most popular MLS clubs to neutral fans?

Discussion in 'MLS: Clubs' started by Eleven Bravo, Jul 23, 2012.

  1. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As someone who has no particular affiliation with any one MLS club due to the fact that the closest team is over a ten hour drive from me; i wonder who are the most popular clubs among neutral fans. in other words, if you are a neutral observer who do you like and dislike in the league? or if you are taken with a team, what do you think of the other teams?

    support:
    N/A- I'll only support a southern team. That includes any team in GA, SC, NC, AL, or TN.... maybe Jacksonville... maybe a team in LA, AR, or VA, but that would really be pushing it.

    like:
    1. Houston Dynamo
    -probably the most southern of the MLS markets.
    2. Seattle Sounders
    -use to live in Fort Lewis, WA.
    3. DC United
    -the old flagship club. somewhat southern influence, i guess.
    4. Los Angeles Galaxy
    -i like them because they're the most recognizable club in MLS.

    can go either way:
    5. New York Red Bulls
    6. Portland Timbers
    7. FC Dallas
    -stop rooting for them when they adopted the "FC" europoser nickname.
    8. New England Revolution
    9. Philadelphia Union
    10. San Jose Earthquakes
    11. Colorado Rapids
    12. Chicago Fire
    13. Sporting Kansas City
    14. Columbus Crew

    root against:
    15. Real Salt Lake
    -hate the name.
    16. Toronto FC
    -i've decided to root against all Canadian teams.
    17. Vancouver Whitecaps
    -same
    18. Montreal Impact
    -same

    dislike:
    19. Chivas USA
    -probably the only team i truly out and out don't like. i don't like the name... And i don't like anything about their brand. i hope that they relocate to one of the other southwest markets like San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Antonio.... maybe include also: Tuson, Austin, Riverside, Sacramento, Albuquerque, and El Paso.
     
  2. Hachiko

    Hachiko The Akita on Big Soccer

    Jun 8, 2005
    Long Beach, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    LA Galaxy, D.C. United and New York Red Bulls. They have the names and the swagger.
     
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  3. lerxst

    lerxst Member

    May 23, 2007
    Toronto
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Are you kidding me? What does nationalism have to do with club play? Are you confusing MLS with WCQ's? Too funny.
     
  4. Whitecaps10

    Whitecaps10 Member

    Jul 11, 2010
    Long Island,NY
    Club:
    Vancouver Whitecaps
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    In terms of popularity, the Galaxy are the most popular, followed by the Sounders. As for the Canadian teams, there is noting wrong with supporting Canadian teams. Toronto Blue Jay caps are the most popular MLB cap around the area I live and it's only 40 minutes from Citi Field and an hour to Yankee Stadium. Most Americans don't have a problem suporting a Canadian team, why should you?
     
  5. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    it's just a quirky thing i do because i have no teams to really root for or against because there are no teams in the southeast.
     
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  6. MLSTopShelf

    MLSTopShelf Member

    Aug 6, 2012
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    I for one cannot stand the Galaxy. The only time I will ever pull for the Galaxy is if they are playing someone not in the MLS because I care about the MLS reputation. It just seems like the Galaxy get all the attention for no reason at all. They are like the Patriots or the Yankees or Alabama in college football. You can understand the hatred of Alabama because you are from Georgia.
     
  7. hymeskillet

    hymeskillet Member

    Apr 1, 2002
    clarkston, mi
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    If I am watching on tv I tend to root for the home team, I like watching the enthusiasm of the home fans. Otherwise I tend to cheer on:
    TFC
    Portland and Seattle ( I know thats crazy but I am neutral so give me a break!)
    LAG

    Some interest:
    SJ
    CBUS
    Montreal
    Vancouver
    Philly
    SKC

    Indifferent:
    Colorado
    Dallas
    RSL
    NYRB
    Houston
    DCU

    Least interested in:
    Chicago
    CHivas
    NE

    I do watch every game that I can regardless of whose playing.
     
