Relationship between national supporters and club supporters

???

 

I hope everyone was able to check the email that we sent out earlier today and I hope it answered some of the questions that members have been asking us.
Below are some things I wanted to add to last month's Chapter Leaders email about US Soccer’s decision to ban all supporters groups from hanging banners in the stadium as well as AO starting to be more thoughtful on the choice of the words with our chants.

At the last game we were unsuccessful even though we did not use YSA chant during the game. However, we used another obscene chant after the goal kick. With that happening we a received an email from US Soccer and this is what it said.

“Based on the inappropriate fan language at the Home Depot Center, banners and other supporter TIFO will not be permitted at the upcoming MNT games.”

That email was sent directly from US Soccer and they are very serious about this issue. As such, we, and the other supporters groups, will once again be under review at this game. We aren't saying that you, as individuals, can't curse at games. US Soccer wants to end large numbers of fans chanting obscenities, and we agree for the most part. US Soccer has decided to be firm with AO, seeing that we have a voice with the fans.

I think AO and AO Chapters can do a large part in eradicating the chants or editing the chants that may have foul language, and then members can carry on with their individual passion, as long as they follow our "Act Above" Code of Conduct.
The above ban is how they decided to be firm with supporters, despite our negotiations and implementation of our plan of action. This is why we created the "Act Above" Campaign, so that AO acts better than those fans, and none of us sink to their level.

These are pretty small changes to behavior, changes that do not require a sacrifice of passion to do so. USSF doesn't want to permanently take away any privileges from supporters, and if we continue to better ourselves, then supporters shouldn't have anything to worry about. AO will continue to advocate for common sense, logic, and supporter privileges, as long as we all work to follow our Code of Conduct.
We are advocating and working for all our members and have regular communication with USSF to not punish an entire group of fans for individual actions, especially in a different city from where they believe the actions occurred. This is what we are fighting for, along with continuing to provide and improve on our supporter privileges at and around games. Cursing in chants, though, is not a privilege that we need to fight for, because it isn't clever, classy, or what we want our organization to be about

 

Ah.

Cool, doesn't apply to me.

 

Or anyone who has supported the team before 2005......?? Lol

 

The ussf is only punishing the players. They are the ones who supposedly draw inspiration from our banners and support.....

 

Well if there is over 5,500 paying members, then where does the $110,000 go?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uGAZFL30Xg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uGAZFL30Xg[/ame]

 

You can definitely sniff around if you want. Maybe you'll find something.

Knock yourself out.

/shrugs

 

Yeah, thats the hard part.

 

Wow, that whole situation with U.S. Soccer is really messed up. For one, who cares if people swear? Oh wait, we need to cultivate a family atmosphere at these games. But speaking as a member of ECS in Seattle, there is one song we have where pretty much every member says the f* word and loud enough that it comes over on TV broadcasts. And many in the crowd say YSA every single away free kick, although ECS does not publicly endorse it and capos do not say it. But it is throughout the stadium and very loud. Then again, it's not like the Sounders are going to kick out every fan from the stadium.

As far as the banners and tifo go, as mentioned above those are there for the players, so all they are doing is shooting themselves in the foot. There has got to be a different way to "punish" AO, if that is what they feel they need to do. Any work I would do on banners or tifo would be to help the team, not simply for personal satisfaction. If I didn't feel they would help the team I wouldn't do it. So I'm not sure U.S. Soccer understands who they are punishing here.

In my opinion, this whole situation is messed up. This entire society is way too sensitive about swearing, but whatever. If AO is fine with eradicating swearing, then more power to you. But in my opinion U.S. Soccer is not handling this well at all. Soccer is not meant to be G-rated from a language standpoint. Just keep the families and kids at the other end of the stadium from supporters groups so they are not right on top of each other, but the supporters groups need to have the freedom to be R-rated (or at least PG-13) in order for this sport to grow. I know cultivating ECS - and not holding them back for things like this - has really helped the sport grow here and has obviously not hurt attendance or interest in the team at all. I don't know, maybe it is just the liberal attitude here in Seattle that swearing is not judged to be the end of the world like it is elsewhere.

 

Burn the Puritans!

 

There are over 6,500 members (according to wiki). Each of them are paying $20 to be a member. So thats $130,000. Where does all the money go. It doesn't cost $130,000 to make 6,500 t-shirts and bandannas. Yes, there's also the banners, but that easily leaves $65,000 left over in unspent money. So my question is, WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?

 

Tailgates? Gameday activities? Operating the website?

I'm assuming the top dogs at AO all have full time jobs on top of everything they do for AO. It takes a ton of time and effort for all those people, if (and thats a big if) they were to pocket some extra money then I'm fine with it.

 

You can pocket money if you're a non-profit?

 

How in the hell are you gonna be an Outlaw if you can't even curse!


IMO, at the end of the day it's best for like minded USA fans to band together and just make their own group. Support the Nats the way they feel is best and not bowdown to the USSF.
we can all get on the same page by social networks ,we don't need stinking discounts on airfare or hotels.

Real diehard USA fans don't need anything but passion for your squad,everything else is just bs.



Get to singing and supporting,nothing else matters!

 

None of that is going to get the banners back up.

 

well I was told that we weren't allowed to bring banners in to Reliant but we did it anyways, drums and horns too.

 

Colonial flags aren't banners even if they are hung from a railing...

 

Thats the thing. Nobody uses Continental as there carrier. Everyone takes SouthWest, because its the cheapest. & then in for this past LA game, they choose the hotel thats 3 miles from the stadium. Not everyone wants to blow money on renting the car. Why not choose the hotel (Hampton Inn) thats two blocks from the stadium?

 

Why is the USSF so butthurt? Soccer isn't a family sport. If people want family entertainment, go watch Disney.

 

i would rather passionate, uncensored support creating the atmosphere that we see fit than banners

 

we haven't made the WC yet.

 

I was responding to the idea that AO was the problem. The original post said

..which it seems to me that is what AO is supposed to be. If you don't like AO because they are cooperating with the federation on the cursing issue, then disbanding AO and going to the game on your own isn't going to get the banners back.

 

That doesn't really have anything to do with it.