TFC and Impact Fans - Supporting Canada

[CanadianTraveller]

July 1 and July 5 - BMO Field

July 6 and July 13 - Saputo Stadium

If you are going to any of these games, what will you do to convince season ticket holders to buy tickets and bring their friends out to the MNT games, before</u> the tickets go on sale to the public?

If you're in Toronto, it could be as simple as wearing your Canadian jersey to the TFC game on Canada Day...not an unreasonable thing to do. Perhaps you can set up outside a gate before the game - and again after the game - with a sign: "Support Canada's Team - Buy World Cup Tickets Today". If you're in one of the supporter groups, are you going to talk to each and every supporter before and during the game to find out if they're buying tickets, convince them that their decision means keeping a Jamaican out of our national stadium? If you're on GoTFC, are you talking up the game in the forum, asking the website owner to dump the Euro front-page and get the WCQ on there? Since the OSA seems to be on the outside and their members don't have access to tickets, would it be worthwhile (and technically feasible) to organize a ticket donation campaign w/ the OSA - "Send a Youth Soccer Player to see Canada"?

Impact fans - hopefully some of these ideas apply. There are many other things you can do. Talk about them here, find out what worked in Toronto this week, and get after your fellow fans the next two Sunday's.

Maybe you're not going to a TFC or Impact game. But you have six friends that you're sure are going to go to the WC qualifier, and you're thinking that they aren't going to be able to get into the sold-out Voyageur section. Or maybe you want to lead the chant in section 108 and try to get the entire stadium involved? Either way, is there a TFC fan prepared to approach the season ticket holders in 108 and arrange a swap of tickets to the game? If there is a willing volunteer (who's willing to explain 50 times that they aren't a ticket scalper, just a really dedicated Voyageur) then make your intentions known.

If you've been reading this forum recently, you recognize that the biggest impact you can have on Canadian support is to convince fellow TFC and Impacts fans to fill the stadium, before Jamaican and Honduran fans get a chance. As a TFC supporter, as an Impact supporter, you are in a unique position to affect the outcome the WCQ. As powerful as your voice might be on game-day, as exciting as your support might be on game-day, the ability to keep dozens and even hundreds of away supporters out of the stadium is even more significant. The chance to bring dozens of Canadian supporters out, the opportunity to create new Canadian supporters for the WCQ run is even more significant.

Are your ready? Is it Canada's time? The game is on your boots, right now. What are you going to do to support Canada - this week? Deadline: July 14, 10:00 AM

For those who aren't attending, provide your ideas on how to make a difference. Some of the ideas may not be practical, while some people may not be comfortable with other ideas. But throw out your comments, and let those TFC and Impact supporters pick & choose what they'll take on.

[Daniel]

People that go to the Impact != people that are likely to go to WCQ

I'm not going to convince anyone at Impact games to come watch the team, but I'm planning on bringing 10-15 friends hopefully to the Honduras game. People who are interested in soccer but don't go to the Impact (ie the future MLS supporters).

[Trident]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

People that go to the Impact != people that are likely to go to WCQ

I'm not going to convince anyone at Impact games to come watch the team, but I'm planning on bringing 10-15 friends hopefully to the Honduras game. People who are interested in soccer but don't go to the Impact (ie the future MLS supporters).

Really, a lot of the Impact crowd might not go for a WCQ.

Not because separatism blahblah but a lot of people there are barely impact fans in the first place.

Nonetheless, I am telling all my soccer interested friends about the WCQ.

[CanadianTraveller]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

People that go to the Impact != people that are likely to go to WCQ

I'm not going to convince anyone at Impact games to come watch the team, but I'm planning on bringing 10-15 friends hopefully to the Honduras game. People who are interested in soccer but don't go to the Impact (ie the future MLS supporters).

Not being there I'll take your word on it. But, being a curious guy, can you explain why someone who will take 3 hours out of their life to watch a 2nd-tier soccer team, wouldn't be interested in 3 hours for a world-class game? Is it $$$? I'm seriously confused, especially since you seem to dismiss most/all fans.

Who was at the Vincy game, if not Impact fans?

