There has been so much chatter from the press and from social media about this whole "Alejandro Pozuelo to Toronto FC" situation. I have no choice but to address this in a blog post. The circumstances for this transfer are both intriguing and unbelievable, and so I need to dive in and give my thoughts on this whole situation. Pozuelo's potential transfer to Toronto FC seems to be an even bigger talking point this year than even Sebastian Giovinco's departure.
As a Canadian soccer supporter and a follower of the North American region of football (better known by the acronym CONCACAF), I have watched my share of matches coming from interesting Central American and Caribbean locales. In these locations, there is an infusion of the local culture with the actual match, creating a unique atmosphere not seen anywhere else in the world.
It is official. The Sebastian Giovinco era of Toronto FC is over.
The club has confirmed the transfer of Giovinco to Saudi Arabian side, Al-Hilal FC. The news came as a complete shock to me yesterday evening, and I am still trying to process the news. I will write a separate appreciation post for Giovinco, but for this post, I want to talk about the actual transfer and the wider implications on Toronto FC and the supporters.
I will admit that the title of this latest blog post is a slight stretch to compare former Montreal Impact defender Laurent Ciman's transfer from Dijon FCO to Toronto FC, to the forced, manufactured nature of rivalries between MLS clubs. However, I need to explain myself.
I recently purchased my copy of "Come On You Reds: The Story of Toronto FC," written by Joshua Kloke, and as someone who has been around the club since its inception, I felt it was my obligation to provide a book review, and give my thoughts.
The day before the match, I was feeling a little bit depressed. I was still trying to determine whether to go to this match or not. Deep down, in the pit of my stomach, I did not want to go to the match, for the reasons described in my previous post. Another reason why I do not want to go to the match is that I do not want my personal life and my professional life to mix. When I used to go to Toronto FC matches, one of the main reasons why I went was because it provided me an escape from the pressures of school, work, and life in general. I needed that outlet to let off steam and to express myself, as well as to be myself. I used to get involved in some nefarious things on match-days, things that my workplace would not exactly approve. Now that my co-workers are going to the match, if I do end up going to the match, I would have to behave myself. It is almost as if I would have to be a chaperone.
I only went to one Toronto FC match in 2018 so far, and that was the CONCACAF Champions League Final first leg against Chivas Guadalajara back in April. Although TFC had a poor start to the regular season, their run in the Champions League was impressive, beating two strong Mexican sides (Tigres and Club America) on the road to the final. I remember that match at BMO Field very well. It was snowing for large parts of the match, which was unique and rather beautiful to see. The stands were packed and the atmosphere was loud, despite Toronto FC losing the first leg. It was a great night to lose yourself in the match and the sensory stimulation around you, and it made me temporarily forget about the negative feelings I had toward the club.
This was something I thought about and tried to formulate while I was trying to sleep one night.
From someone who has been to many Toronto FC matches, and watched a wide variety of games with different types of atmospheres, I developed a theory for a great football match-day atmosphere. I believe that in order to produce an intimidating football atmosphere, the atmosphere should attack the five senses that a human being experiences (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste). The five senses is something you would normally learn in early elementary school, but there is an application of such a primary concept to a broad range of subjects. I will attempt to apply the use of the five senses when it comes to going to a football match. Two of the senses are obvious to explain, while the other senses require more explanation.
Thursday presented some significant Toronto FC news. TFC has decided to permanently terminate the Inebriatti's status as a recognized supporters group after the events in Ottawa where flares and an explosive device were used in their away section against the Ottawa Fury. This means that Inebriatti members cannot organize in the south end of BMO Field. They must also take a course on MLS Fan Conduct at their own expense if they want to gain re-entry back into the south end of BMO Field.
I remember a time, as late as three years ago, where winning a championship, let alone making an MLS Cup Final, was an unattainable goal for Toronto FC.
