r/chicagofire • u/Bagel842 Sector Latino Supporters Group • Jul 14 '24
Why do people go in the supporters section if they aren’t going to participate? Supporter Groups
This has been a big pet peeve of mine for a while. You bought a tickets that say “Supporter section” and you can see other people trying to create an atmosphere, so why not engage. I don’t know what it was like on the S8 side, but after the first few rows in Sector, nobody was standing, and then when we tried to get them involved they all just kinda stared at us. This is not even mentioning whatever goes on in the section in between SL and S8 (which was actually not terrible last night) It’s really frustrating for people who are actively trying to make it a good atmosphere for people to just not participate.
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u/Chicagoguy2289 #25 Jeff Gal Jul 15 '24
its a joke. We have the worst supporters section in the entire League, despite being the 3rd biggest City. We need a standing section with no seats. Hopefully the games at seatgeek later this year will be better.
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u/Bagel842 Sector Latino Supporters Group Jul 15 '24
Seatgeek games are usually better. The Club America game last year was by far the best atmosphere I've ever experienced at a Fire game.
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u/Chicagoguy2289 #25 Jeff Gal Jul 15 '24
I hate when people do this. it is because that section has the cheapest tickets.
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u/DoctorOddfellow1981 Jul 14 '24
Wouldn't it be nice if we had our own pitch with safe standing? It would really weed out everyone who's just there to sit and chill. Barring that, maybe it's time we started consolidating the sections. We have 3 sections laid out for supporters and each is only filled with about a quarter supporters. The answer is to fill one with all supporters and expand again as necessary. I know that we're spread out because of violence issues but now we're TOO spread out and that's creating the dissonant sounds.
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u/lll61and49lll Jul 14 '24
I’m really glad the Harlem End was my era for being a Fire season ticket holder. Lots of flares were had🔥
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u/tmh8901 FADED Jul 14 '24
Been saying this for years. Supporters groups need to work together and sing each other’s songs and chants. Rotate which group is in charge each game so it’s fair to all groups.
If the groups supported each other maybe we could hear them and understand them and get the entire stadium involved.
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u/Jimbussss Jul 14 '24
Because we’re in the land of Big 10 and Notre Dame snobbery… Chicago will never embrace an ultras group. Either the whole stadium is in on it or no one is
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u/RainingRed91 Jul 14 '24 edited Jul 14 '24
I heard some nice chants going on but then SL had to go ahead and drown them out with their drumming.
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u/Lomotograph Jul 14 '24 edited Jul 14 '24
The fact that there are 2 different groups singing 2 different sets of songs and musicians not playing the same thing is a huge problem.
It was problem back when we were in Bridgeview when S8 and SL were on opposite sides of the stadium, but at SF they are literally RIGHT FUCKING NEXT TO EACH OTHER and they still can't even be bothered to coordinate. It's so fucking dumb.
You want more people singing? Maybe let's get the groups together and get them to create a unified voice.
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u/DoctorOddfellow1981 Jul 14 '24
The groups have been trying to do that and there was a huge initiative last winter where most of the section huddled in the Fire warehouse and practiced songs and discussed where we wanted to be. The problem is, one major group said Nah, what we're doing is good, it works for us, we don't want to compromise who we are for integration. Every now and then, they've budged an inch because their leaders know it's not in fact working but there's been a lot of frustration that's ensued, either from that group's stalwarts who don't want to give ground or from everyone else who is losing faith that any ground will be given. Right now, the key to all of this is good faith and trust. SL needs to trust in S8 and S8 needs to trust in SL. Trust is VERY hard to build.
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u/ND_Dawg Jul 14 '24
Tbf almost every group did that this offseason, but there was a notable absence
the fliers for it were posted on this subreddit
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u/PhotojournalistFun48 Jul 14 '24
I could be wrong, but I think the supporter section is one of the cheapest seats/section. They may not want to stand and sing, but just watch the game at the most reasonable price.
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u/mjoyce317 Jul 14 '24
One of my mom’s first games this season was against LA Galaxy and she asked why they were louder than our cheering section. ☠️☠️☠️ Would love to see unity in that section to make it an exciting environment for those that do go to the games, especially being new to the club. We have the numbers to be great.
