Do any of the supporters groups go to the games of other teams in other sports to create atmosphere? Have any other sports teams bought into the MLS/soccer model re: supporters groups?
I know in Columbus, some of the soccer fans who also followed the Blue Jackets started the Arch City Army. They were a group who bought out a few rows in the upper bowl of Nationwide Arena and did chants. It was short-lived. I don't think anyone really minded them, but it didn't really catch on and spread either.
Yeah, it's not really the same thing, especially with big leagues that won't tolerate supporter-style support. In Montreal, there was a time where the Ultras went to a few minor-league basketball games to have some fun during the winter. And we once went to a junior league hockey game on a winter road trip, where we did a good job of stressing out a 16-year old goalie (Kevin Poulin) who didn't do so well. 6 goals from 15 shots, including 3/3 in 3rd period. But, silver lining, he made the NHL and medalled at the Olympics...
The Houston Rockets have a sort of pseudo-supporter group that is run by the team. The Red Rowdies have been around for 15 years and have a designated section at games. There were originally auditions to get into the section. I don't know how it works now. They have drums, do chants, and react to game action but it is all pretty much managed by the team. It is really more of an attempt to replicate student sections at college basketball games.
I remember members of the Barra Brava showing up to Capitals games as a group but it didn't last long and it was at least 15 years ago.
That was early on in the Ovi era when attendance and ratings were better for United than the Caps. I was there. It also happened at a Bullets game although I remember a group staying quiet because unfortunately it was the night Abe Pollin died.
After witnessing such collective passion us supporters displayed right off the bat in our first season for backing our Houston Dynamo players, our city's Houston Rockets had their FO marketing staff contact Oliver Luck and our Houston Dynamo FO staff back in Feb. of 2007. Then Rockets head coach Van Gundy was very impressed with what pro soccer had in home atmosphere and wanted to replicate what us in Houston were able to produce at the old Rob. OL thus told the Rockets FO staff that all the supporter section atmosphere was completely fan made and independent from the Dynamo FO. He advised the Rockets FO staff to contact EB and Texian Army leadership to understand what to do, i.e. bring drums and how to coordinate such a section for basketball. Which as one witnesses from pro basketball overseas, pro games for hoops can have a similar pro soccer atmosphere from the same club songs and chants and coordinated efforts. Alas, the Rockets FO wanted to keep their thumb on the independent spirit of their Red Rowdies invention and held "tryouts" there in 2007 for any and all Rockets fans that wanted free seasons tickets to all home games as long as they made it to every home game and stood in their new section behind one of the goals where fans were encouraged to bring drums and sing a la us in MLS.