To understand where Toronto FC is now, you need to understand where TFC was before. Profit-driven executives who had no idea what soccer was, or how to operate a soccer club ran TFC. Toronto FC fans were being charged premium prices for a ghastly standard of football. Add to that, the coaching and managerial merry-go-round, as well as the infighting between TFC supporters led to a general feeling of apathy. The relationship between the organization and the supporters laid in ruin.
Toronto FC were the laughingstock of Major League Soccer, and of North American sport. This is not a hyperbole.
The club needed a reset button. Out went Tom Anselmi, Richard Peddie, Earl Cochrane, and Paul Beirne. In came Tim Leiweke, Tim Bezbatchenko, and Bill Manning as they tried to make Toronto FC a proud club and an organization with class. They also needed to repair the relationship between the club and the supporters. The big difference between this group of executives and the last group was that this group actually had some soccer knowledge in addition to their business acumen. They understood that in order to keep the supporters coming back, they had to build a squad capable of not only competing for a championship, but sustaining it as well. There was some was rocky times in this new relationship (the signing of Jermain Defoe, the Argos to BMO Field, continued ticket price increases), but I can safely say that the club is in a much better shape now than it was three years ago. It almost feels like a new club.
The signings of Sebastian Giovinco, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore (along with many others) helped to rejuvenate the club, and bring in a new set of TFC fans. TFC head coach Greg Vanney, who in the past has faced some deserved criticism, deserves some credit for TFC's recent success. The newly formed raucous atmosphere you hear at BMO Field from supporters groups such as the Inebriatti have once again made this place a fortress for away teams. It is all these factors and many more that have brought this team to their first MLS Cup Final in their history.
As I was walking around Liberty Village a few hours before kickoff, there was both an aura of jubilation and nervousness. Fans were obviously happy that TFC were even in the MLS Cup Final, and playing at home, no less. However, I did notice a lot of caution and anxiety in the faces of supporters. You could almost tell that supporters were thinking about what would happen if TFC were to lose the match. Many other fans just continued to drink their beers and simply enjoy the moment.
Toronto FC were coming up against the Seattle Sounders, a club who were among the worst teams of Major League Soccer for the first two-thirds of the season, until a coaching change and the arrivals of Lodeiro and Fernandez turned the club's fortunes for the better and the club rode the wave of success all the way to the final. About 1500 away fans made the trip to BMO Field, and some brave Seattle fans were not afraid to sing their chants right in front of the TFC supporters.
After walking past the double-decker bus that was the failed "Bloody Big Deal" TFC marketing campaign, I joined the massive crowd of supporters on the march to the stadium. A lot of the nervousness went away for a bit when the chants started going. Flares and smoke bombs were being set off, and everyone was jumping around trying to pump himself or herself up to be a part of history. When I emerged from the tunnel and the stadium was in sight right in front of me, the anxiety came back in droves. Nevertheless, a realization dawned on me. Whatever the result of the match was going to be, I knew that this was going to be a night I will never forget and that I was going to be a part of something special.
The match itself was not very special, however. Both Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders played a patient, almost cagey style of football (as how it usually is in a cup final). Seattle tried to play for extra time and penalties from the first whistle while TFC was a bit more adventurous with the ball. Michael Bradley was TFC's best player, as his passing was top-notch and his defensive work was admirable. In fact, the only bad thing about Bradley this game was his diabolically awful penalty in the shootout. Jozy Altidore had a few chances to score, including a header in the second half of extra time, which produced a fine save from Stefan Frei. Giovinco did not have a good match and was largely invisible. He had to come off during extra-time, which had me thinking if he was playing while carrying a known injury. With TFC's chances on goal, to see them not finish one was surprising, but if you could not finish your chances, you only have yourself to blame.