[Daniel]

quote:Originally posted by CanadianTraveller

Not being there I'll take your word on it. But, being a curious guy, can you explain why someone who will take 3 hours out of their life to watch a 2nd-tier soccer team, wouldn't be interested in 3 hours for a world-class game? Is it $$$? I'm seriously confused, especially since you seem to dismiss most/all fans.

Who was at the Vincy game, if not Impact fans?

People go to Impact games because they're offered discount tickets by their regional youth club and it's a nice family activity. They know they'll get that ticket once a year, and the kids love it, but they're not actually going to go out - and pay full price - (for the most part) for another game.

People show up to Impact games because they're told to - they don't mind, which is a step up from other USL teams. But they don't follow the club.

[Razcle]

quote:Originally posted by CanadianTraveller

Who was at the Vincy game, if not Impact fans?

TFC fans from the Toronto Area brought it to Montreal for the Vincy Heat. I don't know the numbers, but we were well represented considering it was a weekday. I saw more TFC jerseys than Impact jerseys at the game...that doesn't say much...but it says we made the trek.

[Miche]

Impact fans are garbage. It's all moms and kids and no one cares what the team's record is. Don't expect them to fill the stadium without help from cross country supporters. And yes, I do think for a ton of them cheering for Canada is against their morals, and they wouldn't be caught dead chanting "CANADA!" or waving a canadian flag. However, they may come cause it's a good game, which is better than they do't come at all.

What's the deadline for Montreal, same? What's the consensus on which sections we're aiming for in Montreal? Section 114 was nice, but like I said before, it didn't rock the whole stadium having everyone behind the net, I was at midfield section 107 and couldn't make out the majority of what was going on there.

Can we come to a decision of which sections we're buying, or are we still waiting for some more info for CSA?

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by Razcle

TFC fans from the Toronto Area brought it to Montreal for the Vincy Heat. I don't know the numbers, but we were well represented considering it was a weekday. I saw more TFC jerseys than Impact jerseys at the game...that doesn't say much...but it says we made the trek.

Toronto was well represented at the Vincy game but there were also a lot of Ultras Montreal there as well as a significant number of fans from Ottawa and western Canada (and Yukon Mike). I didn't really notice any TFC jerseys but if there were that is too bad because it was a Canada game and noone was supposed to wear anything but Canada kit. Pretty much everyone outside of the supporter's section was from Montreal. As Daniel mentioned, the Impact are marketed to families and many who come to the games are not real soccer fans but just want a cheap family outing. They are also not really the fans we necessarily want at the game although they are certainly better than Hondurans (though if they get tickets many of these tickets will end up with Hondurans). That being said there are some soccer fans amongst them and I managed to convince two people buying tickets for an Impact game at the stadium to buy tickets for the St. Vincent game. The soccer fan/family ratio seemed to be actually somewhat better for the Vincy game than for the typical Impact game.

There are a lot of soccer fans in Montreal but the problem is they aren't interested in the Impact as long as they remain in USL plus they are not being marketed to by Saputo (none of the Ultras like his vision of the team but he is the guy with the billions not us). Just like the Toronto soccer fans didn't support a team until MLS came along, if we go to MLS the Ultras numbers will increase rapidly. Until then the problem is that we don't have much contact with soccer fans who would come out to a game because it is good quality or to support Canada. I think there are many soccer fans here who would come out to the game if they knew it was going on but the problem is they don't. The CSA and Impact really need to market the game much better than the last one. In addition to marketing the Quebecois players like Bernier (unfortunately none of whom are the big-name players on the team) they need to start promoting some of the other players. If one sees how many Spanish Montrealers were celebrating the Euro victory, a bit of promotion of Julian being a top player for Deportivo might get a decent number of these people out. Likewise Radzinski could be marketed to both the Polish and Greek communities. EPL support cuts accross all ethnicities so Stalteri could be promoted to just soccer fans in general as well as to the sizeable Italian community here. I think the Honduran fans will be very organized so the CSA really needs to promote this game early if they want a pro-Canada crowd. A Canada - Honduras match will have the quality to draw a significant crowd of soccer fans in Montreal if they know about it. Unfortunately without the numbers and organization of the Toronto supporters groups nor any sort of advertising, there is little the Ultras can do to make soccer fans in Montreal aware of the game other than telling our friends/acquaintances about it. Despite the worries about creating a pro-Canada atmosphere for Jamaica in Toronto, I am equally worried about this game. A lot of Jamaicans will want to see the game but if the CSA and TFC work things right they can make it hard for them to get tickets with presales to the Voyageurs, supporters groups and season ticket holders. That will be much more difficult in Montreal and as I said I think the Hondurans will be very organized.

