suggestion for Fan Clubs at home games

Re: Re: Can we do that?

Come on Chico... I am a lot more entertaining then Salvatore Sr. now! (well when he isnt running on the field Besides we are the Barra! Nothing goes in THIS supporters clubs asses ;-)

--Seriously though, I think this may be pretty cool for the Barra. Just for the person to lead the chants with. Add a few smoke bombs to the megaphone sound and it could be killer.

 

I don't want to speak for the SE's and BB's here, but I don't think they want to give up their section to move behind the goal. And I don't blame them.

Personally, the best way to do coordinate cheers is to do them according to the clock. The absolute best way is to grow the groups until we all meet

Sachin

 

Perhaps PSG Stunna would be able to relate to an experience I had in 2000 at the Parc Des Princes, in which the Auteil and Boulogne ends were able to coordinate by virtue of call-and-response stuff. I would propose a twist on the popular SE chant in which half the folks chant DC and the other half chant UNITED in call-and-response fashion. So why not have the BB/SE call the DC and La Norte call the United or some such thing, at a specific time TBD; or have someone call the other section on a cell phone (if someone in both sections has them, although it can be awfully difficult to hear them ring in RFK sometimes).

 

I personally don't like sitting behind the goal because of the view. Nothing to do with La Norte or anyone else who elects to sit there. With being as short as I am I sometimes have trouble seeing the opposite side of the field from my 3rd row Nest seat. There's also tradition, some people in the BB and SEs have been in their same seats for years so why would they want to move?

I think the singing at the certain times during the game might work (really doesn't matter if it's slightly off but we'll all be using the game clock so should be OK). It's something easy we can try at least.

Maybe the three groups could meet up at the tunnel around 6:45 and we could hash out the times and songs and then march in at 7.

I can put the word out to the SEs that we're doing this (if we're agreeing that we are). Does La Norte and the BB want to this? We sort of need a majority to be on board or it's going to look half-a$$ed.

K

 

As a regular Nest-Denizen, I'll be the first to throw beer on anyone that brings a megaphone! I hate, hate, hate, Metroscum-hate megaphones! They are annoying, you can't really hear what they are saying, and they are really great when your eardrums start bleeding because you get feedback!

I like the idea of marching into the stadium en masse. When La Norte did this last season, it was impressive. It builds atmosphere in the stadium and excitement among all the fans! People know "it" is about to get going! Last weekend, the Barra got a great response from people on their way in. Everyone in the sections around turned, looked, many clapped, all were yelling. It was an arrival!

If all three groups could march into the stadium at roughly the same time, perhaps from an entrance between 120 and 134/135, and then walk down the aisles to their own sections, that would be impressive. Seeing hundreds of people together in a group like that is exciting and gets people interested in what that group is doing.

 

If everyone in La Norte and BB tries to just shut the F up for 30 seconds at the 15 minute mark then you'll hear the SEs. I guarantee you that you will hear them. The reason nobody hears anyone else is because they never try to listen.

Same for SEs and BBs shutting the F up and listening for La Norte at the 30 minute mark, or whatever order you all in the supporters groups want to make. Get the leaders together and work it out. It isn't so hard.

The key is whoever starts the chant needs to keep it going until everyone else has a chance to join in. Doing "DC United" 3 times Ain't gonna work, u have to probably do it like 10-15 times for the whole stadium to have a chance to listen and join in.

Personally I'd love to hear everyone doing "Zombie Nation"


As for anyone who is complaining about lack of spontaneity, its only like 4 friggin times a game. You have the remaining 90+ minutes (stoppage time) to cheer as you please, just lend your vocal chords to the cause 4 times, it won't kill you.

No matter if u think the FSU Tomahawk Chop is annoying or u like it (personally I hate those fcuks!) you have to admit that it is IMPRESSIVE display of fan unity. And if you've ever been on the court/field/pitch/diamond or whatever when the crowd is going beserk or chanting in unison at a deafening level, it DOES affect your ability to play. This is as much about willing United to victory as it is about UNITING the fans.

We are United, so we should be.

 

Maybe we should just start off simple with doing the DC United clap clap, clap, clap clap clap at the 15 and 30 of each half and do like 10 times. By deciding what we do before next game day we can tell others who don't sit in the supporters sections and they can help lead other sections around the stadium (many of the SEs don't sit in the Nest).

