MLS Police State

[Grizzly]

MLS instituting new "security" measures

http://www.fcdallas.com/post/2016/04/19/major-league-soccer-introduces-elevated-security-standard-across-all-20-venues

http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/post/2016/04/20/new-security-measures-regarding-access-stade-saputo

[Grizzly]

Devon Rowcliff's article on why he does not go to MLS matches and supports lower division football instead

http://thesetpieces.com/features/stand-fanzine-estranged-relations-canadian-football/

[BuzzAndSting]

That's crazy. What's the reasoning? If they're going to search bags what difference does it make what size it is. I'd love to see the statistics of what they're actually confiscating and how often.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

49 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

MLS instituting new "security" measures

http://www.fcdallas.com/post/2016/04/19/major-league-soccer-introduces-elevated-security-standard-across-all-20-venues

http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/post/2016/04/20/new-security-measures-regarding-access-stade-saputo

1)The dates are different; Impact say this starts April 30th not April 24th. Maybe they won't have the people to do the screening in time for Saturday's game? I bet there will still be smoke bombs on Saturday!

2) It says nothing about V Cup games. I assume SUM has nothing to do with those (God I hope not!).

[shermanator]

9 hours ago, Grizzly said:

Devon Rowcliff's article on why he does not go to MLS matches and supports lower division football instead

http://thesetpieces.com/features/stand-fanzine-estranged-relations-canadian-football/

I will admit, I do love supporting a club where the coaches and players and team admin have beers with us after.

[-Hammer-]

1 hour ago, shermanator said:

I will admit, I do love supporting a club where the coaches and players and team admin have beers with us after.

Yeah, that's one good thing I'll say about the CPL if the CFL owners are spearheading it. CFL teams always have after game parties with players open to the public, and I've never gotten even close to as much grief, even during playoff games at THF or Ivor Wynne then I've had at BMO and the Dome.

[Keegan]

MLS clubs seemingly want to achieve an impossible task.  They want the "wild, crazy soccer fans" but a family/North American sports atmosphere at the same time.  

The saddest thing has to be Montreal's management creating a supporters group and passing it off as authentic

https://twitter.com/1642Montreal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Scroll through the posts and pictures, it's a laugh.  We really are supposed to believe that this group of extremely casual looking people:

https://twitter.com/1642Montreal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Created that giant TIFO, got a giant bell and those custom scarves that look like they belong in a club shop AND somehow one of those 20 people had the pull to bring GSP to a match.  It's pathetic and insulting to lie to any fans but especially the Ultras who have been with the club long before MLS.  

[BuzzAndSting]

1 hour ago, -Hammer- said:

Yeah, that's one good thing I'll say about the CPL if the CFL owners are spearheading it. CFL teams always have after game parties with players open to the public, and I've never gotten even close to as much grief, even during playoff games at THF or Ivor Wynne then I've had at BMO and the Dome.

Last year after the East Final we went across the road to a restaurant named Joey, we sat there for about an hour marvelling at the amazing finish. Then Greg Ellingson and a few of the other RedBlacks players walked in and set up at the bar. He sat there for about 45 minutes with his number 82 back pack on, watched his highlight a few times and politely said "hello" to a stream of fans who calmly bought him beer after beer. Very cool interaction unseen in many other professional sports.

[theaub]

Let's be honest, this crap is in place to stop supporters from bringing in smoke bombs/other stuff etc.  Anyone who thinks its about actually protecting the security of the fans is naive.

[Grizzly]

3 hours ago, -Hammer- said:

Yeah, that's one good thing I'll say about the CPL if the CFL owners are spearheading it. CFL teams always have after game parties with players open to the public, and I've never gotten even close to as much grief, even during playoff games at THF or Ivor Wynne then I've had at BMO and the Dome.

 

1 hour ago, BuzzAndSting said:

Last year after the East Final we went across the road to a restaurant named Joey, we sat there for about an hour marvelling at the amazing finish. Then Greg Ellingson and a few of the other RedBlacks players walked in and set up at the bar. He sat there for about 45 minutes with his number 82 back pack on, watched his highlight a few times and politely said "hello" to a stream of fans who calmly bought him beer after beer. Very cool interaction unseen in many other professional sports.

