I want this

Discussion in 'Colorado Supporters Clubs' started by Own Goal Hat-Trick, Mar 31, 2008.

  1. Own Goal Hat-Trick

    Jul 28, 1999
    ColoRADo
    It'd be great to see this one day in CO.

    Not so much about the visiting fans, but the overall fervor. The streamers, the chants, the not worrying about saying or doing the wrong thing. Just passion. Sadly, kinda don't see it happening. I'm fairly certain that when it comes to restraint and censorship, Colorado is one of the more toned down teams in the league. But that makes sense. The Highlands Ranch/Springs crowd is worth more than the Cap Hill/Lodo/Sobo crowd.

    From that article, too, it seems the players appreciate the fans who don't just sit on their hands all game as well. I'm sure the Rapids players are no different.

    What can be done to get more youth and vibrance into the stadium without alienating all of the families? I have to be honest, I was alarmed at the number of VERY small children I saw in 114 during the LA game. Does the FO not warn people buying tickets about what they are getting into?

    Edit: I was at the opener last season, and sat with the DC fans (I'm from the east coast originally, didn't know any Rapids fans, and have several friends who were with the DC contingent) and the stadium security had a VERY lock-down approach with them. There were issues with chants, seating, words, streamers, etc. I think someone was actually tossed for saying sucks for ******** or something like that. It was kind of ridiculous. That is a big reason why I never see that happening here. There is just zero tolerance for anything. The stadium is run like a Focus on the Family meeting.
     
  2. DavidJames

    DavidJames Member+

    May 11, 2003
    Longmont
    I'm happy it won't happen. People are different. Not everyone thinks like you (or me), that' life.

    I go to watch the game, not streamers or confetti. I go to watch the players, not the fans. I want to hear the sounds of the game. That may include some yelling screaming, booing, cheering at times throughout the game, but not constantly, because I also like to hear the players yelling to each other sometimes.

    There are multiple supporters groups, each attracts individuals who share a common belief regarding how they choose to support their team in the Stadium. Why is it so important to you that everyone think and act like you?
     
  3. teddy_montoya

    teddy_montoya RapidsThugLife

    Nov 9, 2006
    Supporters Terrace
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sir I would give.... my.... hair for our atmosphere to be like that. Slowly but surely the NCC will be pushing the boundaries this season. It may get ugly (not trying to act all hard or anything, just saying), but a few tifo's may be in the mix who knows. maybe even a flare or two ;)...

    Though what DavidJames said is true, the fans aren't their to watch us, thats why we ONLY do it for the players. I can give a f*ck what a fan thinks in 128. As long as C. Gomez walks off with a smile on his face Im glad. And as long as we make it hard for the the visiting team to hear then we accomplished something greater....

    But thats just MY $.02
     
  4. Own Goal Hat-Trick

    Jul 28, 1999
    ColoRADo
    I realize that everyone isn't going to be up for it, otherwise I wouldn't lament it.

    I'm not saying that the whole stadium needs to be that way, but if we had a LARGE (you know, 1 or more sections) section like that, I think it would add a lot. Nobody would be forced into it. Rules that mute or quell the supporters are just as intrusive as the assumption that you would have to participate in such a group. Why should one preference be favored over another? I'm not asking for everyone to think or act like me, though I would like to see a bit more separation of the supporters, etc, so there isn't trouble for those who want environment A or B to find such. Such as the concept over in england of a family stand, ya know?

    No matter WHAT kind of support, I'd like to see MORE support in CO.
     
  5. pablocolomban

    pablocolomban New Member

    Oct 29, 2007
    Denver
    Come on man! So stay at home and watch it on the tv with your slippers and cup of tea then. The noise, the confetti, the passion filled fans... it's part of being at the game.
     
  6. jimmyco

    jimmyco Member

    Jan 17, 2003
    Aurora, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If the children were in the fist 12-15 rows, they're probably a part of CF/NCC. In fact a couple of the NCCers are former River Ratz Kids(z).
     