I agree that the goal here is to demonstrate some sort of fan unity and create atmosphere (not that we don't have any, players have told me that we have the best in the league but it could be more).

K

 

Re: RFK help

AAAGH! No! It'll sound like a Freedom game!

 

Technical Difficulties!

Gee, it's no wonder we have problems coordinating things... we can't even get agreement on the number of beats in the most basic of chants! Maybe this is where my limited musical abilities don't get noticed... I can be out of step with the rhythm and still fit in!

I've always wondered about this one... originally I thought the number of beats had something to do with the number of syllables - 5, but it sounds better with 6.

I like the idea of the fan clubs marching into the stands together, but I see additional technical difficulties here...

If we leave the Barra Brava pre-game tailgate early for this marching in thing, and yet the security goons persist in closing down the post-game tailgate early... who is going to empty the keg? I wouldn't want McOwen to have to haul a partially full keg back with him, but maybe it doesn't bother him???

 

Go in early I'll watch the keg... it's not like I'll miss a goal or anything.

 

While this is all fun and interesting, I would be more then pleased if we could simply get the SE/BB to work together first before we go off trying to conquer RFK in an effort to link up with our cut off La Norte buddies.

The megaphone thought was just a SIMPLE idea along that line. --Now i admit, maybe Revelations years of experience on this will prove me wrong, but the idea that a chant leader could get over the often bad drumming for just a second to get the songs going would be nice. Trust me I hate nothing more then some crappy noise that adds nothing.... but with a little skill and practice i think it MIGHT be made to work. I really only intended for the thing to be used by the chant leader to start the song. Once that happens he can stop using it, until the next song. Like anything else it may be worth a try. It cannot be any worse then listening to a certain guy in the Barra who plays drums like a wind up toy thats been dropped too many times! (I mean that guy with the gold teeth Chico!)

--anyway, BABY steps... try getting the songs set in time and type and then try them first for a few games in the SE/BB. To me the next part is the hardest... How do we get the average fan to sing them with us. After all we have ALL been singing D-C-U-NITED bum bum bum" for years and nothing has stopped them from joining in before... Short of 35 Salvatore types running around I cant see us moving the common fan to join in without some idea like the interesting one the KC fan is suggesting...

 

There are plenty of people here from the groups with sway, but I think no one is really sure what can actually get done. Even if every single member of the Barra Brava, SE's, La Norte and Choir ALL sang the same song at the exact same time would anyone even notice? Let alone join in? Hell alone might freeze over if we could just accomplish that, it would take a greater miracle to get the average fan off their asses (pun intended) and cheer with us if even only briefly... short of something dramatic like the PA microphoning us I am lost for ideas.

 

I'm gonna comment(watch out McOwen, lol) and say that i think aiming to get the average fan to engage in a song is gonna be really close to impossible. However, I think the DC-United, clap, clap, clap-clap-clap type thing could work. I think the focus, in terms of songs, should be focused more on the hardcore groups and not the everyday fans.

 

Hello folks!

A good mate of mine who is an RFK regular and United nut asked me to join this thread as I was for many years what you would call a "Chant Starter" at West Hams games (I'm a bit long in the old tooth now and generally keep my big gob shut! ).

It seems to me that you are trying to go down the Serie A route of organised chanting and dispays a la the Ultras of the various teams.

While this sort of micro organisation can be very spectacular and impressive if pulled off it is also IMHO a bit contrived.

In England and Scotland we have always been more spontanious.

What generally happens in Britain is that one fella with a particularly deep and booming voice will roar out the first line of a chant (EG at Upton Park I would stand and bellow "I'M FOREVER BLOWING...."
and before I'd got past FOREVER the crowd would take up the tune ".......FOREVER BLOWING BUBBLES, PRETTY BUBBLES IN THE AIR....etc"

Of course it is all too easy for me to sit here pontificating and telling you whats done but we've had years and years to perfect these songs and create new ones, you guys are still new to it.

If you want to go down the spontanious route (and with 3 separate supporters groups in 3 parts of the ground it's probably best) I suggest all interested "singers" from a particular group sit within a few rows of each other in order to increase volume and critical mass needed to get peripheral players involved.