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  8. Philip Marlowe

    Philip Marlowe New Member

    Aug 9, 2012
    Club:
    Montreal Impact
    Support :
    Montreal Impact
    Portland Timbers

    Like :
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Vancouver Whitecaps

    Some interest :
    New-York Red Bulls
    Seattle Sounders

    Indifferent :
    FC Dallas
    Sporting Kansas City
    Real Salt lake
    Philadelphia
    Chicago
    Colombus Crew
    Colorado
    Chivas USA
    D.C. United

    Least interested in (Hockey grudge leftover and shit) :
    Toronto FC
    New-England
     
  9. Felixx219

    Felixx219 BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 8, 2004
    Kansas City, MO
    Club:
    Kansas City Wizards
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    In leagues when I am a neutral fan, I will always root for the underdog and smaller market teams. It just seems cheap to root for the super clubs or bigger markets to me. If you dont have a rooting interest, why not root for the small guys?
     
  10. Unak78

    Unak78 BigSoccer Supporter

    Dec 17, 2007
    PSG & Enyimba FC
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Nigeria
    I don't really rank them but they tend to be the teams with any combination of large supporters culture, interesting history, entertaining players and nice stadiums. Basically the teams who I enjoy watching play their home matches. It's no coincidence that most of these are newer franchises, though I've followed the league for years:

    Seattle
    Portland
    Vancouver
    RBNY
    LA Galaxy
    Houston
    SKC
    RSL
    Montreal
    TFC
    Phili
    DCU

    I am trying to pick a real rooting interest, but it's hard for me to get out of my current eclectic mindset with regards to the league. I still mainly root for the league as a whole even though it's long since turned the corner. Perhaps NY could be my team since I'm originally from the East Coast and have family in NY still, but I still don't always root for the same team if they're playing a team with good support at their house. So I might root for NY when they're at RB Arena against say a Seattle, but when the tables are turned I root for Seattle. It's weird, I know. I'd be a horrible ref.
     
  11. Whitecaps10

    Whitecaps10 Member

    Jul 11, 2010
    Long Island,NY
    Club:
    Vancouver Whitecaps
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's fine to support more than one team. The Whitecaps are my #1 team, but I also like the Impact, and the Sounders. I also would like to see the Red Bulls to do well even though I don't have any passion for them. When these teams face each other, I try to stay neutral except with the Whitecaps, which I would support them over the other teams I don't like as much as the Caps.
     
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  12. Seraphim Renegade

    Jun 16, 2010
    Rose City Till I Die
    Club:
    Portland Timbers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Start with supporting your local teams. This includes any NASL or USL teams that may be found in your general vicinity. If your local team happens to be NASL, USL, etc., if you really want to support a top-league soccer team, and if there are no MLS teams in your area (yet...I'm hoping for a MLS team in the SE as MLS' #20), then reach out through family. Find any soccer supporters in the US or CA and find out who they root for. Join them.

    After those two parameters are explored, if you don't have a local team or family connection to a MLS team, then weigh the pros/cons/etc. like you have so far, and make your decision from there. But once you make your decision, commit to that club. Do not change teams, and do not waiver in your support. Good luck in your decision!
     
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  13. The Stever

    The Stever Member

    Dec 4, 2003
    I would support ANY MLS side coached by Ray Hudson... especially if he referred to his dog's post-match comments with the media!

    "Last night, I went home and my dog took me for a walk... and told me that the second half was one of the worst he'd ever seen..." (paraphrased"
     
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  14. song219

    song219 BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 5, 2004
    La Norte
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Vanuatu
    Where were you 2001-2003 when DC United needed your support?
     
  15. The Stever

    The Stever Member

    Dec 4, 2003
    I was calling Dema, Aleko and Convey offside... and I won't tell you what I called Stoichkov!
     
  16. Cethe

    Cethe Member

    Apr 26, 2011
    Seattle, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    knowing what i know now, but trying to be objective...

    i'd probably end up a DC United fan were i unafiliated currently.
    mostly because they are the only team with black kits (yeah asthetics mean that much to me)
    and they have usualy been fairly decent, but certainly had their fair share of adversity it seems too.
    and their supporters are pretty cool, albeit smaller groups
     
  17. reFnCoach

    reFnCoach Member

    Sep 18, 2003
    SoCal
    Why not enjoy being a neutral and each game you watch you can root for the underdog, or the team colors, or a certain player or whatever floats your boat. I'd bet over time you'd end up figuring out who you want to throw your support behind.
     