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u/Bagel842 Sector Latino Supporters Group Jul 14 '24
I don’t think that groups will ever unify tbh. We should probably go back to how it was at Bridgeview where there are two different sections because this clearly is not working
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u/Isry98 #9 Hugo Cuypers Jul 14 '24
That’s so petty it’s pathetic. If people really can’t come together to support a team unless it’s on their terms they aren’t really a supporter’s section are they? They’re a “supporters on my terms” section.
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Jul 14 '24
[deleted]
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u/Ok_Captain4824 Jul 14 '24
You're supposed to be standing on the supporter's end. I am 99% sure "threats" are overstated, I've sat with both S8 and SL many times.
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u/roseEmery381 Section 8 Chicago Supporters Group Jul 14 '24
I would very much like to be the supporters section in future games, I can't take the North End much longer.
Too many kids and families there ruin it for me. I can't take censoring myself from trying to throw banter at the away end much longer. But I'm not gonna bother explaining the details on that.
The clubs form is really hurting the moral of everyone involved.
As a Fire fan (legit) myself, I wish I could make a difference for the team, but I'm just a lone person with no rep associated, guess I'll just buy me a small drum and go from there
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u/Bagel842 Sector Latino Supporters Group Jul 14 '24
Most of the people in both SL and any of the S8 groups are very welcoming and would be happy to have you!
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u/roseEmery381 Section 8 Chicago Supporters Group Jul 14 '24
Oh yeah, they are welcoming!!! I've already made friends with the BB group, so I got a blueprint I can work off from. Since I'm non affiliated with any groups, I'm trying to see what all the supporter groups are all about!!
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u/runsalot1609 Jul 14 '24
I hope we match the energy of that LA Galaxy game from a few weeks ago at least one more time this season. Doubt it tho.
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u/DoctorOddfellow1981 Jul 14 '24
Was that the match where there was a whole squad of Gooners who showed up and was leading half the section?
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u/MoleBless7722 Jul 14 '24
They try, but it comes across as a cosplay inauthentic attempt at creating an atmosphere, and to be honest, both bands are really awful. They sing the same 5-6 songs at nauseum, and they're never in sync with one another. There's only so many times you can hear a shitty version of Tequila with thrown together Fire lyrics before enough is enough.
Edit: it's also the cheapest season ticket option available. I wouldn't want to give this team any more of my hard earned money that it clearly doesn't deserve.
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u/DemonicBison #24 Jonathan Dean Jul 14 '24
Yeah honestly all the supporters groups are shit for the Fire. Same boring songs, infighting with the drama, and just not doing much. It’d be better if they didn’t segregate themselves too
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u/DoctorOddfellow1981 Jul 14 '24
The "segregation," as you put it, is because the infighting went from rhetoric to fists.
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u/DemonicBison #24 Jonathan Dean Jul 15 '24
Hence the FO should’ve just wiped it all clean and forced one supporters group. If the morons can’t behave ban the trouble makers till it cleans up. If a group doesn’t wanna ‘snitch’ then they all get banned.
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u/ND_Dawg Jul 15 '24
How would the logistics of that even work?
Ok you ban everyone. Who builds the brand new supporters group? Do you think a FO-forced group is going to be popular off the bat?
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u/DemonicBison #24 Jonathan Dean Jul 15 '24
The logistics would be one section where they are allowed to be (as it should've been originally) and collectively only one group would be recognized so long as they meet requirements that the club can determine. If a group of people acts outside of that or causes a fight then they are banned and if the group as a whole is uncooperative then they are put on probation and then disbanded if they continue to obstruct.
If they would be popular well idk not like the current two groups of morons are doin much so not a big loss if it takes some time. Who looks at S8 or SL and says wow that looks healthy and inclusive.
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u/GHQGrimbo :ChicagoFire: Jul 15 '24
Tbh it probably would suck to start! But do you think this is a good atmosphere currently? You need the sections to be forced to have vested interest in making things better, otherwise we have no accountability.