  7. dismemberment

    dismemberment Member

    Dec 10, 2007
    colorado
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    we need to not sit where they want us to is the problem i just watched the 1st game on tv ncc was in a really bad spot i seen us a few times but we didn't stand out we looked like normal fans couldn't tell where standing

    when we move to section 100 we will be seen more but still kind of a bad spot

    we should all just buy tickets in a real seen section even if its a little more i think the only reason supporters get cheap season tickets is they sit us in bad spots for important games on tv kind of werid but how i see it
     
  8. Own Goal Hat-Trick

    Jul 28, 1999
    ColoRADo
    Nah, I'm not talking about the kids I saw at the tailgate or WITH the supporters, the ones who were obviously children of people who had been supporters for a long time, I'm talking about unaffiliated fans with little ones in adjacent sections. Like, there was no buffer zone at all. It was just something that surprised me.
     
  9. GoRapids

    GoRapids Member

    Sep 1, 1999
    Boulder CO
    no buffer zones in a standing room only crowd :)
     
  10. chilistrider

    chilistrider Together We Rise

    May 9, 2002
    Thornton, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Section 100 offers a pretty decent buffer zone. Our only neighbors, section 101, are KSE comps. Unless it's standing room only I'm guessing, but still---fewer members of the clueless general populace to be caught unawares.
     
  11. superrapids

    superrapids New Member

    Aug 10, 2007
    Denver
    speaking of Highlands Ranch crowd, I thought this was an interesting interaction that you might appreciate. When my friends and I were leaving the stadium, one of my friend's friend was being goofy singing " Beckhams my Boyfriend" I admit he was drunk but harmless and a Highlands Ranch mom type who looked like she went camping she had so much crap with her to set up shop in her seat so she could knit and read a good book at a sporting event came up to this guy and told him that his volume level was way higher then everyone else in the parking lot and he needed to bring it down to where everyone else's was! I was ready to rip into her and my friend just said maybe you should try to bring it up to my level and your life would be a little more fun-I finished it with "and a little less repressed." She did n't like that. And threatened to get the police involved! Who are these people? Sometimes I think if the "real fans" ie the ones that don;t bring books to the game could somehow alienate these people away from the stadium it would attract more soccer "fans."
    I've never been to a bronco game, does this kind of uptight shit happen at those games? It reminds of a time when at the old Mile high at a game when a security guard came up to myself and my cousins from overseas and told us not cheer so loud after the rapids scored. My cousin was blown away.
     
  12. NL1NateDogg

    NL1NateDogg New Member

    Jan 7, 2008
    Loveland

    On Saturday, I was told the same thing... Stop yelling in my ear, he said. Who threw that smoke bomb?, he asked.

    I just kept saying the same thing to him... "Your momma did what?"

    We don't get told that sh!t where I'm from. All they say to us is: Don't try to go onto the playing surface. And don't throw anything harmful at anyone. If I ever get told what to not to say at a sporting event, I just pretend like I own the place... and at that point I wanna appologize now for any harmful obscenities I may shout at those moments. But, I pay for my tix, and if I feel like LandyCakes likes to lick Beckhams offside position, and wanna let him know that I know, well you get the picture...;)

    As my pappy always said, " In the end, it just is what it is...":cool:
     
  13. teddy_montoya

    teddy_montoya RapidsThugLife

    Nov 9, 2006
    Supporters Terrace
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well at Broncos games they promote the verbal abuse and loudness. I go to six or seven a season. And I can tell you that the atmosphere there is what you want it to be. The crowd is more adults, more partyesk, more drunkeness, and overall just more rowdy. It's cause the Broncos want the home field advantage and nothingless. I always enjoy myself at Broncos games, because I don't have to worry about the fans and security around me.

    I wish one day the Rapids can realize that the Supporters are the fans THEY need. That the Rapids should stop pushing them around, and treating them like sh|t. Allow them to make the game better. Afterall they will be the ones coming back even if we don't win a game at all through the entire year....

    :)
     
  14. pablocolomban

    pablocolomban New Member

    Oct 29, 2007
    Denver
    I agree. I was never really into American football, but have been to a couple Broncos games since I've moved to Denver and the atmosphere is more inviting and "party-esque". and what do you know... they are selling out games.
     
  15. teddy_montoya

    teddy_montoya RapidsThugLife

    Nov 9, 2006
    Supporters Terrace
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yea, and going off of other teams in this league we are VERY tame compared to the rest (or most of them). I just want us to one day overcome and be the best in this league, make more noise and cause more chaos than anyone else in the MLS.....