[CanadianTraveller]

Based upon the thoughtful comments above (and trying to ignore the less-than-thoughtful one), I'd suggest that while your points and concerns are valid, Grizzly hit on (but minimized) the point of my call-to-arms.

Prior to July 14 - the day tickets are put on public sale - any fan who isn't cheering madly for Honduras is a fan we want to come out to the game. Come July 14, the (vast?) majority are going to go to Honduran fans, right?

Unless they're temporarily expanding Saputo, it only seats 13,500 or so. There's an estimated 25,000 Hondurans living in Washington D.C., with presumably double that number located in Toronto, Montreal, and the Northeast U.S. And they will learn this week that tickets go on sale July 14. And for Montreal locals from Central America, this is the one local chance to watch a quality match with a team-of-interest. (Although maybe we can get the Salvadorans out to cheer against Nicaurauga?

You can like the local Impact fans, dismiss them as not-really-fans, you can even say that they'd be unwilling to spend money on tickets. But assuming that Impact season ticket holders have the same rights as TFC holders, the one thing you can probably say is that they won't be cheering for Honduras. Even if just 500 of them showed up and sat on their hands, that's probably 300 fewer Hondurans who will be at the game. And you know how loud 300 can be.

You're welcome to focus on hard-core football supporters, getting them out to the game. Make sure they're on-line at 10:00 AM because I don't think you're going to find a lot of tickets left by the end of the day. And thanks go out to raising visibility of the game within your circle of friends and family. I'm just suggesting there's an opportunity for an early sale without competition from the away supporters, in addition to getting the international football supporters to show.

As for "really promoting" the event...I don't see how, or why. If you're going to do any marketing, it has to be early next week. One week of ads in Journal and the Gazette and Devoir is about all you can do. Buying last-minute TV spots is expensive and completely unfocused. Maybe some radio spots on an all-sports show, but you'd do better by getting someone to speak on a call-in show. And justifying the marketing effort when the tickets may/should sell out on Day 1 is difficult if you're penny-pinching at the CSA. The best marketing - a grassroots effort led by individual coaches, players, and parents at the club level - is what you seem to believe would be ineffective. I like the example of marketing to Spanish-speaking, although I doubt you'd entice more than a dozen people with your specific example. (Why would a Real Madrid fan from Mexico or Spain come to a Canadian game to watch a Canadian-Filipino player who plays on a team you don't even follow, with a quality of play one perceives to be lower than the worst La Liga game played last year?) But even if you tried that, you need someone in that community doing the marketing - that doesn't happen in 10 days, and if it does then it's by word-of-mouth or at community events.

You talk about Honduran fans being very organized. Why is it that Canadian fans aren't organized? Is it because there aren't any to organize? Or that those that are out there don't want to organize others given the dispersed population? I can't ask every Canadian fan...but I can ask those who are reading this thread. But it seems hard to understand how in a city of 4,000,000 it's so hard to organize 5,000 people. Those charity fun-runs that occur every weekend appear better organized...and they're almost exclusively led by a very small group of volunteers supported with almost no funding but a lot of community good will. It might be too late for 2008, but hopefully Canadian fans can be organized for 2009.

In general, I'm surprised by the attitudes expressed here. I'll have to learn more about why these "family" fans aren't particularly respected in regards to being likely Canadian supporters. Over 80% of the people who will be in Edmonton in October would be, by my guess, families who play rec and rep youth soccer, who probably didn't watch more than one Euro game, and who wouldn't know a Stalteri from a Studebaker. And that's great IMO - how else do they come to appreciate the international game (and Canada's team) if they don't watch it? I'm not understanding these comments, but this thread isn't the place to educate me. It has helped me understand why you wouldn't get out to an Impact game and encourage the season ticket holders to buy tickets for the Honduras match, so thank you for the explanation.

