A Step Backward for MLS?: TFC Supporters Boycott Columbus

Seeing that the so-called supporters are outnumbered anywhere from 10 to 1 to 100 to 1 at a typical MLS match, I take serious issue with that statement.

 

Probably one of the most hysterical things ever written here.

 

You've got that right! TFC fans are some of the best and most dedicated around, plus the money they've just lost by the TFC fans not showing up. Some decisions made by company's like this blow my mind!

 

Why is this a step backwards for MLS? Most Leagues have rules on what you can and can't have in a Stadium with different Venues and their Operations Staff possibly adding more items to that based on the history between Clubs and Supporters for each match.

So in this case since the TFC Fans can't bang their drum(s) in Columbus they are "not going to waste our money" and support their team?
"We want to be as loud as we can in support of our team" is another statement in the article, here's a newsflash: If you can't have drums then sing louder.

Sounds more like a Step Backwards for TFC and their Supporters to me.

 

Im sure it has more to do with the fact that last time TFC fans came they had a lot of issues with CCS security.

 

Behave, and you don't have rules designed to limit your activity. My freaking kid gets that. Why can't some soccer fans?

 

Srsly.

Don't forget, this is the fanbase that had some people publicly questioning if they would renew their season tickets because the stadium had their liquor license suspended for one game for selling to minors.

Sometimes it seems like it's less about the team, and more about them with Toronto's fanbase.

You break our stadium, you start fights (one that resulted in a TFC fan getting tazed by the PoPo), and you throw a hissyfit when some privileges are rescinded? OK, fine, but don't expect a lot of sympathy.

But Crew president and general manager Mark McCullers said the issue isn't banners taped to railings, or even the drums, but huge flags unfurled in the stands "which basically gave certain people cover" to light flares and vandalize the stadium, including removing seat rails.

"I think that's fair, considering what was done," McCullers said of the move to ban the large banners.

On the drums, McCullers said the thought was "because we did have damage in the stadium that privileges needed to be minimized."​

Unfortunately, I couldn't find it in a few minutes of searching, but there was video of TFC fans intentionally destroying seats during a goal celebration on YouTube. Not accidentally breaking a bench, but clearly and unmistakably kicking at seatbacks and benches with the intent to destroy.

Bad behavior has consequences.

 

This is it right here.

You can't act like you acted last time around - or allow others to act that way - in Columbus and not expect changes to be made to limit your behavior options.

To not expect this is naive and, well, childish.

Somehow I think MLS and the Crew will be able to muddle through without TFC fans going to games in Columbus.

 

Thanks for ruining this thread with all your logic and common sense.

 

Why would they limit drums when it's the drunkeness at the heart of the problem?

Oh, that's right - HSG doesn't sell drums at the concession stand.

I guess they'll do the same thing in Frisco because of the scene at the last Dynamo-FCD match. The drums behaved themselves - but some of those sloshed fools had to be dragged out by their shirt collars.

Learn some civility! Maybe then desparate, idiotic rules won't be instituted. I love beer, but sucking down an extra twelve pack and making an ass of yourself is just stupid.

All of that said, I have no direct knowledge of the situation at CCS - am I far off the mark?

 

They have done this in Frisco to our Supporters Groups before and will likely do it again. The difference is that our Supporters Groups still went and will continue to go to support the team with or without drums and not turn it into this farce of a "Boycott".

 

Well, to turn that around "bad behaviour" also includes an insufficient sercurity plan that failed to keep opposing supporters apart and an irresponsible and overzealous police response that escalated a minor scuffle (that was mostly shouting and posturing) into a dangerous situation with UNINVOLVED spectators from both sides almost being run over outside the stadium. The "consequence" of that is that a whole lot of TFC supporters had already decided they wouldn't be going back by the time they left the stadium's parking lot. The article, with no help from the quotes from the RPB rep, conflates that decision with the ban on flags, banners, and drums. IT WAS NOT THE PRIMARY MOTIVATION.