I am not that much of a CFL fan but the league does a lot of things right as far as the fan experience and relationship between the fans and the club/league. When they had the Grey Cup in Montreal even though I did not go to the game I went to some of the events and some of the bars where the fans were hanging out and everything was great with a real spirit like you get in some of the lower divisions in soccer. I would hate to see Canada lose that if the NFL ever came here and pushed out the CFL with its brand of everything that is wrong in pro sports. 

[Grizzly]

3 hours ago, Keegan said:

MLS clubs seemingly want to achieve an impossible task.  They want the "wild, crazy soccer fans" but a family/North American sports atmosphere at the same time.  

The saddest thing has to be Montreal's management creating a supporters group and passing it off as authentic

https://twitter.com/1642Montreal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Scroll through the posts and pictures, it's a laugh.  We really are supposed to believe that this group of extremely casual looking people:

https://twitter.com/1642Montreal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Created that giant TIFO, got a giant bell and those custom scarves that look like they belong in a club shop AND somehow one of those 20 people had the pull to bring GSP to a match.  It's pathetic and insulting to lie to any fans but especially the Ultras who have been with the club long before MLS.  

Yes 1642 is a club founded supporters group despite all their claims to the contrary. If they were really independent they would not be claiming that they are independent 5 times in every interview. It is hard to say much about them because anytime you criticize them they will deny it and you will just look bad yourself which is why I haven't said much about them here. I also would have no problem with them if they were just a group supporting the club in a different way or even were a club group and honest about it. When you look at how fast they came about it is clear that the club was behind it (even ignoring inside information that I have) especially when you have experiencing with groups and how hard it is to run things and raise money. Within 1 month of being founded they had 4 people waving flags all match, had the Drogba banner from Chelsea, had bought and shipped a huge bell in a marketing gimmick after goals (and get prominent people like GSP and Mayor Coderre to ring it), had produced all sorts of slick videos (that look suspiciously similar to Impact produced videos), had been on numerous talk shows. They also stole their name and the fox symbol from another Impact supporters group, La Horda 1642. Now they have their own media outlet and do stuff like travelling to see Bologna play in Italy because every independent supporters group says, "Hey lets spend thousands of dollars to go see a club in another country owned by the same oligarch who owns our club". Yet we do not see them at Impact away matches though possibly that may change this year. One of their slogans is "Always positive all the time", ie. they do not criticize the club at all. How convenient! I suspect the real purpose of this group is to start an alternative to UM and if they can grow it enough then to ban us from the stadium. 

[Keegan]

48 minutes ago, Grizzly said:

Yes 1642 is a club founded supporters group despite all their claims to the contrary. If they were really independent they would not be claiming that they are independent 5 times in every interview. It is hard to say much about them because anytime you criticize them they will deny it and you will just look bad yourself which is why I haven't said much about them here. I also would have no problem with them if they were just a group supporting the club in a different way or even were a club group and honest about it. When you look at how fast they came about it is clear that the club was behind it (even ignoring inside information that I have) especially when you have experiencing with groups and how hard it is to run things and raise money. Within 1 month of being founded they had 4 people waving flags all match, had the Drogba banner from Chelsea, had bought and shipped a huge bell in a marketing gimmick after goals (and get prominent people like GSP and Mayor Coderre to ring it), had produced all sorts of slick videos (that look suspiciously similar to Impact produced videos), had been on numerous talk shows. They also stole their name and the fox symbol from another Impact supporters group, La Horda 1642. Now they have their own media outlet and do stuff like travelling to see Bologna play in Italy because every independent supporters group says, "Hey lets spend thousands of dollars to go see a club in another country owned by the same oligarch who owns our club". Yet we do not see them at Impact away matches though possibly that may change this year. One of their slogans is "Always positive all the time", ie. they do not criticize the club at all. How convenient! I suspect the real purpose of this group is to start an alternative to UM and if they can grow it enough then to ban us from the stadium. 

