Shamelessly piggy-backing on my MFUSA co-host's morning post, I'm taking note of the supporters groups ever more than usual recently. While historically (relatively speaking) relevant groups like DC United's La Barra Brava and Screaming Eagles were front and center with last week's stadium march, the Sons of Ben have captured headlines this week in light of the new Philadelphia club's colors, badge and name announcement.
Throw in the moving of Seattle's club-sanctioned band away from the supporters section at the request of the group, and suddenly Major League Soccer is awash with high-profile coalitions of fans who won't hesitate to make themselves heard.
Which is exactly how it should be.
Now, there is a danger of supporters groups wielding a little too much influence; in the extreme, issues like clubs in Argentina are facing occur. But the other extreme is just as bad; without at least one supporters group, clubs are left with free-reign to dictate stadium atmosphere, often to the detriment of the match day experience.
The Sons of Ben have proven what a strong, well-organized group of fans can do. Philadelphia Union might now exist without their efforts, and the club rightfully acknowledged that fact by including a dedicated SoB section and entrance in the design for the club's stadium. SoB also received a nod in the colors of the club, and it seems clear that Union management will be in constant communication with the supporters group's leadership. As long as management resists the urge to manipulate the group and does not attempt to use them to the club's advantage rather than maintaining a reciprocal relationship, Philly will be a model for the rest of the league.
Not to discount other clubs that are doing it right. Seattle appears to get it, as does Toronto (for the most part; I get the feeling the relationship is sometimes testy). Unfortunately, plenty of clubs get it horribly wrong.
Even the league office is coming around, having recently expanded their staff to increase focus on "core fans".
Unfortunately, there are plenty of examples on the other end of the spectrum. The Chicago Fire have a notoriously bad relationship with Section 8. Columbus, despite benefiting from an atmosphere that was organically fan-created, chose to trademark the name "Nordecke" out from under those fans, a move that smacks of corporate greed (yet is status quo for Hunt Sports Group). Dallas' issues with its supporters in light of the team's recent struggles are mounting, and the team has even taken to censoring its message board.
For some clubs, supporters group relations seems to come naturally. I would argue that it's mostly an issue of common sense, however, which makes the poor relationships all the more frustrating. Why would management forsake those groups of fans most passionate about the club?
I suspect we'll see strong connections in both Portland and Vancouver in the coming years, as both of those clubs have rich histories of support, something which their owners will be keen to continue.
I've long argued that MLS needs to shift it's marketing focus to the young and urban rather than the suburban family; it appears that shift it taking place, even if a few MLS markets lag behind. Strong and mutually-beneficial relationships with supporters groups, who tend to be in the former group rather than the latter, is crucial to that shift. It's passion and commitment that clubs should be fostering, and it's heartening to see that effort actually happening.
Feel free share your experiences or knowledge on SG-club relations, good or bad. Which clubs do it right, and which clubs are stubbornly lording over their SGs, rather than working with them?