BMO Field was packed to the rafters. Seriously, I have never seen so much people packed into a stadium like this, but the atmosphere did not match the MLS Eastern Conference Final second leg. It may have been the occasion or the game itself, but the crowd felt hushed for most of the match, with only the singing of a few chants across the entire south end. The anxiety increased drastically when it was time for penalties and when Justin Morrow cracked the crossbar in the first sudden death penalty, it felt like a kick to the gut. There was this audible exhale from TFC supporters in the stadium, and when Roman Torres scored the winning penalty for Seattle to give them the MLS championship, it confirmed the dread. There was an immediate "TFC" chant right after the penalty to save face, but it did not make the feeling any better.
The Seattle Sounders win their first MLS Cup in their history, but it felt like TFC lost the trophy rather than Seattle winning it. A part of me is happy for the Seattle organization and their large base of support, as they seem like a well-run club with a squad of players who are good but not quite great (TFC between 2007-2014 was the opposite). As for TFC, it feels like "peak Toronto sports" referencing the recent playoff runs of the Blue Jays and the Raptors.
I have said before in a previous tweet that in order for Toronto FC to release itself from its "laughingstock" status, it needed to win this MLS Cup Final, but now I do not really think that anymore. I think they have already shed it. TFC now have a core set of players with a stable coaching staff and management rarely seen in this club. I can see them making another run like this next year and the year after, and that is the important thing, to not only get to this stage, but also to constantly keep getting to this stage. That is what builds dynasties in sport.
I consider myself lucky to witness something like this in person. I have never been to a proper cup final before, and this was an experience I will treasure for a long time. Something like this would not have been possible without all the supporters that pressured the organization for a change, whether in person or on social media. The supporters are what makes this club possible and what makes this club a success.
Toronto FC reached the unattainable goal. Now, actually winning the MLS Cup seems attainable.
Note: I am breaking my hiatus from this blog to talk about the
Toronto FC vs Montreal Impact match that happened yesterday. I need to address
some important things.
Even though I was
taking a break from supporting Toronto FC this year, I felt like I should be at
the match against the Montreal Impact, simply because it was a high-profile
match. Therefore, that was my plan last Saturday night. I experienced the match
inside the stadium and I am ready to give my thoughts on the overall
experience.
First, the
pre-match tifo was fantastic. Big credit to all the supporters groups for
creating the most visually appealing tifo I have ever seen at BMO Field. It was
also ironically funny that TFC supporters embraced the "circus" label
that Montreal fans always give them.
Now, the match. It
may have been TFC's fun house, but it was the Impact that escaped the fun house
with a 1-0 victory, giving them their first ever victory against TFC at BMO
Field. The Impact were disciplined and hard to break down, even when they were
down a man before halftime. They only really attacked when they were on the
counter, and it proved to be successful when Piatti scored. TFC's offensive
play was predictable. All they did was switch the ball to the wing and then
crossed the ball into the 18-yard box, which the Impact back-line dealt with
ease. TFC also did not test the Impact keeper with many shots. They passed
when they should have shot the ball and tested the keeper. I cannot think of
any TFC player that played a good game, while the Impact put in a great team
performance. This match also highlights that Greg Vanney and TFC struggle to
break down teams that play a defensive style of football, no matter what advantage they have. There
will be fans and journalists that will say that there is nothing to worry about
and that TFC are still first in the Eastern Conference. However, this is an issue
that Greg Vanney and the TFC coaching staff will need to fix if they want any
shot at winning any playoff matches this season.
I have noticed a
lot of Twitter chatter surrounding a certain two-stick banner in the south end
of BMO Field. Here it is:
If the image did
not look clear to you, it is a woman wearing blue, representing Montreal,
"going down" on a man wearing red, representing a TFC supporter,
while the banner reads "Montreal Vous Sucez". There are some people,
particularly women, who were offended of the portrayal of a woman in that way.