From what Ive been told you already have a good repatoire of songs and all know what to do so you should find that this is quite easily achieved.

Lastly, what sort of numbers are we talking about (active chant participents) in each of the groups?

Speak to you soon, Up The Irons and Go DC!

Chingford Hammer - WHUFC - E4 on Tour

 

Hey CH, thanks for the suggestions, we're open to all at this point.

As we are trying to grow the sport and hometeam fan base I think we're looking to create an "ultra" atmosphere that looks good at the stadium as well as on tv. Unlike in England and Scotland, we're playing in a 58,000 seat stadium with about 15,000 fans in attendance. People are fairly spread out over the whole stadium. We have a lot of space to fill so I think a more "over-the-top" approach is needed to really make an impact.

Between the Barra and SE sections I think there's 200-250 people? (Not sure of the exact count, I think there's 100 seats in a section and not all are filled). We also have drums which help create more noise.

I think we'd like to still be able to create our own chants but at certain points in the game try to get the whole place involved (without the loudspeaker prompting the fans like at other US sporting events, have it be supporter driven).

Well, we have 2 more weeks to try to organize something.

K

 

Didn't want us to lose this discussion. We've got 2 more weeks to try to arrange something for Aug 31

K

 

i think we should definitely walk in together next game. my normal schedule is to walk over to the nest about 30 minutes before kickoff. i’d be willing to meet up at a designated spot at 45 minutes to kickoff – i’d suggest the part of lot 8 closest to the stadium, where the screaming eagles tailgate is located (we’d just need to make sure we aren’t in people way as they try to walk from the lot to the stadium). we could start gathering 45 minutes to kickoff and when it reaches 30 minutes to kickoff march on inside. all we need to do this is spread the word at the next game during the tailgates at each respective group.

then we just need to think about (1) what gate we enter, (2) how we don’t lose anyone passing through security, and (3) what section of the stadium to we enter? i would suggest entering a gate en masse and then re-grouping on the other side. then we could enter the stadium near where la norte sits and then the SE’s and BB could walk over to their sections. once we get seated (standed?) i say we make as much noise as possible until kickoff (with a brief rest during the national anthem). how does that sound?

as for chanting – i think the one we need to focus on is the ‘DC United’ chant with the clapping. down in the nest/barra i notice that some guys (me included) raise their hands during the ‘DC United’ part. even when i can’t hear the chant i know i should yell when i see the hands raised. i think if we get more organized with this, the people sitting behind the nest/barra would catch on pretty quickly. we just need to have the patience to keep up the chant for a while each time we start it.

-rob

 

Re: getting this sticky

As the SE Communications Coordinator I can get the word out to our folks (once we decide what we're doing for sure).

I think ideas are coming together here.

K

 

If we can get something set I will pass the idea on through the chain of command to Oscar. It is easy to coordinate things here among the clubs we are lucky because all of the head honchos are on here or lurking around...

--On this marching in thing, the time will be the kicker, in getting all to arrive and stick together.

The Barra is traditionally late but we have been fighting to fix this. (we have now been ending at 7pm... but its still occasionally a little dodgy.)

The only real hassle in this for the Barra and I believe i can speak here for La Norte is that some people who do go up at 7pm still get caught up and made later at the ticket windows (non season ticketers I mean.) Thats been a hassle. We carry the banner up and lose half the people standing in long lines. (of course we wait but YOU try getting drunks excited at a kickoff to listen! ;-) Its like trying to corral kids at Xmas at KB Toys... if we all enter together we just need to be aware that there will be a bit of a delay while people are picking up tickets. We dont have enough people in any group to lose anyone.

On the point of entry to the stadium, should we come in on say the side corner closest to the Barra as one mass? --Figure on making a hell of a racket as we march down in mob fashion to take seats. First the barra, then the SE's and on to La norte? (this isnt really for any reason except that the corner is closest to all of our ticket windows and in an artsy symbolic aspect the march would move chronologically in the order of the clubs founding dates. (Barra SE and the new kids, our buddies La Norte.)

Anyway for thought and clarity what were prior thoughts/idea on the time and meeting place again? I havent been on BS.com for a few days.