This was my 2nd game at BMO this season and I must say that the atmosphere was electric...The clap was awesome and even though I was in the last row in the new East grandstand the fans around me were really into the game. BMO really feels like a proper Soccer Stadium. Kudos to the Supporter groups for bringing it!
FORZA TFC!
thanks all for contributing and getting involved in the stands. Should be cooler temp tonight, so we're gonna rock!
We are working hard and enjoying some successes for sure. Set time thing is not a public timing but an estimate agreed upon between the capos so we know when abouts to make sure we're looking over and syncing up. If stuff's going down on the pitch of course we hold off/delay etc. All about coordination.
Could watch that all day^^
I like Bono chipping in with his little bit during the warm his warm up
I think one of the reasons why the slow clap went so well on the weekend is that the drummer in 114 preceded each clap with a double hit on the drum. AFAIK this was the first time he did this (cant remember it happening before). This makes things so much easier to coordinate as instead of people looking for next the clap (inevitably leading to a delay further down the stands) the sonic que kept everybody dead on.
Yup. The snare hits made it work so smoothly. All in all, that snare made a massive difference. First time I have ever heard one there and it made it so much easier to hear and follow than the bass drums and low toms allow. Now if all the drummers could sync up from end to end, now that would be something.
Hmm...that looked like the return of Tribal Rhythm Nation (well at least 3 of them) and a couple of freelancing Snares near the top of 115.
I gotta say, the Inebriatti are killing it this year. I've always stood in 113, but the atmo never lived up to what I wanted (unless we were doing the bounce). This season decided to check out my neighbours to the west, and man it's fucking awesome. It's a straight party happening in the stands!!! I wish southend would become GA so we could move the supporters groups closer to eachother :s
So I sat on this for a day and a half debating if I should post this or ask the question.
In here we are trying to create some unity between the groups and it is working, it will be a slow process but we are seeing the fruits of our labour pretty clearly.
Now the grand goal is a unified sound in the south but smaller goals remain and one of mine would be for all or most of 116 to be active on game day but from the last couple games it that maybe 20% total and maybe 5% outside of the SG are active. Why is this? are people purposely ignoring the capo and whats going on or is it that people are just set on that being how they enjoy the game?
I don't want this to be combative as i'm looking to hopefully find a solution that can unite the section itself.
I think there are some people in 116 that were there before the SGs moved in and, they resent the change. Or at least feel that they had there thing going and now they don't.
Some people will not chant what the capo is trying to get going and will instead start their own, different chants. I see it every game.
Keep doing what you're doing! People will eventually come around. Hopefully.
I think a lot of people in the south do not participate because its not what they are there for.
A lot of the hardcore support left after the first couple of years of mismanagement. They were replaced by people enjoying what they created, but not actually participating in it. Difficult to bring in passion and a younger generation of support when there's no tickets available for them to get into it on a regular basis.
Also, some of us who have been there for 10 years don't have the energy to sing and bounce for 90 anymore. I know I don't
Bingo!
For Pint, Mike, Paul...I'm sure it's frustrating looking up, and, seeing it most games. I hardly look behind me during the match, from row 3, but, I hear the comments and other chants start up. Can be frustrating, BUT, I definitely hear less of it when the club is playing well, and, winning. It's going to be a long process, but, hopefully, improvements each year.
I have know a few people in 116 that said verbatim what tictoc said.
My advice would be to pick up their chants once and a while if you can. Wait for them to start something and do it.
In the spirit of moving forward we all have to be organized, we all have to comprimise and nothing can even appear to come from a top down mentalitiy.
Generally we try to but i've only heard a couple things start from a small group in about row 8-10. If things are starting higher up they may simply not be making it to the front.
I felt we did compromise pretty well last season with the flags etc not really sure what else we could do.
If it is simply "we don't like you because you moved in here, therefore we are not going to do anything you do" then kings/O109 will have to use that information when we discuss the future of the section with the front office. I would prefer to find a way to help move forward but without the necessary feedback that would be impossible.