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  18. Brittania

    Brittania Member

    Oct 26, 2011
    But isnt that exactly what Canadians do when it comes to ice hockey?
     
  19. drewuke

    drewuke Member+

    Jul 19, 2012
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Yes, except the Maple Leafs, I'm pretty sure everyone hates them.
     
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  20. Ze Boy

    Ze Boy New Member

    Feb 10, 2013
    Melbourne
    Club:
    Melbourne Victory
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    I'm from Australia my team is Melbourne Victory FC so I don't really love/hate any MLS teams. there are teams I prefer to watch but mainly because of their supporters over anything.

    MLS is more interesting to me as a whole because of the comparisons with my own league (a-league) my teams support is similar to Seattle's in a size we regularly draw 30-40-50k + but unlike the Sounders our supporters can go a little missing if we aren't winning, also we're like Portland as in our main stadium (27k) which is brand new but is too small for all our supporters for some of the more high profile games (at which point our games are moved to a different stadium that isn't really suitable for football but has a 56k capacity) in that aspect we're like Montreal.

    Mainly the clubs I like are

    Seattle
    Portland
    Montreal
    RSL
    Philadelphia
    D.C United
    Chicago
    Kansas

    In no real order

    I don't like NYRB because and solely because of the name I don't mind franchises but I really ********ing hate that sort of shit.

    I also like that MLS gives me a football fix (in English) during our and Europe's off seasons.

    Mostly though MLS is to me what a-league will be in 5-10 years depending which way you look at it we're never too far away it seems that every step MLS has had to take we've had to follow in almost exactly the same manner so it's always great insite into what not to do.
     
  21. Drake Jesse

    Drake Jesse New Member

    Mar 12, 2013
    The Great Smoky Mountains
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I tuned in to the season opener for Portland and NY in Portland, and I have to say I was inspired by the Timber's Army and the general atmosphere the Jeld-Wen. Going forward, they will always be a club I casually support and admire because of the fan support and the effort the team puts out.
     
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  22. Alejo

    Alejo Member

    Jul 17, 2008
    Austin, Texas, Yall
    Club:
    Austin Aztex
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dito.
     
  23. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Until such time as Orlando gets an MLS team, Houston Dynamo is my team. Have been a fan since they moved there. Went to the 2007 MLS Cup for them.

    I am also fond of teams with strong supporter cultures, like Portland, Seattle, Kansas City and Philly.

    The teams I am against are the big city teams. RBNY, LA Galaxy and Chivas USA.
     
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  24. PathfinderCS

    PathfinderCS Member

    May 19, 2012
    Whitesville, WV, USA
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    In a way I consider myself a neutral, but at the same time I've had prefred teams, but not one yet that I could really cheer my heart out for like I can for Bayern or the Pens (NHL). I first started following RB New York, then followed Seattle for a time, but not sure if I can say I can root strongly for them consistently. Right now, along with Seattle, I've also found myself really liking Montreal and Sporting KC. So, if I had to list them...

    FAVS:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Montreal Impact
    Seattle Sounders FC

    NON-FAVS (I refuse to use the word hate):
    LA Galaxy
    NY Red Bulls

    The rest of the bunch I like and respect. If I had to choose a favorite it would probably be Kansas, but honestly, I am just struggling with this.
     
  25. claw hammer

    claw hammer Member

    Jun 2, 2010
    Club:
    Montreal Impact
    Whoever Will Johnson plays for I take an interest in .. hence RSL is now dead to me, but I'll watch Portland games and want them to win (strangely their only loss currently is to us!). The fact his career got a boost from the switch is a bonus. And they're fun to watch. I've noticed I've developed interest in Colorado's fortunes probably because they are so overlooked but have impressed me. NE gaining my interest, because again, they are surprising people.

    Teams I take a strong dislike to are usually over-rated teams. Also tend not to like teams with commentators who are shameless homers.
     

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