Yeah I think it's simply a matter of someone taking the initiative to get in touch with the powers that be and request a meeting on their own behalf. And good on him for doing it. I hope TA gives you the conversation you deserve Belfast_Boy.
TFC management changes: "like adding a new fish to your aquarium of failure." - Shakes
Done and done! Furty and I are putting the final touches on a mega two-stick. Should be completed very soon.
Have we arranged to go down to storage at 10:30 am to pick up the "Make Us Proud Again!" banner and flags?
If not we should get at least 4-5 bodies to head down at the said time and return to Joe's for 11:30. Down a drink and off we go.
I posted this in the Montreal game thread, but as I really think its the best and most effective way ot protesting, I am reposting for opinion here:
If people want to protest management, the best way would be to go TO the stadium on Saturday, but don't actually go through the gates. Stand outside and chant and cheer outside the turnstiles. Nothing would be more damning than people having the desire to go TO the game, but not actually go into the stadium and give more to the organisation.
The people inside the stadium on game day should be there to support the badge and the players (who, whether they have the talent or not, are trying their best for the badge on gameday).
If you want to protest, stay outside. Staying at home altogether isn't going to help the cause. But going to the stadium and refusing the enter and chanting OUTSIDE, is going to be the most effective way to protest higher management of the club.
^ I don't think we've reached that level of sophistication yet.
Right now we're about banners, voices, colours - anything that involves being inside the stadium to watch the game.
Thus far we aren't able to bring ourselves to either stand up and walk out, or, as you suggest, turn up but not go in.
I don't think we're that far off it, though.
Last edited by TOBOR !; 10-16-2012 at 01:22 PM.
a ha ha heh he hoo.. ha
The idea is that we need to support the badge and the players (who are putting in the effort) while sticking it to the organisation. Standing outside the stadium and cheering is still supporting the players and the badge, while NOT going in is definitely protesting the organisation by not giving them any money. Wouldn't it sound amazing inside the stadium if there was loads of chanting and cheering that could be heard, but no fans actually in the stadium? I can't think of a bigger show of protest to the organisation, while still actually cheering for the actual team!
I think there is a gap between those who want to protest, and those who think that protesting is effectively "protesting against the badge" (which we aren't, and don't want to do). Plus, Twitter is rife with people suggesting that people refusing to go to the games, or even holding up banners means that "you aren't really supporting the team" or that you aren't a real fan. So, any protest needs to both support the team while protesting MLSE. That's difficult to do if you are inside the stadium (giving the organisation money) and mostly looks like you are protesting the players.
It may be too late to organise this kind of "mass refusal to enter the stadium" for the Montreal game. But I really think it could be an effective protest in future. I really don't like the "paper bags on heads", or "wearing green" - that just looks silly and mostly effects the players who are working in front of the stands. Those protests don't affect upper management at all. I also doubt if those MLSE execs take much notice of banners while they are eating their prawn sandwiches in their nice warm box. But a stadium that is loud, yet empty of those fans making the noise, is going to be very effective.
Last edited by T-boy; 10-16-2012 at 01:43 PM.
Um, what ? Why is it dated 2011... and did Tom really write that dirge ?
Classic TomWhy is culture so important?
“Culture is important for a couple of reasons: 1. A good culture is a lot more enjoyable than the alternative. 2 . Great culture results in better productivity. If our people are developing, they are motivated, they are more productive. Our job as leaders is to make that a priority, and set a tone that encourages passion, pride and performance.”
Last edited by TOBOR !; 10-16-2012 at 02:07 PM.
a ha ha heh he hoo.. ha
I think it's too soon.
What we're experiencing now will have to continue on for at least another year (and it might) before a more than a handful of folk would consider this.
I disagree with your point about paper bags and wearing green 'looking silly'. They are a visual display to show dissatisfaction with the state of affairs. As is what you suggest - the empty seats being the hook.
a ha ha heh he hoo.. ha
another banner idea (just chucking these out there) :
These are the hard times you'll tell your grandkids about when we're mid-table strugglers
a ha ha heh he hoo.. ha
Chant idea :
[go west]
Six years, and you fucked it up
Six years, and you fucked it up
Six years, and you fucked it up
Six years, and you fucked it up
[/go west]
If it is too soon, then just how many season's are TFC fans willing to wait to really show a proper fan protest, and show they aren't willing ti sit through seasons and seasons of crap?
You are much more patient than me, obviously.
And I still say paper bags and wearing strange colours don't have any effect at all. You can't see that from the prawn sandwich boxes. The only people who see that are the players, who will assume its a protest against them personally. The only people who know anything about the paper bags or green are the RPB's themselves. People outside of the fan group have no idea what's going on. It's not an obvious or strong enough "protest" in any way. When you all wore green a few season's ago, I didn't even notice, so it clearly didn't have any impact at all. I'm sure it was totally unnoticable from the box seats.
First off the players knew why we were wearing green, I made sure of that.
Secondly, we had a series of meetings with the front office and as a result of that seasons ticket prices (which was the focal point of that demonstration) were frozen for 2 years.
Overall, I would say it was effective, however when talking ont he scale you are refrencing, yes its even more effective. The issues are not all fans in that stadium understand all the issues and don't come to places like these to discuss them.
Taking fanbases that have tradition and history and comparing them to something like this that has 6 years, its not easy and I think that is Tobors point with it taking more time.
Road Trips: July 7 2007 Chicago, July 22nd 2007 Columbus, August 11 2007 NY, October 13 2007 LA, March 29 2008 Columbus, May 24th 2008 DC, May 26 2008 Montreal, June 28th 2008 NE, March 7-11-14 2009 Charleston, March 28 2009 Columbus, April 10 2010 New England, May 12 2010 Montreal, April 7 2012 Montreal, March 16 2013 Montreal , June 3 2014 Montreal, March 14 2015 Columbus
Twitter: @RPBPhil
But we have real tangible proof that it is effective.
The leader of the paper bag protest now has a chance to have a meeting with the leader of the club!
Sure, Anselmi is the king of saying all the right things but never delivering. But you can't see the protest went unnoticed.
You are in North America. People here know what a Paper Bag means in the stands. The common passerby would less likely know what a "proper" protest is looking right at it. Many people wouldn't know if it was for or against just walking by it. You can talk about this level of organization but Robot's right- we're not going to see it right now.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
two problems with this
1. Every person has their own way of protesting, which means when you get 1000 different ideas, then he becomes ineffective
2. I am NOT going to stand outside the stadium and sing and chant and let 400 fucking Montreal fans make more noise than TFC fans inside OUR OWN stadium...no thank you
I hope this protest sends a strong enough message!
The self-delusion displayed by Mr. Anselmi in this interview is epic, and sad. How can TFC's fans hope for any improvement if this is the leadership of our club? No recognition of what is wrong, no understanding of the soccer fan culture etc etc. MLSE's destruction of TFC's brand value should be used as a case history at Harvard Business School.
well, people in the prawny boxes can't see the pitch either, but I guess the two are not related
We have the right people seeing our in-stadium protests. And when those people know what's going on, they are the ones who let the prawnys/average Joe's etc know what is going on. Here's a good example of that: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/sp...cer/17mls.html
that was 2 years ago. we've progressed sooooo much!
and people wonder why we are protesting...... really? ffs! I wonder how they can continue to take it and say nothing. wake up people!
thanks Ravi, using that on the Facebook protest page.
Last edited by Belfast_Boy; 10-17-2012 at 09:16 AM.
Taking a look at that photo reminds me that TFC FO has killed the NEE.
And to be quite honest, U-Sector and RPB aren't that far behind.