How is the culture of standing at games in France - not only in Ligue 1, but down the ranks to the amateur levels. Are there many people who stand, are there people who try to get those standing to sit and are there any rules for or against it?
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzs8FLb1LzA&feature=relatedIn"]YouTube - Olympique de Marseille Intro http://Ls13.free.fr 2006/2007[/ame] Video from the Marseille curves, the hardcores stand in the curves, more casual fans sit on the sides.(Can't answer for every club but it seems to be the norm) No people don't ask you to sit (well maybe if you buy good seats in the family section and cause too much of a ruckus). Amateur level? well there's hardly any crowd at all in the CFA but in Bastia, Strasbourg etc in the National the vocal fans stand. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PB4WWftDSQ&feature=related"]YouTube - Bastia - Gap 2 coups de tambour un coup dans la ...[/ame]
Awesome vids. The second one is something that ECS with the Sounders does almost exactly before every game and usually once at some point during play. Very cool. Thanks for the information. It sounds like there are dedicated standing sections in most major stadiums and if you want to stand at the smaller places you can since the crowds at those games are so small anyway (i.e. nobody behind you with a blocked view or, if there is, simply move to a spot where you have open space behind you).