That is perfectly valid and it is something I agree with. I understand the
hatred that TFC fans have for Montreal and vice-versa, but the person or people
who made that banner could have easily expressed that hatred in a better way
than a woman going down on a man. In a way, that banner was tasteless,
unnecessary, and (dare I say) threatening to women who regularly go to TFC matches. However,
if two sets of fans hate each other, and want to express that hate to each
other, you simply can't expect them to be politically correct at the same time.In Chris Rock's
comedy special "Kill the Messenger",If Chris Rock's car was hit by another
car driven by a one-legged man, he'll talk about the leg (better hope he has
some two-legged insurance).
Toronto vs.
Montreal is a high-profile rivalry, and I expected people to be rowdier than
usual, but I noticed a large amount of people who were ridiculously drunk and
wanting to start fights with others who simply wanted to watch the match. Where
I was in the north patio, there was an altercation behind us between a young, drunk
man, and an older man. The larger man, evidently annoyed at his conduct, punched
him. Other fans separated the two men. BMO Field security showed up quite late
in the first half and took away the two men, and Toronto police arrested the
one who threw the punch. From what I have heard, there were a number of
incidents similar to what I have experienced in and around BMO Field, with
lackluster responses from BMO Field security. Add in the fact that security
shepherded thousands of fans through one gate in the north end (creating a
safety hazard), and it was evident that security really dropped the ball in
creating a safe atmosphere for the fans.
For the TFC
matches I went to these past two years, there has been a large increase in
casual spectators, and with that, a large amount of "bros" who go to
TFC matches who simply want to drink alcohol, start trouble with others, and
have no interest in the team itself. I have been noticing more trouble at the
TFC matches I have been to, and this is not something TFC should be okay with (obviously,
this is only my opinion, and it will differ from others). Sadly, I do not think
TFC and MLSE will do anything about it because they buy the stadium beer and
contribute to TFC’s profits. TFC are developing a reputation similar to going
to Jays games when they used to have the $2 Tuesday tickets in the 500-level,
where you would see a lot of fighting there as well. In a perfect world, actual
supporters are the ones who fill the stands, but TFC and MLSE need to fill
seats by marketing heavily to casual/fair-weather fans and people who simply
want to drink alcohol, because that is where the money is. They are the ones
who will buy the merchandise, buy concessions, and buy alcohol.
I found it ironic
that TFC supporters groups created a tifo labeling BMO Field as a circus,
because that is exactly what BMO Field is now! It has become more of a
sponsorship showcase than a stadium where a match takes place. The main
attractions of this circus are Giovinco, Bradley, and Altidore, and now you
have an influx of people who go to matches to experience the TFC atmosphere,
but refuse to contribute to it. I have been having a growing disconnect with
Toronto FC, and this is only one of the reasons why this is happening with me.
Overall, I had an
okay time, but by going to the match, I realized why I keep telling myself I should
not be going to the match anymore. However, I still do it, so what does that
say about me?
I went out to BMO Field to watch a couple of Gold Cup Group B
matches, which were Jamaica vs El Salvador and Canada vs Costa Rica. As someone
who regularly goes to Toronto FC (and some Canada) matches, this would serve to
be a rather unique experience for me, especially watching the Jamaica/El
Salvador match, where I was a neutral.
It was a poor start to my evening, as I
missed my train to the stadium and showed up in the 20th minute of the
Jamaica/El Salvador match. The first thing I noticed was the amount of El
Salvador supporters in the stadium. They vastly outnumbered the Jamaica
supporters and they made a lot more noise. The stadium attendance itself was a
bit sparse, but the El Salvador supporters made sure that they made their
voices heard. I got the feeling that making noise came naturally to the El Salvador
supporters, and they made more noise than Toronto FC supporters did on some TFC
match days.
The match itself was decently entertaining
despite the fact that it was low scoring. Both teams had their chances, but El
Salvador were the more aggressive side, as they needed to get a result to have
a chance of advancing to the next round, and they were also spurred on by the
boisterous support. The overwhelming El Salvador support also affected the
referee, as he made a number of calls in their team’s favour. It was a heated
affair, as both sides looked like they would come to blows on multiple
occasions throughout the match. Despite Jamaica being down a man due to the referee
sending off Darren Mattocks and El Salvador applying pressure on Jamaica's back
line, they managed to get a late winner and win the match 1-0. With El Salvador
having all that pressure, they seemed more intent on passing the ball among
themselves instead of getting shots on goal and testing the keeper.