These comments suggest that it's even more vital for V's traveling to a game to come out to the Montreal game. Toronto - great time if you can make it, lots of V's there plus lots of TFC supporters to join the cause. Montreal...needs a few more Canadian supporters?

[Trident]

I'm not sure what to say to you, except you spent a lot of time writing it and I don't particularly like it.

Although I could be misreading it.

[Daniel]

quote:Originally posted by Miche

What's the deadline for Montreal, same? What's the consensus on which sections we're aiming for in Montreal? Section 114 was nice, but like I said before, it didn't rock the whole stadium having everyone behind the net, I was at midfield section 107 and couldn't make out the majority of what was going on there.

Can we come to a decision of which sections we're buying, or are we still waiting for some more info for CSA?

114 is the supporters section at SS for Impact games. As an Impact supporter, I'd rather not have ANYONE ELSE (ie Hondurans) taking over that section. That being said, if some people think it might be better to have the Vs section ala DC supporters, why not.

[Time_for_2014]

There is many hardcore soccer fans in MTL but not of them do not follow USL and the Impact. But the word is out and many locals will go to the WCQ game because of the importance and the quality of the game. On my side we're trying go get a near 20 supporters...we will buy our tickets on the 14th.

Being new to this forum (so happy to have found it!) and also concerned about making sure that we can do the best to support our National team for 2010 I'm not sure how many members are we from MTL on this forum but for sure we should as much as we can to promote the event...I guess word of mouth is the only thing happening now...

[Miche]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

114 is the supporters section at SS for Impact games. As an Impact supporter, I'd rather not have ANYONE ELSE (ie Hondurans) taking over that section.

yeah of course I still think 114 should be filled up by Vs, and that's the first section to focus on, I just meant we shouldn't then buy section 115 and 113. I thought a secondary section for Vs should be fairly close by, but not clumped right beside, it should be on one of the sidelines, so the two sections can interact with each other and get every caught in between rilied up as well.

[Cheeta]

Getting off topic, but keeping in line with what time_for_2010 wrote.

The Saint V & G match has done WONDERS for the membership on this board from Montreal and the regions there abouts. For all intents and purposes, the Vs board is an English language board and there is no denying that is a handicap.

I think a lot of footie fans are willing to give Canada a chance (or another chance) as it were. And I didn't just arrive at that impression from living on this board. It's amazing what a little bit of media attention and a few decent performances/players can do to turn things around.

Seriously. For the 1st time I think Canada has an opportunity to make in-roads into that larger footballing community which has up to this point been dismissive & uninterested in Canadian football. We're going to stumble, bumble and fall about ourselves, but despite it all we may have a chance to pull down some of those bricks in the wall which has seperated the MNT from Canada's football fans for too many years.

Cheeta like.

Even if it does mean more work for myself and more especially those Vs who've become the "point men" in the various communities around Canada and are working towards, and being looked to provide leadership in those communities in rallying Canadian support in whatever ways they can. By traveling to the matches or supporting and organizing viewing parties. It's all good work.

So we've got some very welcome labour ahead of us and a tight schedule but for once, it may all be worth it.

Oh, Canada...

[red card]

quote:You talk about Honduran fans being very organized. Why is it that Canadian fans aren't organized?

instead of "organized", a better word is that it has been shown that every country in our region(other than the US) have a way larger group of supporters who are way more passionate than a Cdn hockey fan. It's life and death for them; while I don't believe it is for even for every Voyageurs.

quote:In general, I'm surprised by the attitudes expressed here. I'll have to learn more about why these "family" fans aren't particularly respected in regards to being likely Canadian supporters

This view is held because we have seen many times how Canada is treated in Central American countries. It is no family picnic - to put it in the mildest terms. But they come up here and are treated with kid gloves.

As with the "organized" issue, these are largely cultural issues -not blaming the family crowd. As seen with the TFC crowd, we need the generation who grew up watching Euro football and understand what it means to be "supporter". As you can read on the TFC boards, they are often told by so-called soccer moms to sit down because they're blocking their view.

