A couple of months ago, we went over to Columbus in Ohio to see our MLS team, the Vancouver Whitecaps, play.
(MLS is the highest level of US football, soccer as they say, probably equivalent in skill to the English Championship or Bundesliga 2)
I am pretty certain we were the only 3 Vancouver fans in the entire stadium. When the Caps scored (their only goal of the night) and we started cheering, the entire row was staring at us, since I think they were surprised.
That being said, everyone was super nice. I did meet two different people who thought we were Canadians and were super excited we were visiting their city. I didn't want to ruin that for them, so I didn't begin to explain that I am Danish and my wife and kid are Americans
Match attendance was 23000. Almost everyone was decked out in yellow and black. We were joking my kid could have brought his Dortmund jacket and tried to fit in. We were holding up the sole blue Vancouver scarf up in one corner.
I only took one photo since we were busy enjoying the game. That is the Nordecke North side where the Columbus supporters sit.
(And yes, the pitch looks like shit, a lot of US stadiums have turf instead of grass)
Also fireworks afterwards. The stands had emptied out by then since it was about half an hour after the game was over. The batteries were set up on the roof of the stadium and we were sitting right underneath so it was loud as shit
All in all, a fantastic experience and while it doesn't get as crazy as the hardcore ultras elsewhere, the crowd was super into it.
Columbus is also a really fun city to visit as a tourist.
Here is Lancelot the cat with the (now battle worn) Whitecaps scarf.
(MLS is the highest level of US football, soccer as they say, probably equivalent in skill to the English Championship or Bundesliga 2)
I am pretty certain we were the only 3 Vancouver fans in the entire stadium. When the Caps scored (their only goal of the night) and we started cheering, the entire row was staring at us, since I think they were surprised.
That being said, everyone was super nice. I did meet two different people who thought we were Canadians and were super excited we were visiting their city. I didn't want to ruin that for them, so I didn't begin to explain that I am Danish and my wife and kid are Americans
Match attendance was 23000. Almost everyone was decked out in yellow and black. We were joking my kid could have brought his Dortmund jacket and tried to fit in. We were holding up the sole blue Vancouver scarf up in one corner.
I only took one photo since we were busy enjoying the game. That is the Nordecke North side where the Columbus supporters sit.
(And yes, the pitch looks like shit, a lot of US stadiums have turf instead of grass)
Also fireworks afterwards. The stands had emptied out by then since it was about half an hour after the game was over. The batteries were set up on the roof of the stadium and we were sitting right underneath so it was loud as shit
All in all, a fantastic experience and while it doesn't get as crazy as the hardcore ultras elsewhere, the crowd was super into it.
Columbus is also a really fun city to visit as a tourist.
Here is Lancelot the cat with the (now battle worn) Whitecaps scarf.