With Jamaica winning the group, the
attention turned to Canada and Costa Rica. Canada had to win in order to
advance. As the south end Canada supporters sections started to fill up and
supporters started to make more noise, the rain came crashing down, which only
made the Canadian supporters louder and more fervent. When the rain came down
before the teams came out, it felt like I was in a pool of hungry piranhas.
Canada actually did not play too badly
against Costa Rica. They were solid at the back, but they lacked the final
product on offense, which were two major story lines of Canada's Gold Cup
campaign. Costa Rica did not play like the team that made the 2014 World Cup quarterfinals,
and it was an opportunity Canada wasted when the match ended scoreless. A
Canada goal ruled offside and a shot cleared off the Costa Rica goal line only
contributed to the visible anguish of the Canadian supporters. Many people point
the blame of Canada failing to advance at Benito Floro, and I think that is
fair. He felt more content to play for the draw instead of going for the win,
especially for this match, and it reflected his game management and
substitutions (putting in Andre Hainault, a defender, for example). On the
other hand, Canada was missing a number of regular starters, and I think
Floro's priority lies in progressing in the World Cup qualifiers, rather than
the Gold Cup. Floro’s tactics raises some concern, but I would hold off on
pulling the trigger and firing him.
Speaking of the Canada supporters, I think
it was the loudest I have ever heard the Canadian supporters at BMO Field, in which
the periodic, pounding rain and the Canadian team's "must win"
situation contributed to it. I always thought going to Canadian national team
matches produced a much stronger atmosphere than going to Toronto FC matches,
and this match reinforced that thought, even though the attendances are much
smaller. That night was something special, because everyone in the sections
came together to create unified support. One particular moment from the
supporters section came before halftime, where someone decided to let off a
smoke bomb in our section. Personally, I have nothing against smoke bombs, even
though it is against the rules, but it ended up being more of a nuisance than
anything else. I was not able to watch the rest of the half because of it!
Overall, it was a unique and interesting
night to go watch some football on a Tuesday, from El Salvador supporters
fighting among themselves, to the smoke bomb incident in the Canada supporters
section. I hope that there are more events like this in the future, because I
had a lot of fun.
It was finally that time when I could put my season ticket to use for the first time this year. Toronto FC were back home for their 2015 home opener against the Houston Dynamo. I'm not really going to talk about the result and the match itself, because there are hundreds of people who have already done that and who can do a better job at it than I can. What I am going to talk about is my personal experience on that day, from the pre-game festivities to the new additions at BMO Field. I can definitely tell you that it was an interesting experience.
I was at the pre-game fan event at the Brazen Head, which was a little bit lame, if I'm being honest. Before their "pep rally", I was up in the patio having a large pint, when Cabbie came up to the patio and told everyone of the rally that was going down at 3:00 PM. He was clowning our group on the fact that no one (besides me) was wearing any TFC gear, so I thought that was a pretty cool moment. We go downstairs to the rally, and Cabbie and the new TFC girl (whose name escapes me) were hosting the event. I noticed that the crowd was a little bit relaxed, in the sense that I felt that most of the fans were more casual supporters, rather than hardcore supporters. This observation I had was reinforced when the new TFC girl had to go over how to sing "O When The Reds" with the crowd, and on top of that, the actual chanting at the event was sporadic at best.