As a spectator sport, soccer in Canada needs to at least shed some of the soccer mom image. And for WCQ, it could mean qualifying or not.

[Joe MacCarthy]

quote:Originally posted by CanadianTraveller

In general, I'm surprised by the attitudes expressed here. I'll have to learn more about why these "family" fans aren't particularly respected in regards to being likely Canadian supporters. Over 80% of the people who will be in Edmonton in October would be, by my guess, families who play rec and rep youth soccer, who probably didn't watch more than one Euro game, and who wouldn't know a Stalteri from a Studebaker. And that's great IMO - how else do they come to appreciate the international game (and Canada's team) if they don't watch it? I'm not understanding these comments, but this thread isn't the place to educate me. It has helped me understand why you wouldn't get out to an Impact game and encourage the season ticket holders to buy tickets for the Honduras match, so thank you for the explanation.

Amen. Hah glory! Halleluia!

<Self acknowledged agenda rant on>

There are way too many of these overbearing righteous young men who think they have some God given right to be the only people allowed to attend a soccer game.

Kids and soccer moms are so called second class citizens in their eyes. Tell me something (males 18-34) how do you grow the game without these people. If it wasn't for the moms dragging their kids to practice and the kids themselves learning to love the game where will the growth come from.

It really pisses me off these hoolie wannabes who can't handle their liquor start to mouth off. They don't even see the game, and yet get upset if someone is there with their kid and tells them to shut up because these wiseguys don't have enough brains or better yet, wit, to insult the opposition and support the home side without being profane and acting like a violent lunatic. "Yes, I too remember what it was like when I had my first beer" (guaranteed fight starter )

Anyone who pays the price of a ticket has the right to be there and support as they please as long as they don't bother the well being and safety of others.

Don't tell me that a soccer mom can't get the hang of a chant anymore than some drunken university kid. If these "fans" were a little more witty and less profane I don't think there'd be a problem with newbies joining in. People want to be a part of ritual, sometimes they just have to be taught how.

The excuses are always a laugh, that people don't know about a game, that they are not marketed to. Why preach to the choir? The hardcore support will always show up. Sellouts are achieved by marketing to those once a year guys who see it as an event.

The opposition never seems to have trouble finding out about an event.</Self acknowledged agenda rant off>

All ya have ta do to change things is look at said mother and child with a smile on your face and say "Are you going to help us cheer?" I doubt the response will be in the negative. The Vs are an enterprising lot, work with it.

[Razcle]

quote:Originally posted by Cheeta

Getting off topic, but keeping in line with what time_for_2010 wrote.

The Saint V & G match has done WONDERS for the membership on this board from Montreal and the regions there abouts. For all intents and purposes, the Vs board is an English language board and there is no denying that is a handicap.

I think a lot of footie fans are willing to give Canada a chance (or another chance) as it were. And I didn't just arrive at that impression from living on this board. It's amazing what a little bit of media attention and a few decent performances/players can do to turn things around.

Seriously. For the 1st time I think Canada has an opportunity to make in-roads into that larger footballing community which has up to this point been dismissive & uninterested in Canadian football. We're going to stumble, bumble and fall about ourselves, but despite it all we may have a chance to pull down some of those bricks in the wall which has seperated the MNT from Canada's football fans for too many years.

Cheeta like.

Even if it does mean more work for myself and more especially those Vs who've become the "point men" in the various communities around Canada and are working towards, and being looked to provide leadership in those communities in rallying Canadian support in whatever ways they can. By traveling to the matches or supporting and organizing viewing parties. It's all good work.

So we've got some very welcome labour ahead of us and a tight schedule but for once, it may all be worth it.

Oh, Canada...

Good Post...well we are here in full support, we will come from Toronto to be a part of the festivities in Montreal. But lets get this train organized to drown out the Hondourians

[OFI-MTL]

I will be purchasing 10-20 tickets. If ya wanna drown out the visitors keep the EndZone seats and find the sections at all 4 flags. I was in 117 for the Vincy game and could hear the Voyageurs. I will get 10-20 in the 117 right on the flag.