 

Going off what I've read on these boards over the years that's what I'm thinking as well.  They want the support without push back.  Can't see how they suspect it will work though, clearly all the hardcore supporters are in UM02 I doubt there are hundreds of people that have been sitting on their hands waiting for a new supporters group to join.  

[-Hammer-]

12 hours ago, BuzzAndSting said:

Last year after the East Final we went across the road to a restaurant named Joey, we sat there for about an hour marvelling at the amazing finish. Then Greg Ellingson and a few of the other RedBlacks players walked in and set up at the bar. He sat there for about 45 minutes with his number 82 back pack on, watched his highlight a few times and politely said "hello" to a stream of fans who calmly bought him beer after beer. Very cool interaction unseen in many other professional sports.

Yeah, being a Ti-Cat season ticket holder, having been to two RedBlacks games and a Fury game, I'm of the honest opinion that the CFL owners just need to duplicate what the Fury have done and make people more aware of their existence. I walked in with the Bytown boys and literally it was ticket scan, on your way. No issues with the flags, or the gear or anything, no grief from security during the march, nothing.

Certainly don't do it like they do at the Dome.

[mtlfan]

The reason I am a season ticket holder is because of the Ultras. They ARE the reason I support the team by buying tickets. They have provided a wonderful atmosphere to the stadium with their authentic passion for the team.

 

[AvroArrow]

I imagine that part of the problem is that no matter how much self-policing the groups do, you can't keep the clowns out 100% of the time.  All it takes is one guy one time to throw a flair or smoke bomb on the field and the front office then has a decision to make.  Do they severely restrict their use/ban them out right, or continue with the status quo and hope they don't get smacked with a lawsuit because someone got injured and/or risk having the stadium damaged.

I get that those of you in supporters groups that post on this board are all responsible adults and would never do such a thing, but these things seem to happen once or twice a year.  I imagine the fire department may have slightly more authority when it comes to the random lighting of pyro in a crowded area then the supporters groups do.

However, that doesn't excuse the league and teams from using clips of flares and smoke in their advertising while simultaneously trying to ban it.

[Blue and White Army]

No backpacks.

[Unnamed Trialist]

19 hours ago, AvroArrow said:

However, that doesn't excuse the league and teams from using clips of flares and smoke in their advertising while simultaneously trying to ban it.

Always found that hilarious. 

But hey, I am personally against all forms of overly organized chanting and cheering. I personally hate the idea that a fan would have his back to the field to lead cheers, I totally disagree with it. Never mind the bell at Saputo, or the log at Portland, or the little platform the Fire fans use. I hate all that shit.

The only kind of supporter group I accept a club organizing is if they want to do a section for youngsters, for teens, if they have that kind of interest in the fan base and can legitimately offer them a good ticket deal.

[to70]

These controls have been in place in some stadiums in the U.S. for a while. I know when I attended a TFC game in Foxboro we went through about 3 different security checks. Even the purses were checked out completely.

[SuperCanuck]

On 23 April, 2016 at 2:30 AM, Unnamed Trialist said:

Always found that hilarious. 

But hey, I am personally against all forms of overly organized chanting and cheering. I personally hate the idea that a fan would have his back to the field to lead cheers, I totally disagree with it. Never mind the bell at Saputo, or the log at Portland, or the little platform the Fire fans use. I hate all that shit.

The only kind of supporter group I accept a club organizing is if they want to do a section for youngsters, for teens, if they have that kind of interest in the fan base and can legitimately offer them a good ticket deal.

This is why after supporting the team for years and years, I don't go to Whitecaps games anymore, and I know of two other people who've stopped for the same reason.   Since moving to BC Place, they have two or three people standing down on the pitch with their backs to the match.  Since they have no idea what's going on in the game, the chants also have nothing to do with what's going on in the game.

