Ways to get pro-USMNT crowd

You forgot Pool Noodles.

 

I could be off base, but...

I think that the true USMNT fans, the ones that would go to every game, support the team, etc are too spread out around the country to have "US V Mexico in Columbus" atmosphere at every game. I would love to go to every game...2 problems.

1) money
2) time off

I think the best way, no matter what the stadium, is to get more "real" fans. I've been to a couple of games where the crowd was 80% US, but the other 20% was making all the noise. Lots of kids, wives, etc that just were not really into the game. I'm USSF is open to any reasonable suggestions...

 

the best way to get pro-US crowds is to win. Start winning and the sheep will follow...

 

i agree!!! start winning and the crowds will follow the national team anywhere in the world!
U.S.A FOREVER!!!!

 

NO RFK.

 

Or LA.

 

If US Soccer actually tapped into the Hispanic market istead of just talking about doing it, I think the Latino fans would feel that the US national team was more repressentitive of them and therefore they'd be more prone to cheer for the US.

As it stands now, I think most Latinos, even the ones who were born here or have lived here for many years, feel very disenfranchised by the mainstream US Soccer community and not only do they not feel like the US national team represents them, they are resentful because they feel it represents an organization that looks down on and ignores them.

 

I agree with Sandon. USSoccer is not exactly an "inclusive" organization, unless you just so happen to have something they want.

I would love to see them do what BigSoccer is doing -- sell memberships that would entitle you to certain enhancements. Thus, if you pay $25 a year, you're entitled to pre-public sales of tickets and maybe some special magazine/t-shirt/id card/supporters' scarf or something.

And I would love to see them do more for the amateur soccer community, ie, help them raise funds. This would include the Latino soccer community. Right now, USSoccer planning to take more funds from the amateurs (affiliiated leagues) by eliminating gate sharing for international matches.

Kinda sucks, the MLS/USSoccer and the amateurs (youth and adult) don't seem to be in it together for the good of the game. Maybe they think they are, but that's not how some people see it.

 

Oh, and maybe for the price of admission you'd get a full report on the behind the scenes politics and how you can actually get involved.

(Like that will ever happen...)

 

Resonses to several posts:

1. There already are pre-sales to the "US Soccer family." I have no idea how exactly one becomes a part of it, but I get pre-sale stuff all the time. I think there are many ways to get on the US Soccer list for pre-sales.

2. Charging membership fees would only serve to alienate many people. US Soccer can't afford to do anything of the kind. That should remain the role of organized supporters' groups, a la Sam's Army (which always has great seats at a good price).

3. There is no reason to single out "Lots of kids, wives, etc that just were not really into the game." There's plenty of apathy to go around at every US soccer game I've seen, and the louder supporters' sections tend to be about as diverse in terms of gender and age as any other section. The problem is there just aren't enough rabid fans in the stands. It has nothing to do with demographics.

 

What I've seen is what I've seen. You can't really say that is wrong, becasue I made a point tp notice these things b/c I do care about crowds, pro-US support, etc. I also made a point when I typed that to say that I had been to a couple of games (6 to be exact) and it wasn't meant to be all inclusive.

Sandon - you mentioned "mainstream US Soccer Community" in one of your responses. What are your thoughts on what that defines? It seems to me that there are many different mainstreams and that they don't intertwine like I think they should. For example, the youth soccer programs here in Atlanta are massive and taken very seriously. However, from talking to parents, coaches, kids, they know very little about MLS, national team players, or even or local A league team. I guess what I asking, very long winded, is what are we defining as "mainstream" or possibly as a target group? I think the diversity among all soccer people (fans,youth, latino's, etc) is great, but difficult to market to...

 

I think that a lot of people would be happy to pay a small membership fee to "join" USSoccer, thereby getting some benefits and privileges. The question is what the bene's and privileges would be. In a sense, it would be like joining the US National Team, kind of like a shareholder. Or, it's like joining a political organization like the Sierra Club. In fact, that's what USSoccer is -- a political organization!

Giving people a reason to "join" would be a legitimate way to raise funds and be more inclusive than it is now.

 

Have all qualifiers at CCS...

 

What exactly is US Soccer doing that is anti-inclusive? Who are this magical group of "included" people that other folks are so excluded from? All my friends from Latin American countries go to US games, support our team, etc. I've never heard anyone complain of being excluded, my wife is from Asia and she's never felt on the outside. She goes, has fun, screams her head off, etc.

 

Dress up like the INS.



Sachin

 

I think all you have to do to get on the mailing list is buy tickets once with a credit card. I get stuff from DC United and the USSF and I think that is just from buying tickets to games. I don't think i've ever signed up for a mailing list.