Tim Bezbatchenko was there, said some things to the crowd, and then proceeded to chug a beer, to the delight of the crowd. Tim Leiweke also said some things to the crowd, and he boldly claimed that TFC will make "the p-word" (his words, not mine). I'm not sure why he wouldn't actually say the word "playoffs" in the first place. It was all nothing but hot air from the club's top brass, which is what they do best. The marching band starts up, a homeless guy dances in front of us, and we all start marching to the stadium. The lack of chanting continues, and anyone who tries to start one is drowned out by the drumming of the marching band.
We come out of the tunnels at Exhibition Station and in front of us was this gargantuan, imposing structure which was the new BMO Field east stand, It looked much bigger in person, and once the roof gets put on the stands, BMO Field can finally look something like a proper stadium. We get in the stadium, and as usual, we get bombarded with the imagery of all of TFC's sponsors, because corporatism is the message. The stadium looked great, although there was still some construction happening around the stadium. My seat was at the top of the upper deck of the new stand, and even though it offered a great birds-eye view of the pitch, the amount of stairs I had to take to get up there was brutal. Now, I'm not the most athletic guy out there, but I felt like I had run a marathon just to get up to my seat.
I decide to stand behind section 112 for the duration of the match. Toronto FC overloaded on the fireworks before the players came out of the tunnel, which I thought was a bit unnecessary, but they have to sell the experience, of course. The pre-game tifos looked nice, though. The match started, and sections 111/112 and 114 were bringing the chanting and singing, while section 113 looked like a wasteland, as only a few people from that section were actually taking part in the chants. The atmosphere from the supporters section was okay, but it really could have been a lot better. Obviously, the support was harmed by the fact that TFC were losing, but I felt that there could have been better communication between 112 and 114. This wasn't helped with the fact that 113 doesn't really join in the chanting. If TFC's vision was to have a united south end all singing the same song, so far, they are failing. The support is too fractured right now, with all these different supporters groups.
I had a good time, as I always do, but TFC's loss hurt a bit. Houston played very well, Michael Bradley was awful, and TFC couldn't push the tempo. It felt like the same old tune we have been hearing for the past 9 years. It was just disappointing to watch, and TFC have really seemed to go all in on how the club is branded, especially since Defoe came to TFC. The entire organization needs to know when to just shut up and try to string some wins together. Until that happens, TFC's marketing strategy feels like it is just being shoved down our throats.
So, that was my experience at the new BMO Field. I hope to put up some video soon.
UPDATE: I took some video of my experience. Watch it down below.
This season, Toronto FC have declared that this April should be known as "Supporter Appreciation Month" as a way to give thanks to the TFC fans that have stuck with the team through the small hills of positives, and the deep crevasses of negatives. On the surface, it looks like a goodwill gesture from the organization to the long-suffering supporters of the club, but if you peel back the onion, this "Supporter Appreciation Month" only reinforces the fact that there is a damaging disconnect between Toronto FC, the supporters, and the interaction between them. Despite the claim that Toronto FC appreciates their supporters, the actions they have taken this April are negatively affecting the already toxic relationship between them and their supporters. I have 3 specific examples that I hope can back up my argument.
Before I present these examples, I have a couple of remarks about TFC implementing this "Supporter Appreciation Month". First of all, why is this only for a month? For all the garbage TFC supporters have endured since their first season in 2007, TFC should be making a note to appreciate what's left of their support every single day of the year. Toronto FC should consider themselves lucky that they still have individuals who still have an interest in this team, so they should be thankful for what they still have. The second remark I have is that Toronto FC are stupid to have this "Supporter Appreciation Month" on a month where there are no TFC home games. They are trying to remedy this by hosting viewing parties at the home pubs of supporters groups across the city, but TFC should have attempted to make a meaningful contribution at the place where TFC supporters congregate together, and that is BMO Field. So now, here are my examples.