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  16. GoRapids

    GoRapids Member

    Sep 1, 1999
    Boulder CO
    take comfort Teddy - it's been improving every year.

    Stop comparing with others - and see the progress you've made already.
     
  17. TeleRock

    TeleRock Member

    Oct 22, 2007
    Boulder, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Being asked to keep it down in the parking lot is pretty ridiculous.
     
  18. Moonwez

    Moonwez New Member

    Nov 3, 2006
    Lakewood, CO
    I'm not sure how long you've lived in Denver, but the Broncos are like a religion around here. It's absolute insanity at Invesco Field when the Broncos win.

    I would wish that the Rapids could have this sort of passion. The reason why it has been such a familyesque type of thing is because it is highly affordable, especially compared to Broncos games. A family could decide one day that they want to go, and they could very easily do it. It's much more difficult to do this for the Broncos games.

    So, I'm not sure that you'll necessarily see the whole "family" vibe go away at all any time soon, but it would be nice to attract more of a supporter's group feel at the games amongst the majority of the fans in attendance.
     
  19. Brother Badgerjohn

    Oct 16, 2000
    Okie City
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Also telling that those supporter's pics are from three teams with pretty decent records of achievement. Us supporters can't do much more to attract people to our section; At this point, the ball in the Rapids' court. If the Rockies taught us anything last year, it's that this town will support a winner.
     
  20. SoccaJ

    SoccaJ Member

    Colorado Rapids
    Jun 25, 2007
    Firestone, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm sure I'll get reamed for this post but, oh well....I'd like to make a few points

    I love when that place is rockin and I try and do my part but, fact of the matter is, we haven't attracted enough people to our supporters groups to sell out our section so we have to be aware there will be people in our sections who don't appreciate our "passion". And to be perfectly honest, it's their right - if I was at a sporting event with young children and people all around me were screaming obscenities I'd be upset too.

    Listen, everyone in that stadium paid their way to get in there and all have an equal right to enjoying the experience...in their own way! I am part of a supporters group for a variety of reasons, one of which is because I want a better atmosphere at the stadium, but it is foolish and unrealistic to expect every single person that walks through the gates to want to be loud and passionate like me.

    Furthermore, to blame the ticket reps/front office for "putting soccer moms" in our sections is ludicrous - should the reps be screening every person that buys a ticket? Should tickethorse have an restrictions on who can purchase tickets where? Should they put a disclaimer on tickets for certain sections saying, "Beware! People may yell f&%k constantly around you!" None of these would be good business practices and would only hinder ticket sales which makes no sense for the FO or for us.

    It's our job to enhance the atmosphere of the stadium and the FO has given us a lot of ability to do that - but just because we are "supporters" and "Season ticket holders" does not put us "above the law" - we should be passionate AND respectfull to those around us just as we would be in all other walks of life.
     
  21. Own Goal Hat-Trick

    Jul 28, 1999
    ColoRADo
    Actually, yes.

    I remember several years ago Columbus started notifying people planning on buying tickets in 137 or the adjacent sections that 137 was an "adult" environment or whatever and may not be suitable for children. There were also notices posted at the ticket office explaining this.

    So you don't screen them, you just let them know what they are in for, and if they have reservations about that, offer up appropriate alternatives.

    Once that started happening, things there improved a good bit, if I recall correctly. Prior to that, we had seen things like U-10 soccer teams put RIGHT next to the supporters. It was ridiculous.

    Sure that doesn't solve all the problems immediately, but once that process is started, more and more people will know to avoid that section of the stadium if that isn't what they are into.
     
  22. DavidJames

    DavidJames Member+

    May 11, 2003
    Longmont
    I like all your points, but this one:
    is the one that really sticks out.

    Well said, and repped.
     
  23. NL1NateDogg

    NL1NateDogg New Member

    Jan 7, 2008
    Loveland
    Perhaps, a main reason why we are moving to the end, to section 100...;)
     
  24. TheDoc

    TheDoc Member

    Aug 17, 2007
    Tucson, AZ
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    FYP
     
  25. doogiemo

    doogiemo Member

    Aug 11, 2005
    ohh USA, USA USA USA
    A good start would be somthing as easy as making the section General Admission and putting up a "warning" sign on top of the section like @ Invesco...

    Anyone?
     

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