Hi, I'm from england and just wanted to post my opinions on the MLS. We can get to watch some MLS games on espn but coverage elsewhere is very limited (unfortunately). The best thing I've noticed is the freedom fans in the MLS recieve to what I've esperienced in england. Over here were treated like criminals with high police presence and specialised police intelligence and cctv cameras, trouble is rare inside stadiums thesedays but we arent given any freedoms that most outside the UK enjoy even though I feel we deserve it. Thats whats great about the MLS, Over here if theres trouble theres special laws in place to punish those fans serverly not just banning orders but sometimes prison sentences, fans pictures are posted in newspapers asking for the public for help etc... Stewards can throw you out just for standing up, though 1000's still flaunt those rules, prices are sky high and most working class fans have left the game. In the MLS fans seem to mix, are able to drink and stand without hassle even allowed smoke to be used. The clubs over there really seem to appreciate fans where over here we arent appreciated at all and just seen as consumers. I wish you all the best I hope you know what you have and dont blow it, the last thing you want is a situation like in england where going to the football simply isnt fun. Of course some may say we deserve it after the violece of previous years and even though we have strict rules we still can have riots inside stadiums like the villa v birmingham match. The MLS fans seem smart and dont want to ruin what they have, thats great, I know one thing I'd rather go to a game in the USA than england thesedays, our game has been ruined unfortunately most fans in england couldnt careless about the MLS or any other league and infact the MLS is mocked, little do they know how great it is. But uk fans believe the premiership is everything, champions league is everything and any other league is irrelevant so I guess when you have fans like that going to games things will never change. Anyway i wish you all the best and maybe one day I can catch a game.
Well, obviously you are paying the price for your history. Of course no one would want to return to those days, and if these restrictive policies are what helped revitalize the game in England I can't imagine they will start to dismantle them. I imagine if we started having similar troubles over here things would change for us in a hurry.
much how like the new expansion teams have learned from the mistakes of the original MLS teams, MLS studied the harsh lessons of the NASL period and what works around the world. i am glad to see that MLS isnt as uptight like the "SIT DOWN" rules in some of the english stadiums. it seems that the teams who put effort into listening to their customers are reaping a lot of social and financial benefits.
As I never seem to tire of telling people I grew up in England and football was part of almost any weekend during one of the darker periods in the game -- the 1980s through the late 90s. Much of the freedom we have as MLS fans is still amaze me at times but I am not sure that we need take them for granted so easily. I have been a regular at MLS games since 1998, starting out in Chicago before I finely latched onto the Wizards a few years back. During this time I have become increasingly disquieted by an ever growing but still tiny minority of fans who thing supporting their team is about fronting, and fighting. As the sport grows I feel like this behavior is in itself becoming more of the norm and its often alcohol fueled ... it all feels so familiar ... It would not surprise me at all if in a few years or a decade some of the things we take for granted are dialed back a bit, especially in sections of the stadium designated for supporters groups.
All it is going to take is for one really bad incident to occur at one of the stadiums and things will change very, very fast. If someone gets badly beaten or worse yet, killed, the party is all over.
I think it is all about ticket demand. In England, the owners have a choice between a sit down boring fan and a hooligan/supporter group type fan. They choose the sit down boring fan because they have that type of demand. Less security, less cleanup, higher ticket price for boring sit down fan. In the US, the owners have a choice between a supporter group kind of messy fan and no fan at all. They choose to have the supporter group fan over no fan at all. Even if they have to clean up after them every once in awhile. It builds a little atmosphere and gives them more attendance numbers. I think once owners can shrink the supporter group section down due to demand here in the US, you will start to see them do it. You can do little things to a Toyota to make it a Lexus. You can do little things to supporter section seats to make them 'Sideline Reserved'.
Hopefully MLS fans will not be that stupid to cause teams to actively want to create stiffer rules for fans. However I think America Sports in general might start creating stricter rules coming out recently that should make people aware (That Giants fan that got beaten to a coma, The Phillies fan that threw up on a little girl, fans being stabbed at NFL games). These restrictions might eventually make their way into the MLS.
What are you talking about? The NFL implemented increased security measures themselves after the Cowboys-Jets stun gun incident.http://articles.cnn.com/2011-09-16/..._stun-gun-pat-down-security-measures?_s=PM:US And what makes you think Don Garber will go ballistic on supporters in a year or two? There haven't been major incidents with supporters groups.
Supporter groups have to work with the fo s Things should not be blown out of proportion. NFL games have way more problems but they don't get treated like their whole sport is filled with hools. Every fight tends to get 10 times the scrutiny in mls. Hools are not welcome Supporters are not hools, look at the draft where sob rev fans nyrb fans and dc fans were all in the same room having a chant battle Ultras don't fight. They paint North American culture = a red sox fan can go to a Yankee game wearing sox gear and face no trouble Unless he's being a douche. We can shake hands talk shit for 90 mins then have a beer. Nobody wants their group to be banned mls is underrated and the Brits do have their heads up their asses as usual. The NBA has higher revenue than the epl.
I think you can't wear any gear other than Oakland's at Raider games.... In Houston, we don't care whose fan you are at any of our professional team sports, it's all about having a good time
this is a great topic, overall I think the landscape in the u.s is different than Europe because of the competition amongst the major sports. Teams/stadiums really focus on gameday experience because they know that there is intense competition for fans money/time, futbol/soccer rules in Europe, but fans here have the NFL, MLB, MLS, NHL, NBA and college football/basketball to choose from. here in Seattle we had our beloved NBA Sonics literally stolen from us, many of those fans said, whatever, my money, time, and passion can now go toward the Sounders F.C.
It's true we have better freedom in MLS stadiums than English and some European's do. Also being MLS fans creates a sort of solidarity between two fans of different teams due to the nature of soccer in America. Of course, it will end someday, but not entirely.
As long as supporters police their own, and immediately take initiative when stupid shit happens in stadium, it will be ok - when the supports let the hols get away with it, is when the problem starts So far supporters have been nothing but pro-active about this. We all know its a tight rope.
Yeah. Look at the grief many Sons of Ben got when a StubHubber* bought a ticket in the supporters section, threw a bottle on the field, and then got mad when everybody pointed him out to security. The supporters' group leaders across the league deserve a ton of credit for managing situations like these. Americans generally don't like "internal policing" and we are working out the expectations for supporters. *He bought a ticket off the internet for a supporters section seat.
The biggest difference I saw in the UK is that you can't drink a beer in the seats. I don't think it would take a lot for some front office to consider that in a supporters section.
this was strange to me as well in London... In the states, and for footyball in particular, this revenue stream is as vital as ever since merch/ticket revenue isn't as high as other sports. In order to maximize revenue, I predict more control of alky is a last resort... Even in God's country (Rio Tinto) where we pay $8.50 for our pissweiser!!!!!
It's crazy you can't even stand up in the UK though.....i guess it makes sense though watching EPL games everyone is neatly in their seats with their arms folded no matter what is happening. That just wouldn't work in american sports.
That's exactly what happens in American sports lol. If (when) MLS can get revenue like EPL or Barca/Real they'd do same thing and sell out supporters to live from tourists I heard a lot of English nowdays go to Bundesliga for good atmosphere and good football. Can also support a lower division club where you can freedly stand and sing
I don't even mean standing all game. If something exciting happens...people should be on their feet. I can't imagine how dull a sporting event would be if fans didnt get up when it matters most. We're not going to the opera.