So a SSS is a huge must, but Don also said he'd also like to see 10k avg attendance. How will or what are you guys doing to grow your fan base? How are you getting your name out there? What is your SGs names? How are you supporting your sponsers, how will you make usl game crowds look like MLS game crowds? Be nice if you looked too big/good for your usl stadium. Go Orlando! I think Florida needs MLS before NY.
If you check out the the Orlando City SC sub forum under USL you will find the majority of your answers.
The Ruckus, Iron Lion Firm, O-Town Hooligans (actually based in Lake County), Space Coast Alliance, Orlando's Natural Riddim Section...
just a question. two of the most successful SGs in MLS and not coincidentally the two teams with some of the best SG support and fan atmosphere are Timber's Army and Son's of Ben ... i am wondering if it might be better to follow their leads and try to merge SGs into one, large, organized, powerful SG instead of having a fractionalized one. fans of teams that have fractionalized SGs seem to have less power with their clubs and often less of an atmosphere. just something to think about. i live in jax but i might be interested in trying to support OCSC and its push to MLS especially in the SG organizational arena.
I've actually talked about following Timbers Army's lead on my blog. Though I don't see where the Sons of Ben is a unified SG like TA, The Cauldron or Section 8 are. The SoBs are currently one of many, though the predominant one, like the Texian Army or ESC.
hmm. i didn't realize there were Philly SGs other than the SoB ... guess that means they are doing something right. i think the TA is obviously the model SG in North America. having a bunch of splinter GAs only serves to lessen their influence with the club imho. i am not sure i am sold entirely on "if you want to be TA you are TA". i still think a nominal yearly fee is important to fund and distinguish the SG from other fans but other than that I do think that closely following the TA and having a single unified SG is the best way to get results. of course there'd probably need to be an 107st equivalent (their nominal "leadership"). how is OCSC with working with SGs ... would they prefer/be amenable to a single SG with more influence? or are they like the Whitecaps who have done everything they can to fracture and weaken the influence of their SGs (Southsiders)? i think if the FO will work with the single big SG and set aside a section/sections in the stadium specifically designed for the SG ... and funnel any tickets in that GA (and hopefully cheapest) area towards the SGs then that is a definite help to building the numbers. plus it gives the FO a "free" sales force (since SGs/leadership is responsible for selling those sections season and single game tickets). how does it work now? obviously i live pretty far away to come to every game but i definitely think i need to rent a car and come down there for a game and maybe more. how is opening day shaping up?
The Sons of Ben were the first, and probably the largest still, but there are several other SGs in Philly. And I believe the Ruckus if not ILF are based on the ideas and strategies of the SoB. However the Timbers Army is also a great model, if its done right.
well as of today i am a STH in the SG/GA section ... not that i'll get to make it to many games living 2+ hours away ... but i am sure i'll make it to at least a couple so maybe i'll check out the SGs.
i figured why not ... it's only a couple hundred bucks and even if i never go to a game i am helping support the only city/team likely to get an MLS team near me.
I travel to Orlando quite often for work and am definitely rooting for you to get a club. As an outsider, I am impressed with the attendance figures you had for last season but I think the most critical thing will be getting full-priced ticket sales. I know last season that there were some (I don't know how many tbh) games with discounted tickets with Groupon or LivingSocial. These can certainly get butts in the seats to experience the game/atmosphere but the key will be getting these people to be paying full price.
But I am not sure the cash-rich ownership is worried so much about getting max profits from all fans coming into the stadium. Seems like a lesser priority for now.
Just to add my bit with the Timbers Army... The Timbers Army is one unified supporters group, and is the only recognized supporters group of the Portland Timbers. The 107ist is the "machine" that runs the Timbers Army and it is made up of elected officials from the TA. Roughly consist around 4k-4.5k on gameday officially in the 16 sections, but the chanting goes beyond, and it's really hard to gauge it from there. Several subgroups do exist within the Timbers Army, but that was actually more done to make the Timbers Army stronger. Not once has any of these subgroups decided to split off or become a rogue. These subgroups were done by section (like army units) and geographical areas....and again, mainly done so people can intermingle with a smaller group of people that were like-minded like them, while keeping the Timbers Army umbrella unified. The gameday operations are massive, and a lot of work goes on behind the scenes. To learn more about it, the wikipedia page explains the subgroups well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timbers_Army I guess my suggestion for Orlando City supporters, because it seems that several groups have formed. Stay United. Worked together, on pretty much everything. I cannot stress this enough. That is how the Timbers Army became what they are today, we've been through plenty of hard times, but we always knew we'd be stronger as one unity, than as opposed to many. Much more effective with 500 people, instead of 5 x 100 person units. Create an alliance between all the groups called the Orlando Ultras or something, and work together that way. Several MLS clubs have several supporters groups per team and their atmospheres suck because the groups won't work together, and would rather bang a plastic drum with 20 guys, instead of working with the next supporters group over from them. Put aside whatever differences, and work as one...the results will be bigger and better.
I have to agree, in Houston there are 4 groups, 2 major ones that didnt work together and all it created was a white noise effect that made the atmosphere drab. 1 big group.
I remember what it was like when EB and TA were together. I was at MLS Cup 2007 with them, and it was abso-f*cking-lutely awesome.
The Disney Matches (we sat side by side behind the goal) and Garber Townhall Meeting showed that Orlando's big two can work together. There's alot of distance between the two groups in the Citrus Bowl thus making communication between the leaders difficult during matches. We'll work it out in time. I don't think either group would abandon their style and look (and unique game-day antics) to form one super SG. An alliance of some sort is more likely. The fans have gotten to know the Iron Lion Firm and Ruckus. They've come to expect a certain look and sound behind the south-end goal. We'll see what the future brings.
Then you'll continue to not be as good as you can be. Two split groups in different corners of the stadium doing "their own thing" is just silly.
For once, I agree with this guy. Orlando's supporters groups need to do what they did at PSC at the minimum and that is sit together. Maybe all the chants won't be the same, but the goalkeeper "ohhhhh" and the drum banging will sound louder and better side by side, making for a much better atmosphere.
2 groups sitting side by side doing different chants will not sound good. one after the other will not be as strong as it should be. 2 chanting the same thing together will be awesome.
And get with the times, wtf is up with continuing the "you suck asshole" chant during goal kicks? lol
You all are making the same point and, as I stated, we are working on better coordination. But I think you're missing my point. Like it or not, a Supporters Group culture has emerged in Orlando that is helping fuel OCSC's success. Like Mardi Gras or Rio's Carnival, there are lots of strange things going on in the south end of the stadium and casual fans have come to expect the madness. Yes! It would be great to hear 6,000 or more voices chanting the same chant at the same time. That is one of the goals SG leaders are working on. But there's much more going on here than just chanting and singing. There's diverse groups showing up, bringing lots of converts, getting attention (from the media) and helping the players, owners and FO staff build something big here in Central Florida.
It's the most unoriginal chant out there. No creativity. Every time they do it, I hang my head and sigh...
I enjoyed the Vancouver chant: "You Fat Bastard," but that may have been the YSAH and the Spanish word being all I've ever really heard
Its funny, this was considered fairly common and part of the game, especially in MLS when Philly got loud about it their first season. Then their FO got upset and got the supporters to drink the KoolAid and now their fans are among the strongest against it ("its so immature!"). Always makes me laugh to go to games in Utah and hear it still and loud yet its banned in Philly for being vulgar. I am fairly certain this chant is still fairly popular. I hear it on most MLS broadcasts and even NASL ones.