This April, as construction was nearing completion on the BMO Field expansion (which happened to be over-budget and behind schedule), talks were heating up between MLSE and the Toronto Argonauts to have the Argos play at BMO Field for their CFL season in the near future. Obviously, TFC supporters are irate that a football team should be allowed to play in a soccer-specific stadium (as evidenced by the #NoArgosToBMO hashtag on Twitter), and what better way to appreciate TFC supporters than to basically guarantee that the Argos will play at BMO Field at some point. It's clear that the Argos playing at BMO Field will devalue Toronto FC as a property and as a destination for players, whether it is damage to the pitch, or the chance that there will be remaining football lines by the time Toronto FC plays. Many supporters have stated that they will stop supporting Toronto FC if the Argos move in, and it will be interesting if these supporters will hold true to their words.
As part of "Supporter Appreciation Month", Toronto FC have "rewarded" their supporters with a completely meaningless friendly on May 27 against Manchester City. Now, it is widely known that Toronto FC's mid-season friendlies are nothing more than a blatant cash grab for MLSE, but what makes this specific friendly particularly useless is the fact that this friendly will come after Manchester City's season. Does MLSE really think that Man City players will relish coming to play in Toronto after an exhausting regular season? No, they won't. What makes this friendly even worse is that tickets for the match are (in true MLSE fashion) ridiculously expensive. The cheapest tickets for this match are around $50-$60, and they aren't even included in the season ticket package. The timing for this friendly is not good, either. This match comes in between two crucial regular season matches for TFC, which will limit their rest time and preparation for those matches. This friendly further reinforces the belief that MLSE cares more about blatantly lining their pockets, as well as exploiting the team and their supporters, than building a team that can compete in the MLS playoffs, with minimal distractions.
Also this April, Toronto FC have launched a "Banner Contest" in which people can draw up an idea of a banner to be displayed at a TFC home match. People can submit their digitally-created banner to the Toronto FC website where others can vote on it. The person whose banner gets the most votes gets to actually create their banner idea with a supporters group and have it displayed at the TFC home match against Portland.
Toronto FC hosting this "Banner Contest" is a bad idea and there is something disingenuous about the entire thing. The club should not have any involvement with the operations of the supporters groups, and frankly, this banner contest reaffirms the fact that the entire TFC experience is becoming more sanitized. Of course TFC are going to reject the banner ideas that are more realistic of the club as a whole, and instead, choose a banner that will be family-friendly and unrealistically positive. The fact that a supporters group is involved with this "official" contest is incredibly disappointing. Support for this club needs to be organic and natural, and contests like these create the impression that the club is manufactured and fake.
Another thing with contests like these is that they open themselves up to trolls who can submit their banners with hidden messages about the club. That exactly happened when Columbus Crew submitted this entry to the contest. Read the first letters of each line of text.
In case you didn't notice, it reads "WE SUCK" vertically on the first letters of each line. Toronto FC initially didn't catch the hidden message, and they even promoted that specific banner on all of their social media accounts! It was incredibly embarrassing for TFC and its supporters, and the fact that they didn't see the hidden message at the beginning made them look very bad. Apparently, Crew fans have another banner submission in the contest with another hidden message in it.
So, lets recap. How are Toronto FC "appreciating" supporters this month? By prolonging the Argos to BMO Field discussion (making it closer to a confirmation), announcing a pointless friendly, and hosting a bogus, manufactured contest. These actions taken by the club are only alienating and embarrassing the fans who follow and live vicariously through them. If Toronto FC are not careful, their support will dwindle further.
"Supporters Appreciation Month" can be chalked up as a TFC failure. As much as the club wants to spin this as a success, this initiative has backfired on them, big time.
It's been a while since I blogged about Toronto FC. For my first blog this year about TFC, I was meaning to talk about the squad and the expectations going into the new season, but there was a bit of a controversy yesterday on Twitter. There is a TFC survey that season ticket holders can fill out, and included in that survey was a question on whether they would be open to TFC having a mascot for the club. This led to very strong reactions on Twitter, especially from supporters who were opposed to TFC having a mascot. You could even say that there was an overreaction from particular TFC supporters on Twitter, who say that the introduction of a mascot contributes to the "sanitizing" of the atmosphere at BMO Field.
