I've got nothing to do with this, but received an email (how'd they get my address?) about them. http://www.los-toros.com/ Is this a branch of the Inferno?
my tickets are in 126.....Other than me and my wife yelling the occasional obscenity, there really isn't much action in that section. Unless of course Los Toros is going to be made up of the 16 or so U-12 girls sitting behind us with streamers during the Open Cup Final. They made alot of noise......whenever the maintance guy came to clean up the streamers...
They obviously got a mailing list from FCD, I got a letter too. I am happy to see a group on the east side now. It wouldn't surprise me to see this group take off with the visibility on tv and the better view of the field.
Ditto (or at least since I started attending matches a year ago), if the tickets really were $18... I would prefer the better visibility...
I will be interested to see what they get away with over on the east side. Like flags, drums, banners, ect. I was thinking that was one of the many reasons that the Inferno said they stay on the endline.
well maybe its the FO's idea. they obviously want a more visible, passionate crowd on TV on the east side. there are some supporter sections around MLS (KC, DC) that sit on the side that faces the TV.
I am a big fan of the Inferno and the members that I have met. But an extra $2 for the same atmophere where you can actually see the game? That's a no-brainer: Viva Los Toros.
Well, isn't this interesting? You know, a couple months ago, I proposed a move to the sideline seats by The Inferno on TIDN. Shortly thereafter, I got a phone call from the front office, explaining to me why such a move would be unfeasible. Basically, it boiled down to existing season ticket holders in the east side sections. And now, we've got "Los Toros," which strikes me as something coming from on high, who'll not only be on the east sidelines, but right smack in the middle at a heavy discount. I guess the current season ticket holders aren't much of a problem anymore.
If you're saying this sounds like an inside job, I was thinking the same thing. Of course, if they came out and said that Los Toros were formed by the FO it would be an automatic no-no for most fans.
more fans deciding to organize & make some noise? sounds good. hope the groups coordinate (at least to some degree) with one another to pack a bigger punch
I'm also saying that since PHP was under construction and the issue of The Inferno's placement in the stadium came up, we've always been encouraged -- and no, I won't say "forced," because we weren't forced -- to locate ourselves in the endline seats. We've also always been told that the ticket prices were what they were and to not expect any breaks wherever we do end up. And this is what galls me the most about Los Toros. If The Inferno were to move to 126, we'd be told that the ticket price would be $28, no questions asked. Now this new group gets those tickets for $18? I don't mind that the FO feels the need to start a new group. Whatever. The Inferno has always been unofficial and it should stay that way forever. But I guess that being blessed by the FO gets you the privilege of subliminally saying, "Why stand with those losers behind the goal for $16 when you can be at midfield for $18?"
Most soccer fans agree that a supporter's group needs to be completely independent from the club. That is what I have seen anyway.
I can understand why you, especially, would be miffed by this. I think it would be great to have everybody together so the coordination be be there, but I can understand why people will jump onboard with this deal too.
With all due respect. The Houston Dynamo tried to do something like this not once but twice. The first try was La Doce and the second try was called Dynamo Fans Club. They never admitted it but the evidence spoke for itself. If this is an independent effort I have to give kudos to the people putting it together. The website looks very nice and the logo is pretty awesome. PS Moderators please do not yellow card me.
As almost anyone knows, contact me or make any serious effort and you'll get into 116 for $12 or $13, not $16. People who buy day of game will have to pay the full price, just like everyone else. Bought at the group rate, in advance, and you get the lower price. Just like The Inferno/Hoops Nation/anyone who takes the time to reach out to me gets $1 off the group rate ($13 to $12), these guys are getting a whole $1 off the group rate for that section ($19 to $18). This is a small group of season ticket holders who want to try something in the midfield and are willing to pay for it. Dustin, you well know that there was more to our conversation about moving than just season ticket holders. Price point, dealing with the other fans, and where the stadium is growing were also issues. Your specific point to me was "why don't we do things the way they do them in KC and DC where they have the fans at midfield." And I told you specifically that those stadiums - because of their size - have more flexibility. Among other things, these guys can't drum. And while I wish them well, I don't envy the hassle they will get from fans around them who aren't expecting to sit next to people standing and making noise. Now for a one-off playoff game, maybe that isn't a huge issue. But we all know that for some games every year, FCD does sell a lot of seats and there isn't the kind of "man, I don't want to sit next to these guys, so I'm just going to move around to another section" freedom. I do wish them well - I want as much color in the stadium as possible. If they can bring passionate fans to the game, let's do it. Obviously, we need all the passionate fans we can get. [BTW, I haven't met them yet, but my understanding is that these are good guys who just want to bring passion to the stadium.] But they will have to deal with the same constraints that everyone else does - as I've described here. To my knowledge, these guys aren't getting anything different than what was offered to The Inferno - no significant extra price break and more limited ability to make noise and show color, along with the knowledge that they will encounter more hassle from other fans there than in other locations. But a large part of our discussion that day was centered around projecting where things are going - that eventually, sooner or later, standing at midfield isn't going to work. I know the two biggest reasons why I advocated Endline when I was in The Inferno and before I ever thought I would work for the team were (A) price and (B) that eventually, FCD would be selling out more games than not and that being in prime real estate would cause concerns. Personally, when I'm being a supporter (when I did it with The Inferno and when I do it with Sam's Army), I want to get ramped up and get into the game - not play diplomat with some johnny come lately soccer mom about my ability to stand and make noise as I had been doing for a decade. And ultimately, I'd rather pick a place that I knew would be our traditional home rather than pick a place that eventually we would be moved out of if for no other reason than it wasn't worth the hassle. Name me a supporters group in a SSS that isn't in the endline/corner. Section 8 is in the Endline. LARS is in the corner. Legion 1908 is in the Endline. The Columbus fan groups are in the endline. The Colorado standing fangroup is in the endline. The TFC supporters groups are in the endline. I believe the RSL groups are either endline or corner. Even the Midnight Riders, the ESC and TA/EB is in the endline. Just some thoughts worth considering.
And the sideline, and the biergarten, and the other sideline, and on the concourses, and... Of course, they're an anomaly, and yes, I know that the official crazy supporters section is on the endline. Depending on how the 2008 season shakes out, that might be more obvious once the new maple syrup smell wears off of OMG stadium. Just sayin'. As for this new supporter group idea, mmm, not sure how that will play out on the sidelines - anywhere on the sidelines. The drummers up top add some sort of drummy ambience (and serve to obscure some/all of the 116 chants), but as for standing, hooping and hollering, mmm, not sure if that will fly. USOC was apparently the exception when people in 107 stood for goals/close calls, but 45/45 standing? Doubt it. Anyway, WTF do I know. I'm all for more crazy atmosphere, so if it works, that's completely cool with me.
Let's give this a few games before we see what comes of it. Anyone who wants to try and add more atmosphere is fine by me.
ditto. don't we all dream of the day that "supporters groups" aren't necessary? That being said, I do feel like I just got bitch-slapped by the FO
I like the idea of a new group. It doesn't seem like they are trying to take anything away from any other group. Their website mentions wanting their kids to experience passion... that is really what some of us are looking for. A group where we can chant and have fun... with our children also. Not having to worry about chants with f-bombs and the like. That is a big deal for a lot of us. So Los-Toros is there for that. That can only be a good thing.
not too big on the name, really. but if we can have competition among the supporters groups perhaps there'll be tremendous growth all around. can't go wrong with that.
Don't stress it. Let these guys try it out without worrying about screwing things up for the Inferno. If it takes off then great. People will then have the choice in the future. More noisy fans = greatness.