For those in Montreal we must push the Gazette to write something..the Journal does a great job.

Get your phone calls in on the Team 990.

[red card]

From Ben Knight's blog at the Globe:

The neighbourhood has changed

Happy Canada Day, soccer fans.

To celebrate, here's the World Cup qualifying schedule. Canada plays Jamaica at BMO Field in Toronto on August 20, Honduras at Stade Saputo in Montreal on September 6, and Mexico at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium on October 15.

This is the best Canadian team in memory, and our finest chance to qualify since that famous lone appearance in Mexico in 1986. But it's not just the team that has to prove it now.

End journalism. Begin fan rant.

Listen up, Toronto soccer fans. We (myself included, because I grew up three blocks from Varsity Stadium) have an image problem. Not where Toronto FC is concerned. That's a job well done, and everybody knows it. But we need to look at how we do – or don't – support the national team.

It's not like there have been a lot of chances. The senior men's team has only played here twice this entire decade. Costa Rica rolled in here last fall, and just 9,000 fans showed up. TFC fans took a lot of heat for that one, even though weather, start time, marketing and horrendous mis-pricing of tickets all cut deeply into the numbers that night.

Then there's Toronto itself – the hugely multicultural experiment in human harmony that routinely delivers large, loud hordes of passionate spectators to cheer for whichever visiting nation happens to be in town. Mexico, Iran, Macedonia – Jamaica.

Ah, Jamaica. The last time they showed up at Varsity, it was a Caribbean carnival. Bloor and Bedford rocked with drums, dancing, passion, ecstasy and fervour. There were some shouts for Canada, sure, but they were largely lost in the green, yellow and red reggae rapture.

This game has been cited – many times – as a reason why Canada doesn't like to play here. The artificial turf at the stadium gets pointed to, as well. The players don't like playing on plastic when the fans are all cheering for the other team.

Well, we can't do anything about the turf between now and August, but we have a lot to say about the atmosphere at BMO when the Reggae Boyz return.

The Jamaicans will be out in force. Great! Let's welcome them. This isn't a problem, people. This is what our city is. What we need is to harness that rising area-wide passion that is rocking TFC in playoff contention, and turn it loose for World Cup qualifying.

Howzabout a split stadium, filled with ecstatic Jamaica fans – and a noisy, pounding, singing, chanting Canada crew as well? You saw all those split stadiums during Euro '08. One colour on one side, another on the other.

The days of complaining about the other guys are over. This is an opportunity, not a problem. Canada fans can outnumber and outcheer fans of any nation that comes in here. But it's going to take some effort and hard, persistent work. TFC supporters have this in spades, but don't count on them to do this for you. It's time to buy a ticket, and check out our new national soccer stadium. If you can make a whole huge happy lot of noise while you're there, go for it!

I love my city just the way it is, thanks – even if it means we all have to work a little harder as soccer fans.

Canada-Jamaica is a game the Canadian team can win. And if red fans outcheer reggae fans, we may never again have to hear about what a lousy soccer town this is.

If you're in southern Ontario and you've ever cheered for Canada, what are you doing Wednesday, August 20, along about 7:30 in the evening?

The neighbourhood has changed, people. It's time to step up – and prove it.

Onward!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/soccerblog

[Ben Knight]

Hey, Red! I'm happy to have my piece here, but cqan you please run just a couple of paragraphs and give the URL? No hits, no columns.

Thanks! :-)

[Razcle]

quote:Originally posted by Ben Knight

Hey, Red! I'm happy to have my piece here, but cqan you please run just a couple of paragraphs and give the URL? No hits, no columns.

Thanks! :-)

You know the drill....hit it hard to support our Knight. Even if you do read it entirely on the v's board.

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by Razcle

You know the drill....hit it hard to support our Knight. Even if you do read it entirely on the v's board.

Exactly what I did. Don't worry Ben, we got your back. Nice column!

