RSL Fan Experience

Was at the game Saturday (only fourth one this year) and actually laughed out loud when the announcer mentioned to get on the "wait list" for 2020 season tickets. Sad part is, I wasn't the only one laughing.

 

I laughed too. I don't think anyone in the know would think that is actually required. This isn't Utah football, we have plenty of open seats.

 

Paywall coming (The Athletic) at you here.

Houston's management is going to push for an LAFC/3252-esque atmosphere starting with next season. And one of the necessary things to do for that is to clear out many of the people who have been their staunchest supporters. Houston gives a "Fan of the Year" Award of some sort, and several of them are essentially in the way of the planned remodel needed to create an all-standing supporters' section.

"The crux is that, in the hopes of cultivating their own fan culture, and of one day cranking up the volume at BBVA Stadium, they’ve decided to expand the supporters’ section and move it closer to the field — displacing many of the longest-serving season-ticket holders mentioned above. These fans contend that they weren’t consulted beforehand, that the relocation process has not gone smoothly and that they have generally felt disregarded by the whole process. But more than anything else, they do not understand the necessity of expanding a section that is only half full on even the best match days."

There's lots about the Dynamo and issues related to creating a new sort of atmosphere along the the lines of what is being discussed above. We do at least have a section for supporters, and it might be transformed differently that what Houston is struggling with.

 

Every change will come with costs and upset fans, but Houston's move seems unnecessary. They couldn't even talk to these people ahead of time and feel them out? Offer a discount for relocation for a few years?

 

I would like to see RSL follow this same path for the supporters section only with a lot more diplomacy.

The supporter* section at the RioT definitely needs to be addressed.

*term used loosely, very loosely

 

They are waiting for the supporters to work it out. I've got 2 kids. Time for somebody else to give it a shot.

Personally, I agree with this approach. It is all messed up, but RSL really only owes them the dedication of a place and some help to coordinate efforts and offer ways they can help the SGs to achieve their goals. After over a decade of being intimately involved in this, I really feel that it is not the fault of RSLFO at all, except for the current lack of identity, for the disarray in the South End and SGs in general. Yeah, they propped up La Barra and the drums initially. But it's up to the SGs to fix this.

 

Thanks to Ismitje, and a couple of others on here, I sprang for a subscription to the Athletic. The snippet that Ismitje posted is only a piece of what the supporters are upset about, although seems like that's the largest issue. Sounds like the new management there shows an overall disregard for the feelings of the supporters.

The fact that it sounds like the genesis for this project was that they sent some of management to an LAFC game, and they game back with this as a solution feels more than a little bit misguided. There may be more to it than was referenced in the article, but when I read that I physically winced.

 

I’m admittedly not intimately involved with the issue other than I’ve been attending games since the beginning and have had season tickets since 2008. So I have been witness to what happens at games and the definite lack of or reduced atmosphere at the games over the last decade.

To think that the SG’s are going to figure this out is the definition of insanity.

The FO may not be at fault but at some point the “adults” need to step up and put their foot down and get the “kids” to behave.

Bite the bullet. Fix the problem.

 

I think an FO can (should?) do several things vis-a-vis supporters groups:

* Designate an area for supporters, near the field. Usually this means behind the goal because you don't want to surrender the big money areas at midfield.

* Acknowledge you're relying on those people to help set the atmosphere by setting a price point that is cheaper than the same seats at the other end of the section.

* Clarify policy on signs, flags, smoke, tifo etc. and work with SGs to make it all work.

* Make it clear to non-supporters that said section is loud, standing (if it is), and a place where your seat purchased is not specifically guaranteed.

* Convene - meaning provide space, food, and maybe swag, plus mediate/moderate discussion - Supporters' Summit(s).

* Moderate in-stadium "noise generation" like the playing of certain anthems to better facilitate chants and cheering from the SGs.

Beyond this (and probably a few other things along the same lines), I think it's on the groups themselves to figure it out. Otherwise it's a corporate thing and not a grassroots thing.

 

I get all that but at some point if the grassroots thing isn't really working, like for the last 6 or 7 years then maybe a corporate overhaul is warranted. If only to increase the grassroots possibilities.

The FO can do a lot without becoming overbearing or heavy handed.

Like how the stadium is configured. Updating the amenities in such a way that helps to "fertilize" the grassroots efforts like creating a standing section and other thoughts suggested here.

Currently the weeds are more apparent than the grass.

I get not wanting to have the games feel like their coordinated and saccharinely sweet but what we have now is just, well, embarrassing.

 

I was very unimpressed with the "Hey! Howard. We all *********ed your Grandma!" going on once the drums died down last game in the 2nd half.

 

Seriously? That chant came back?

Sad.

I sat over there during the USOC final. Once was enough.

 

Do the SGs acknowledge there is a problem?

 

unless I'm mistaken, don't most (if not all) of these things currently exist with RSL?
We're over complicating this - the issue RSL has is a numbers game. We have too many GROUPS. With how many "members" each group has, we could have a hell of a supporters section - but none of those groups wants to surrender to the other and work together.

It's comical to watch LBR and the Salt City (or whatever the hell they call themselves) guys in the lower half of the south end chant against each other. It just makes dumb noise. That one group hasn't taken over the other is proof of just how childish these groups are. They'd rather sit there in a chaotic noise environment - where they can't even hear their own chants clearly - instead of just working together from whistle to whistle.

Oh, and this is all without bringing up the complete lack of creativity all of the groups have in terms of chants/songs. I've been to U15 girls games with more creative/individual songs/chants.

 

Yes, I agree, this is what the FO is doing. Hence, I agree with @rslfanboy that it is on the SGs to figure the rest out. And if they won't, then the FO can use the same tools to encourage change - but they shouldn't be in the overt organizing business themselves IMO.

 

The FO has a hard enough time running RSL and The RioT. They aren’t going to get involved unless there are other factors to facilitate something- - -for example a major renovation of the South stands would provide an opportunity to do something.

 

Utah liquor laws likely prevent anything like what San Jose has from happening, but they should make it more of a standing area just to appeal to fans that way. It would also divert your stereotypical cheap seats family from the section.

 

Curious if they would have to do a "zions ceiling" type nonsense because the kids in section 13 could see *gasp* ALCOHOL!!!

 

Maybe we could do this:

 

Maybe, maybe not.

 

Despite a pretty corny (and far too long) name, Nashville is already ahead of our supporters section scene.

 

“We came together around that idea that in order to create a significant home-field advantage and amplify our impact as supporters, we must work collaboratively across our existing groups.”

What a radical concept !