I attended my first match abroad in March, and it was completely different to the matchday experience I was used to in England. I visited my girlfriend Kristin who lives in the US and went to see her local MLS team, the Colorado Rapids. They were hosting Minnesota United at their home, The Dick’s Sporting Goods Stadium.
There was a British connection because Adrian Heath was the head coach at Minnesota. The former midfielder played for seven different English clubs during his career, most notably with Everton, where he won two league titles and one FA Cup. In fact, Heath’s goal in the 1984 semi-final against Southampton sent Everton to the FA Cup final for the first time in 18 years.
United is the third American team Heath has managed, after previously taking charge of the Austin Aztecs and Orlando City.
Adrian Heath as a player
at Everton
There is a preconceived notion among many fans in the UK that Americans know nothing about their national sport. etc. “They call it soccer” and “They have their own sports that they are more interested in.” Both are valid.
American football, baseball, ice hockey, and basketball determine the national interest. College football games often attract crowds of over 80,000. super bowl and world series It attracts a huge television audience.
My visit to the US coincided with: March Madness, a college basketball tournament that seems to have everyone (basketball fan or not) participating, filling out prediction brackets to guess who will win the competition. Kristin and I visited a sports bar hoping they were showing the Arsenal vs. Sporting Lisbon game. The place was huge and probably had about 20 television screens. All but one were showing different college basketball games, and only one in the corner was showing an Arsenal game!
There are several videos online of American football fans chanting various chants at matches that British fans find timid. The chants are very supportive of the team and do not show anger or hatred towards the opposing team or match officials. Here in England we tend to chant something closer to the latter, especially when the team starts to have problems.
When I went to The Dick’s Sporting Goods Stadium, the stadium was more than half full. Behind one of the goal posts, a small group of Rapids fans were chanting. There was a small band at the front playing instruments to help create the atmosphere and one fan leading the song.
If you tried to get the whole stadium to sing, it wouldn’t work. The most boisterous moment of the evening was when everyone sang The Star Spangled Banner, as is traditional before every sporting event. The national anthem is only sung here before major cup finals or international matches, so it was strange to hear it before a mill league match!
Here in the UK we’re used to shouting slogans and swear words in a colorful language (to put it mildly!), so not hearing this throughout the game was surreal. In fact, the only controversial chant during the 90 minutes was an anti-Mexican slur shouted at the Vikings goalie by Rapids fanatics behind the goal. Not long after the relief began, an advertisement was put out through Tannoy to stop the relief. This is against the morals of the club.
This would never happen in the UK. If that were the case, those involved would be laughed at and probably chanted even louder in protest.
Overall, my experience in the United States was rather uneventful. This may be because the back of the goal is open at both ends so the sound just flows through. The stadium here is fully covered and contains sound, making the atmosphere even louder.
The whole matchday experience was very family friendly. There was a separate area for Rapids season tickets with picnic tables to sit and watch the game. These ran along the length of the concourse and were located in front of the entrance to the seating area. On the table were children’s snacks commonly found in British cinemas and theaters.
Refreshments were very expensive. I bought two cans of beer, a hot dog and a nacho and it came out to almost £40. Here in the UK a pie and a pint will most likely cost you just over £10. You can even sit down and have a drink, which is unheard of here in the upper divisions.
In terms of quality of football, I’d say most National League teams could have given the Rapids or United their money. When I said something negative about the players while everyone around me was shouting words of encouragement, my girlfriend thought it was funny.
This negativity is all part of the game here in England. Many fans feel that paying money gives them the right to express negative views. I heard nothing but words of support from fans, and I was really surprised.
The last thing that has been part and parcel of my matchday experience since my first game in 1993 is the matchday program. My father bought me a program outside Highbury at my first game 30 years ago, and when he handed it to me he said I had to buy one every time I went. I promised him I would, and now that he has played 543 games, I have kept that promise.
Team sheets on A5 cards were handed out to fans at the turnstiles at The Dick’s Sporting Goods Stadium. It cost absolutely nothing, which was a welcome change from the expensive programs seen at most matches in England. Both teams are listed on one side and the back is blank with a yellow background. I couldn’t understand why this space wasn’t being used, but soon after kick-off I found out.
When a player fell to the ground, many fans waved the yellow side of the team sheet, realizing that this was to indicate if they thought it was a foul. This is something we’ve never seen in the UK and we certainly don’t think it will catch on.
Typically you will hear a few people yelling at the referee, questioning his vision and decision-making, with a few profanities and insults thrown in for good measure.
The experience of a soccer (or American soccer) game in either country is completely different. The atmosphere here is much more boisterous and can get angry at any time. While hatred towards opposing fans, match officials and other teams here is openly expressed, in the US the atmosphere is much more sanitized. So, if you have a young family and don’t want them to hear swear words, take them to a game in the US (but avoid the refreshments!). If you want to experience real passion, take them to a game in England!
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