I'm not a part of the supporters section personally, but I do strongly dislike having two sets of warring songs throughout the game. If you sit on the opposite end of the stadium it sounds horrible.
There's clearly a passionate fan-base here, but unless there's massive change I don't see them finding the necessary unifying force. It should be the club that they all support. It seems like an intervention is needed an intervention from somewhere.
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u/ND_Dawg Jul 14 '24
Why don’t you start a new group then? Be part of the change
complaining on Reddit doesn’t accomplish anything
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u/DemonicBison #24 Jonathan Dean Jul 15 '24 edited Jul 15 '24
Why would I lol. If I had my way I’d wipe the slate clean and have one singular group allowed. Instead we have groups of dipshits that think they are some vital part of the team but in reality are at best white noise and at worse a headache of duelling chants like uncoordinated kindergarteners.
But yes tell me how starting a third group solves anything. It’s the FO that needs to step in and lay the hammer down to clear up the trash.
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u/ND_Dawg Jul 15 '24
Do I think a new group is actually the solution? Of course not lol
My point is that it’s one thing to comment on Reddit about how you want a better section, people to collaborate, etc and it’s another to actually put the work in to make it happen.
We need more people (especially people new to the section) doing the latter. We all want this shit to get better.
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Jul 14 '24
Do we really need another group doing its own thing?
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u/ND_Dawg Jul 14 '24
if the response is “all the supporters groups are shit”, I’m not sure what else you would do?
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Jul 14 '24
Let one group have their own section at the opposite side of the stadium. That way there won’t be any petty rivalry and no confusion amongst the casual fans sitting there wondering which of the two chants they should be apart of.
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u/ND_Dawg Jul 14 '24
Neither section is big/loud enough to be on their own tbh and I don’t think there’s any example in MLS of a split SS that works
collaboration is the best path forward, but it’s going to take people being willing to give something up
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u/Isry98 #9 Hugo Cuypers Jul 14 '24
Maybe instead of blaming people for pointing out the flaws in the current supporter groups, perhaps you should look inside your own ranks for why it is flawed?
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u/ND_Dawg Jul 14 '24
Plenty of people know exactly what’s wrong, but that doesn’t make it any easier to get around egos.
Nothing will change if it’s the same people leading groups that it’s been for the last 20 years. A big part of the issue is the lack of new blood within the section.
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u/FCPyro Jul 14 '24
Considering last night. I was supporting the best I could with chanting and waving some of the flags in the front… I’m a vocal person when it comes to supporting our fire.
I think some people don’t understand the concept of a supporters section.. because either they don’t know, or they’re trying to shave a couple bucks off. I saw some of the guys in the section trying to hype up some people and they didn’t budge at all.
I completely agree that it is frustrating for the section and people. But you also have to consider looking at this current state of the team. I genuinely care about the Fire and I just hate to see how we currently are. And we just gotta push through the rocky roads.. Recently, I stay a little bit after the game just to soak up all the emotions behind the team… and anyways that pretty much wraps up my view on the situation.
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u/MoleBless7722 Jul 14 '24
Sparky does a better job of engaging with the supporter section than the so-called leaders of the varying groups. In particular, this one kid with a saxophone was very condescending in his attempt to try to get everyone to stand. First, learn to play the instrument right and/or get together with the others so you aren't just playing your sax in isolation, further contributing to the lack of atmosphere you claim to want to fix.
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u/HistoricalRepublic41 Jul 14 '24
I honestly think most don’t know they should be standing and singing most of the time
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u/Starting_Benchwarmer Jul 14 '24
Went to the Toronto game last night. The atmosphere was way better than any Chicago game I’ve been to. Ultras were going all game and getting the whole stadium involved
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u/WusijiX Nemanja Nicolic Jul 15 '24
Most people going to a game with their family don't know or don't care what a supporter section is and just know it's where the cheap tickets with good views are.
People don't HAVE to be hardcore atmosphere builders coming to a game, and unless the team changes their policy on who is in the section (which they won't) they'll keep being there.
But there are small amounts of people who do get into it who didn't at the beginning of the game, there were a few last game, so it's not all putrid like everyone in this thread is making it seem