[mulliganl]

quote:Originally posted by Joe MacCarthy

+1. As a longtime lurker, I haven't agreed with all of your opinions Joe. However, a seemingly insignificant action such as this can do wonders to the stadium's atmosphere. Not to mention maybe getting to know some of the cuter soccer moms... Independently minded people (such as a mom who solely brings a litter of young ones to a rowdy soccer match) tend to respond better to a little positive reinforcement. All-in-all, a fantastic idea!

EDIT: Oh yeah, when do the Montreal tickets go on sale?

[Grizzly]

It seems that Joe MacCarthy is from the, "I am a boring stick in the mud and think all supporters are hooligans" train of thought. There is absolutely nothing wrong with soccer Moms and their kids who come to the game as long as they actually take an interest in the game. For various reasons (cheap/free tickets, team marketing, family fun zone area where you can play games and not even be able to see the game, etc.) a very large portion of the crowd at Impact games is not that interested in the game. Many don't even come and sell their discount or free tickets to scalpers and you can be sure if these people get tickets for this game that many of these tickets will bought by Hondurans. It is very frustrating as a supporter to come to games that are sold out with thousands of empty seats (while many real fans can't get tickets) and be surrounded by people who are not interested in the game. I have nothing against families going to the game, many families go to Habs games but the difference is the ones at the Habs games are actually interested in the game. It does not have to be like this at Impact games (and we Ultras are doing our best to change it) but really the guy with the say on how things will be at Impact games is Joey Saputo and this is what he wants.

I also find it ironic that several people are posting here criticizing the actions or supposed inaction of the Ultras yet I can't recall ever meeting some of these people making the criticisms at a Canada game or a club game or even recall them posting about attending one of these. We attend every Impact game and do our best to get the crowd involved in the chants often to very mixed results. Every game Daniel is trying to get the people behind us to sing with us but it is like pulling teeth to try to get many of these people to participate. Occasionally we have successes as well. A few games ago I managed to get a school group who had their banner taken by Saputo security (yes 10 year old children are not allowed to have banners at Impact games either) all up on their feet and singing with the Ultras. Given the efforts being made what I find "overbearing and righteous" is comments by the armchair quarterback people who don't appear to be doing anything criticizing those who are going to every game and making an effort.

The Ultras Montreal are a non-political group of whom in my estimation about 50% support Canada and 50% do not. Because of this reason we will never officially take actions promoting Canada games because it would create too many problems within the group and we want everyone to get along regardless of their political position. Individual members are certainly free to do what they want on their own accord. Nor do I think we would be allowed to hand out fliers in Saputo stadium by Saputo security even if it was promoting a game in that stadium. In my experience, trying to get people out to games, in particular, the non-soccer fans who go to Impact games is a losing proposition. You make a lot of effort and in the end noone or very few people come to the game. Additionally when I see the people in our stand who are more interested in the mascot than the game I do not feel that motivated to encourage them to come to Canada games. Yes I would prefer them over Hondurans but they are almost the equivalent of having empty seats. In the Canada games I have attended in Montreal, the fans have generally been better than those at Impact games, ie. more soccer fans less families on freebie tickets. As long as the game is promoted properly a lot of people in Montreal will buy tickets. I am promoting the game as much as possible to my friends/acquaintances who like soccer. If other people here want to take another approach they are welome to do so. However, it is pretty easy to write about something on an internet forum and another thing to actually take an action and do yourself what you are wanting others to do.

[Knobbs]

First post of my Voyageurs career, but have been avid reader for YEARS..

Was at the TFC-Whitecaps game yesterday and was quite encouraged by the number of Canada Soccer apparel worn by the fans at the game. This may not be sign of anything, as it was Canada Day and all, but I'm not talking about generic flea-market/giveaways at casinos during Canada day-type shirts; I'm talking Canada jerseys (I saw a Hutchinson jersey with the '07 Gold Cup patch, which was wicked!), zip ups, and the like.

That was my first TFC game (couldn't go before for a variety of reasons...) so don't know the level of support for the MNT on a regular basis.

On a side note, I was talking to some people in the section where I was sitting and was trying to get the word out for the Canada-JA game on the 20th, and a lot of people were asking when the tix would be on sale, so I told them the 14th. They seemed very interested and all, but hope they weren't just humouring me....