So, this was my second cap (my first coming over the summer at the Gold Cup Final). I brought my girlfriend along for her second cap, so she knew what to expect. I also brought along 7 first-timers (3 college buddies, my parents, younger brother and one of his friends). I told them to expect a great atmosphere and great support. Unfortunatly, they were very much let down. The support was, dare I say, piss-poor. Early on and after the goals, I saw signs of life. Otherwise, I was very let down. The last half-hour was painful. With the exception of the percussion section, the guy in the Copa America shirt, and myself, I didn't see many people who kept going strong. I may have missed some of the hard-cores from the Army, but that's not much considering the size of the Section. I don't understand why it's so hard to follow the rules of the Army. The most obvious of rules like don't sit and keep singing seemed to be thrown out of the window. Near the 75th minute, I stood up and tried to rally the section. It's too bad that the supporters' section gave up on our boys so early. I hope that this was an aberration, someting that will not soon repeat itself. My roommate said that the game was fantastic, but he was really expecting more from the supporters. If we want to help grow American soccer, we can't keep disappointing perspective fans like that.
Already posted this in the Sam's Army thread but I'll throw it out here for those that have given up on that thread: What section were you in that you had to move from and into another because non existent cheering and sitting? If people were sitting in any of the designated SA sections then they weren't seeing the game because everyone around them were standing, I personally walked around the concourse and saw them all standing myself. When watching the ESPN2 broadcast you can clearly see our standing sections and the sitting sections next to us. Especially shortly before the second goal (which was late in the second half), there is a field level shot of us moving the ball down the right side. You can clearly see us standing and the sections to the right of SA's sections sitting. Then, right before we score, you can clearly the see the people in those other sections stand up. I'm far from the SA defender, though much of my criticism is at the top, but all this negativity is way off base. It is simply unreasonable to expect to have a supporters atmosphere at every match, especially a friendly with only a few weeks notice, that matches WCQs or what some are used to at club matches. In fact the standard some of you have at continuous singing often doesn't even exist for the major soccer countries around the world. Club is where it's at. Posts on other boards, from people that were elsewhere in the stadium, have commented they heard us a number of times. Watching it back on ESPN2 showed that people indeed were standing and were heard some times. We went through many of our songs and chants, I know because I started a number of them. It helped that I was right behind a good drummer. (Some of you might recognize him at Fire matches.) Did we hold "Oh, U-S-A" for like 10 minutes straight? No. Was this US-Mexico? Nope. Again I feel the negative attitude is unrealistic expectations, good results in big games, and the general whine that is frequent with BigSoccer.
Who really gives a damn right??? I mean like someone already said it was JUST A "FRIENDLY"! Im sorry .... I understand the amount of hard work and dedication it takes to keep a group as large as Sam's Army together and organized but it is possible. Sure there were plenty of people standing...but we're they cheering??!! I wouldnt say it if it wasnt obvious. Maybe just maybe it was just in my area. Either way, at half time there we're a number of people talking about checking out that little blue section across the field, including myself. But.........................I DIDNT! Why?? Cause I would hate to see something so good fall apart. Does it not make anysense that there we where with one of the most well known National team, more than popular players, and a chance to play them. Could we have at least tried to create that atmoshpere to get our statement out of who we are and why were there??!! I mean do we not even have a banner anymore or flag??!! would that be luggging around unnessary items?? But let me stop "whining" as someone put it.
The realization that Sam's Army is better at some matches than others is something that happens to all of us. The first time I ever joined Sam's Army was in Nashville against Morocco. I had tickets for mid-field but decided to go stand with SA because there were so few of them. The support at the match on Sunday was not "piss poor" compared to that game or, say, vs. Denmark in LA. All you or I can do is try to get as many people to come out as possible and sing our hearts out. Sometimes it doesn't come off well, and sometimes it's the greatest thing on earth.
I figured that since we were playing Brazil, the support would have been better. I guess I was just really let down at the drop off from my first cap. But there is still the problem of the fans who don't get the general admission rule. I know that go back to the venues, but there has to be a better way to ensure people don't take show up late and take the better spots from the true fans. I think that really dampened the mood.
Thess tickets were sold by US Soccer through Ticketmaster. Of course people are going to show up and want their seat. Someone may never have heard of defunct Sam's Army and it's "rules" and still bought "Supporters Section" tickets for this game since the USSF sold the tickets to the general public and didn't set any such rules. Until there is some organization able to negotiate GA sections (or at least GA "rules") or one that is willing to buy group tickets for its members who understand the rules, fighting for GA sections seems like a lost and useless cause. I'm sick of seeing ushers coming down into the section every five minutes moving and tossing people, but maybe that's just me. However, I'm not blaming the people who bought the tickets with no knowledge of how things used to be. I got moved by an usher to my "correct" seat in the '05 Gold Cup final and was lucky not to be moved in the '07 one (several people around me were), but I'm thinking it's no longer worth it. If it's to be a loud section, active people are needed in the 20th row just as much as in the 1st. In any case, I can't say I agree your definition of "true fans" or "better spots."
I agree with Atouk. This wasn't my first cap, but it was my first in the supporter section. If I did not use Big Soccer I would not know the rules for this section. I would have bought tickets for the section seeing that a supporter section was available. Then when I arrive to my seats seeing that they were occupied by someone else, then being cussed at for wanting my seats, I would have thought that the US Supporter were a bunch of a**es and never made a attempt to be associated with them ever again. Fortunately I knew the rules and what to expect. But others I seen didn't and were cussed at and left the section altogether. I sat in section 123 no one ever sat while the game was being played.
I think USSF's ideas to use their mass email list, Ticketmaster, and do our tickets as a presale was the right idea but the execution was flawed. It should have been seperately passworded on TM (as the email said it would be). Also, the email and Ticketmaster should have at stated that it was a standing only section. If they can get GA designations those too should be in the email and on Ticketmaster.com
I think the biggest problem at this match came from TM selling the section without an e-mail password. There were a lot of non-sammers who just bought the tickets because they could, as well as actual Brazil fans. And the problem was worse in 121, the section that was sold last. Someone came over from 121 at halftime complaining that no one was singing.