They rotate about four or five chants like an AM radio station, and it's all usually drowned out by people banging the living daylights out of some gigantic drums anyway, so there's not much point.  When the team first moved to BC Place, our section (between the Southsiders and the tunnel) joined in the chants too, but little by little, people got tired of the drums drowning everything out.

Another thing that ticks me off about the club is the kit and the complete lack of tradition and continuity.  Mind you, that in itself is sort of a tradition with Vancouver sports teams.

Sorry, I guess I went off on a tangent but I'm old and my mind wanders.  

[Trillium]

On 4/23/2016 at 5:30 AM, Unnamed Trialist said:

Always found that hilarious. 

But hey, I am personally against all forms of overly organized chanting and cheering. I personally hate the idea that a fan would have his back to the field to lead cheers, I totally disagree with it. Never mind the bell at Saputo, or the log at Portland, or the little platform the Fire fans use. I hate all that shit.

The only kind of supporter group I accept a club organizing is if they want to do a section for youngsters, for teens, if they have that kind of interest in the fan base and can legitimately offer them a good ticket deal.

I found Seattle the most plastic, I have experienced when seeing Montreal play this spring, miked capo with sound system....and supporters clearly robots, no grit at all, a flare in their midst and they would all be in trauma wards.

[Admin]

So will be first to bring a bag full of lube covered dildos for them to search. 

Anyone?

Anyone?

....

[Unnamed Trialist]

On 8/6/2016 at 6:47 PM, SuperCanuck said:

This is why after supporting the team for years and years, I don't go to Whitecaps games anymore, and I know of two other people who've stopped for the same reason.   Since moving to BC Place, they have two or three people standing down on the pitch with their backs to the match.  Since they have no idea what's going on in the game, the chants also have nothing to do with what's going on in the game.

They rotate about four or five chants like an AM radio station, and it's all usually drowned out by people banging the living daylights out of some gigantic drums anyway, so there's not much point.  When the team first moved to BC Place, our section (between the Southsiders and the tunnel) joined in the chants too, but little by little, people got tired of the drums drowning everything out.

Another thing that ticks me off about the club is the kit and the complete lack of tradition and continuity.  Mind you, that in itself is sort of a tradition with Vancouver sports teams.

Sorry, I guess I went off on a tangent but I'm old and my mind wanders.  

I just want to say I get along with and really respect personally certain people who are doing this. It is their choice, and I think there is so little committment to serious supporter groups, thinking of Canada, we have to take it all and not be ultra-choosy. If I can, and I will in a month when I am there, this summer I will be in some of those sections at Caps. All power to them.

It bothers me more if the whole stadium cannot see a ref is shafting the team and no one reacts, or when a stadium stays quiet instead of groaning when a player misses an easy pass on a dangerous attacking play.

So I prefer not to criticize directly, personally, or drop out entirely (except when my old body can't take standing).  I have sat and even stood in many a supporter section and chanted and repeated stuff I really did not get into, for me mediocre chants even, or all that over-obedience to English lower league clichés, just to be part, to support, and have fun. Lately because of the music I listen to I make up a lot of R&B and soul and even rap chants, chants in my head (I suppose others do this), but I am pretty sure our overly WASP (or marching band or Maypole dancing) culture in Canada would never give the time of day if I proposed them. But who cares? I have never felt compromised being one of the mob or blending in, because I don't think my individual identity and human integrity is at all compromised by joining a soccer supporter group and joining in, even though I would prefer for it to be another way, a way I identify with more.

 

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

3 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

all that over-obedience to English lower league clichés

What cliches are these?

[Unnamed Trialist]

6 minutes ago, Greatest Cockney Rip Off said:

What cliches are these?

Boy do you guys have short wicks. 

Since I said I go along with it, chant it, and have fun doing it,  you should try removing whatever you have permanently inserted up your butt and take a breather.

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

13 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Boy do you guys have short wicks. 

Since I said I go along with it, chant it, and have fun doing it,  you should try removing whatever you have permanently inserted up your butt and take a breather.

Ha talk about short wick. I was just curious as I always found supporters in mls to be very different to England. I was just looking for another view point.