With ticket distribution I think the Federation will wait and see what happens with this discrimination lawsuit that has been filed here in DC concerning the ticket allocations from the Honduras game lat year. I know it's absurd but that could change how tickets can be sold.

 

Support Soccer Vouchers

you guys have heard of school vouchers.. how about federally sponsored vouchers for going to support the USMNT...

every citizen, regardless of income, would be eligible to receive up to a $30 voucher to attend a USMNT match, with the stipulation that you wear red/white/blue and stand in the US supporters section.

I think its a fab idea.. I suggested it to my local Congressman and he's writing up the bill as we speak. Let you congressman know you support he/she should support this bill when it comes up on the floor.

 

1. The sales to the USMNT "family" has been fairly successful, from what I've seen. Except that, had I not been calling the US Soccer office and had some inside connections, I wouldn't have received tickets for some of the qualifiers (due to failure to send out the materials timely). That is a obvious flaw that can be solved easily.

2. The other way to fill stadiums with US fans is for die hard like us to take our friends to local games. In Kansas City, I bought 20 tickets and filled them with my friends. The next time there's a game in Kansas City, I'm betting that 50% of those friends will take other friends. It was too fun.

3. Winning is a great sales tool. The WC2002 success will only breed more interest.

 

I would argue that in some ways the "insider" stuff has backfired. Look at last year's RFK qualifier against Hondurus. A freaking sea of blue & white. Some friends and I got shut out because we weren't aware of all the channels to get tickets through. Fortunately, we were able to get some at the last minute, but the hardcore folks from other countries certainly find out as well. There is no LEGAL way to shut other supporters out, so in the meantime, we need to make it easy on the Americans that don't know the channels to go through.

 

I think I started getting the "US soccer family" mailings after I attended a game in 1993 or 1994 in Fullerton, having bought my ticket with a credit card. I'd attended other stuff before that, but had never received these mailings before. In any case, I never "joined" to my knowledge.

I might point out that US Soccer has a free and simple "membership" right now.Click here.

One of its benefits is:

"ussoccerfan.com gives fans the opportunity to experience U.S. Soccer in ways that were never before possible with the exclusive opportunity to:

Buy tickets for select matches before they go on sale to the general public"

Of course, there is also Sam's Army, which some people may have some problems with, but for supporting the team with other real fans, it's the best thing going IMO.

I'd also like to suggest that everyone take the money they'd consider spending on US soccer membership fees and use it to buy an extra ticket or two for your friends/family/pets/whatever. That is the best way to make new fans; it supports US soccer; and it puts more people in the seats.

On another sub-topic, I think the Honduras game was unusual in that the entire nation and its ex-pats were getting really excited about the team qualifying at that point. I only wish US fans would show that kind of dedication. I have a hard time believing that there were thousands of US fans that wanted tickets but didn't get them. The problem was they didn't want them as much as the Honduras fans. Hopefully that is changing.

 

I know tons of people that got shut out of that game because they didn't know about a pre-sale. Just because you didn't know that a pre-sale exists doesn't mean you don't want them as bad, it just means you aren't in the know. Me and seven other people had bought non-refundable plane tickets to Washington for that game and they sold out almost immediately after going on sale through ticketmaster. We were coming from a good 800 miles away from that game, so I can't imagine how many people nearer than us got shut out. Fortunately, I was able to convince some people in the right places to have mercy on us and they got us the tickets, but it wasn't easy and I didn't get them until well after it had sold out.

 

Re: I could be off base, but...

Same here. I'm not even old enough to drive yet, my parents couldn't stop working if their life depended on it, & I missed all the Nat. games @ soldier field. It sucks. I can't ride my bike to a game (lol) It'll be at least be 2 more years before soldier field again. (Cardinal Stadium should be burned, & I mean that in the kindest way

 

Fair point, nicodemus. I know there were US fans who got shut out of USA-HON due to Honduras fans buying tickets fast, but a year earlier at USA-GUA there was plenty of time for US fans to get tickets and the place was only about 50-50. The demand for tickets from US fans just isn't overwhelming.

I'm pretty sure that the "US soccer family" mailings are done regionally, so your distance may have prevented you from getting info that I would get for an RFK qualifier. Given the number of dedicated fans that will travel, like nicodemus, US soccer should clearly open up its distribution of pre-sale info.

I'm not questioning anybody's loyalty here and I'm sure the Fed could do more to get pre-sale info out. All I am saying is that there is no evidence that I know of that US soccer can fill a place the size of RFK with US fans for a qualifier (at least not yet).

Whatever it takes, I do hope I will never see another qualifier in which US fans are outnumbered in our own stadium. It made me want to puke. The result didn't help either.