Look, I don't support an orgainized boycott. I think it's overkill personally. That said, everyone seems to forget that all of us are customers who, in the end, have no responsibility to go to any game we don't want to. If people didn't enjoy their experience in Columbus the last time why would they spend their money and time going down there again this summer? That's just basic business 101. Will it hurt the Crew in any significant way? Probably not and any TFC fan who thinks it will likely does suffer from an over estimation of their own self-importance (not uncommon EVERYWHERE let alone MLS supporters groups).

p.s. Why does this always end up being an "I'm more of a true supporter than you are" argument? NO ONE is obligated to go to MLS games. Taking people's support for granted and not providing them with a product that appeals to them caused massive attendence declines in the 70's and 80's IN ENGLAND! Not a place where soccer is a fringe sport.

 

So wait, the TFC fans attempted to damage Columbus Crew Stadium and start fights with fans the last time they were there, and that's CCS security employees' and Columbus city police officers' fault?

Is that what I'm reading here?

Look in the mirror. TFC fans acted like idiots and have only themselves to blame for restrictions that are being imposed on them now.

Who's taking support for granted? Reading that story, it looks like the Crew front office is preparing for more bad behavior from TFC fans. I don't blame them for that.

 

Horrific incidents like Hillsborough and Heysel, and consistent threat of insecurity and violence also led to a drop in attendance in England.

Cleaning up the game in the stands, banning complete fools from the games, and making the matches safer and friendlier led to the resurgence of English soccer and the real money.

 

Completely undermined that they're already making plans for the CCL. Even though they haven't even played PR yet.

 

Unfortunately, a number of Crew fans also hinted that they wouldn't be back for the next Toronto visit either (obviously more of the "family" variety of fans who didn't want to get caught up in any potential troubles). The missing Crew fans may "hurt" the Crew bottom line more than missing TFC fans.


Our next home game against Dallas in a few weeks will likely have a bigger attendance than tomorrow's game against Toronto.

 

Thanks for mentioning that, I hadn't even bothered to read the article.

If Toronto can bring another huge number for the CCL game, I'll be impressed, since all the CCL games are mid-week.

 

For the record, the TFC supporters groups had no intention of publicizing this.

A letter was sent to the Crew FO with our concerns and that was it. Daniel Girard (the Star reporter) caught wind of this and asked some of the RPB guys for the story.

Personally, I wouldn't have given it to him, but they are free to make that choice.

 

For years Columbus has run their stadium like shit and if they're banning away supporters from certain things they should ban their own fans from doing the same. Either way, the last thing we need is for teams to start suppressing support, especially the fragile and difficult away support.

Toronto operations were a bunch of dick heads when we first started traveling up there but they got their shit together and the last two trips have been significantly better. Columbus has improved but it's still obvious they're not all with it.

A great example of how teams ******** up away support will be on display tomorrow when Chicago and Seattle play in Seattle. Dipshits in Seattle sold ~25 tickets to Seattle fans in the away supporters' section AFTER we had gotten the Fire to agree to purchase the remaining tickets for safety reasons. So tomorrow you too can turn on ESPN and see 50 Fire fans, 75 Timbers fans and 25 Seattle fans all in one section.

Dipshits.

I have zero faith in the teams or the league to handle away supporters and I'm not at all surprised Toronto's getting ********ed over by Columbus. There are always going to be some idiots but punitive, authoritarian measures don't solve any problems.

 

Are Crew fans busy tearing down their own stadium?

No?

OK then.

 

No, but throwing shit on the field is far worse in my opinion. A broken stadium sucks but an injured player is a thousand times worse.

 

Yeah, it's stupid that they can't bring in drums, but so is that assertion. Supporter groups aren't keeping the league alive.

 

They've cracked down on that tremendously. There's far more stuff coming out of the stands in Toronto (or out of the South Stands when Toronto visits Columbus) than there is coming from Crew fans.

Do try to keep up.