demographics.

What I've seen is what I've seen. You can't really say that is wrong, becasue I made a point tp notice these things b/c I do care about crowds, pro-US support, etc. I also made a point when I typed that to say that I had been to a couple of games (6 to be exact) and it wasn't meant to be all inclusive.

Sandon - you mentioned "mainstream US Soccer Community" in one of your responses. What are your thoughts on what that defines? It seems to me that there are many different mainstreams and that they don't intertwine like I think they should. For example, the youth soccer programs here in Atlanta are massive and taken very seriously. However, from talking to parents, coaches, kids, they know very little about MLS, national team players, or even or local A league team. I guess what I asking, very long winded, is what are we defining as "mainstream" or possibly as a target group? I think the diversity among all soccer people (fans,youth, latino's, etc) is great, but difficult to market to...

[Bajoro]

Originally posted by dheck
...


2. Charging membership fees would only serve to alienate many people. US Soccer can't afford to do anything of the kind. That should remain the role of organized supporters' groups, a la Sam's Army (which always has great seats at a good price).
...

I think that a lot of people would be happy to pay a small membership fee to "join" USSoccer, thereby getting some benefits and privileges. The question is what the bene's and privileges would be. In a sense, it would be like joining the US National Team, kind of like a shareholder. Or, it's like joining a political organization like the Sierra Club. In fact, that's what USSoccer is -- a political organization!

Giving people a reason to "join" would be a legitimate way to raise funds and be more inclusive than it is now.

[diablodelsol]

Have all qualifiers at CCS...

[nicodemus]

Originally posted by Bajoro
I agree with Sandon. USSoccer is not exactly an "inclusive" organization, unless you just so happen to have something they want.


What exactly is US Soccer doing that is anti-inclusive? Who are this magical group of "included" people that other folks are so excluded from? All my friends from Latin American countries go to US games, support our team, etc. I've never heard anyone complain of being excluded, my wife is from Asia and she's never felt on the outside. She goes, has fun, screams her head off, etc.

[Sachin]

Dress up like the INS.

;)

Sachin

[todda74]

I think all you have to do to get on the mailing list is buy tickets once with a credit card. I get stuff from DC United and the USSF and I think that is just from buying tickets to games. I don't think i've ever signed up for a mailing list.

With ticket distribution I think the Federation will wait and see what happens with this discrimination lawsuit that has been filed here in DC concerning the ticket allocations from the Honduras game lat year. I know it's absurd but that could change how tickets can be sold.

[MightyYank]

you guys have heard of school vouchers.. how about federally sponsored vouchers for going to support the USMNT...

every citizen, regardless of income, would be eligible to receive up to a $30 voucher to attend a USMNT match, with the stipulation that you wear red/white/blue and stand in the US supporters section.

I think its a fab idea.. I suggested it to my local Congressman and he's writing up the bill as we speak. Let you congressman know you support he/she should support this bill when it comes up on the floor.

[Paukie]

1. The sales to the USMNT "family" has been fairly successful, from what I've seen. Except that, had I not been calling the US Soccer office and had some inside connections, I wouldn't have received tickets for some of the qualifiers (due to failure to send out the materials timely). That is a obvious flaw that can be solved easily.

2. The other way to fill stadiums with US fans is for die hard like us to take our friends to local games. In Kansas City, I bought 20 tickets and filled them with my friends. The next time there's a game in Kansas City, I'm betting that 50% of those friends will take other friends. It was too fun.

3. Winning is a great sales tool. The WC2002 success will only breed more interest.

[nicodemus]

Originally posted by Paukie
1. The sales to the USMNT "family" has been fairly successful, from what I've seen. Except that, had I not been calling the US Soccer office and had some inside connections, I wouldn't have received tickets for some of the qualifiers (due to failure to send out the materials timely). That is a obvious flaw that can be solved easily.

I would argue that in some ways the "insider" stuff has backfired. Look at last year's RFK qualifier against Hondurus. A freaking sea of blue & white. Some friends and I got shut out because we weren't aware of all the channels to get tickets through. Fortunately, we were able to get some at the last minute, but the hardcore folks from other countries certainly find out as well. There is no LEGAL way to shut other supporters out, so in the meantime, we need to make it easy on the Americans that don't know the channels to go through.