I have had permanent seats (a few seasons) and random within the south over the years and was just starting to feel comfortable in a set place when I no longer had access to that seat. The randomness of my arrangements contributed to my lack of singing/chanting. After all of my experiences I would rather see a south filled with supporters groups (my cue to shit or get off the pot) as the atmosphere is much more pleasant, enjoyable and neighbourly. My interactions with supporters in groups ranges from welcoming smiles to hearty embraces. On the flip side, my interactions with random folk has involved verbal harassment to physical being assault at times. There seems to also be a large amount of aggression between drunk randoms and capo's/flag bearers too. Experiences in sections 115/116/117 have had a mix of good, bad and ugly, although majority were positive and fun. The ugly would be the rain days pre-roof!!!!
Great syncing once again on Tuesday! It's a slow process, but we are making good progress.
My two cents:
1) The slow clap should be slowed down quite a bit. It just sounds better when it's done over a 1-2 min period, rather than 20 seconds.
2) I really like the idea of one group leading in the 1st half and another leading in the 2nd (Would be good if this can be followed, rather than each group doing their own thing at times)
3) We could do with a few more easier chants that the rest of stadium can follow along to as well, or at the very least can sync the SGs.
4) Sebastian's on Fire (Will Grigg's on fire) needs to be a thing
5) 113 needs to be more involved
Looking forward to many more epic games!!!
I am not really sure what the FO can do regarding the future of the section with people having already bought tickets there, some people have bought them because they are cheap and for some watching the game intently may be what they want to do. Its tough, but it is part of the growth of the soundend.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
Not going to get into specifics but their are a range of ideas that have been floated about and how those ideas are shaped and pushed for will be based on need. If we can see a good path to acheiving what is wanted in the south without pushing these ideas then perfect, less work for leadership of groups. If not then who knows.
Seba's on fire, your defense is terrified
Seba's on fire, your defense is terrified
Seba's on fire, your defense is terrified
Seba's on fire OOF
Nanananananananana nanananananana
I usually sit in section 226, but have been in the south end for a few games (and try to participate, depending on my location). I will probably be there more often this season. I dropped my own pair of light greys in 226, and instead am sharing with someone else. Whenever he uses the pair of tickets in Section 226, I look for a single ticket in the south end or elsewhere.
Regarding Pints comments, that not many in the south end are actively involved with the chants etc. I know this is a pet peeve of mine, but I'm afraid the new pricing of the light grey seats makes things even worse in the south end. Light greys used to be very similar in price to the south end yellows. It was a decent price for families, or others looking for cheap tickets, but not wanting to be in a supporters sections.
This year, the light greys (Year 1 pricing) got a 40-50% price increase, and the new season ticket pricing is even higher. I'm sure they have further above-average price increases planned for light grey, as they move to align things with the very high east side pricing.
On the one hand, supporters groups are trying to coordinate better between the sections, and TFC has even given them some control over season tickets in certain sections. But the widening price gap to the light greys (and other more expensive sections), will push more people to look at the south end for the lower prices, instead of being part of an active supporters culture. That means, people holding onto their seats in the south longer than they might have; reselling season seats or single games to friends or strangers instead of dropping them; scalpers getting involved; other people just looking for "cheap" tickets for single games in the south but having no interest in supporting; etc.
(Meanwhile many TFC games aren't close to being sold out, and they offer all kinds of special deals via various channels. Which tells me the new season & single ticket pricing is probably not very realistic.)
Slow clap sounded SOOOOOO good on Tuesday. Everyone was in sync, and the double drum was amazing in between to keep it all together. One thing that I think could help it grow, speaking from what I see each week in sec. 121, is to maybe go through the whole clap twice, one after the other? Right from the slow, to the solid clapping at the end.
I find that most people I observe in my section don't really even know its happening until its quite quick between claps, then its over. People aren't really having a chance to get involved, but if it started over a second time, there would be many more people ready for it. I see people start half way through, or later all the time. Hope you guys give it a thought, and can do it, the south is sounding really good over all though.
^^^ I like that idea a lot.