As a supporter of Toronto FC, I absolutely agree that the BMO Field atmosphere and experience now, compared to 2007, has been sanitized. There is more of a focus on marketing, sponsors, and sideshow entertainment than the actual football, and creating an "authentic" European atmosphere with no bells and whistles. However, it is also important to look at the business side of introducing a mascot to Toronto FC. The hardcore TFC supporters are not the target market for this. Mascots mostly appeal to children, and my guess is that the mascot will be around at TFC community events, and not so much the stadium itself. A lot of European clubs have mascots, and still keep their image relatively intact, so why can't TFC do the same? Purely as a supporter, I wouldn't want a mascot, but also taking the business side into account, it could actually work (though I was always under the impression that Bitchy the Hawk was Toronto FC's mascot). If it is done right, it should have little to no influence on how supporters support the team.
With this controversy, some TFC supporters have been reminiscing of the 2007 days when the experience at BMO Field was at its purest form, without all the overstimulating sponsor advertisements, price hikes, and sideshows that have little to do with football. The thing is, those days are long gone and I don't think it is coming back. If Toronto FC was a success on the pitch from the start, then you could have seen an experience nowadays at BMO Field that looked something like a European or South American atmosphere. But, as we all know and experienced, Toronto FC has been awful since they entered Major League Soccer. A sizable amount of supporters have walked away from the club and MLSE need to fill the seats. So obviously, they will rely on a lot of cheap promotions and entertainment, as well as star players and sponsor involvement to get new customers to go see Toronto FC matches and maybe buy season tickets and merchandise. This is why you are seeing more casual fans and families than ever before, and their hesitance to join in the chants and songs is one of the reasons why the atmosphere at BMO Field isn't what it once was.
Now, the people I would imagine reading this are those who would be considered hardcore supporters of Toronto FC. I have something I want to share with you.
Throughout the existence of Toronto FC, I have grown from a young high school kid to a functioning adult. From my experiences following the team and everything that came with it, I want to share the most important thing I have learned from following Toronto FC to you, the reader (and most likely hardcore TFC supporter). Are you ready? Here it is:
Toronto FC and MLSE don't care about you. You are nothing more than a dollar sign to them. They use your fandom as a means to make more money for them.
The reason TFC has the survey for season ticket holders to fill out is not because they want to hear and listen to your opinion. The reason is that they can use that information to make the most money off of you and everyone else that goes to BMO Field, Let's face it, the influence of hardcore supporters on the club who are striving for a better atmosphere has been waning, and MLSE have realized that the real money comes from the new fans that enter the gates of BMO Field because they are more likely to buy into what MLSE is offering them. MLSE doesn't have to cater to the hardcore supporters as much anymore because most of you will always be coming back every year to BMO Field no matter how disgruntled you may feel about the team. If TFC increases season ticket prices, yeah you'll be upset, but you'll still come back. If TFC introduces a mascot, yeah you'll be upset, but you'll still come back. Hell, if the Argos move to BMO Field, which is a real possibility, I wouldn't be surprised if most TFC supporters come back to support the team at BMO Field. If you don't come back, MLSE will just lure someone else to the stadium.
As much as I hate MLSE, this is the ugly truth. If you are sick and tired of the corporatism at BMO Field (believe me, I am as well), voicing your opinion on a survey and voicing your displeasure on Twitter is unlikely to get MLSE to listen to you. You are going to have to do more that, and whatever that might be is up to you, whether it be from voicing your displeasure in the stadium, or simply not giving your money to MLSE anymore, though those are not the only two options.
On its own two feet, having a mascot for TFC isn't an issue, but if you look at the bigger picture, it is yet another piece of the growing corporatism at BMO Field. This issue also shows that MLSE is continuing to bite the hand that feeds them, and they are the supporters who have been bravely trying to keep the atmosphere alive at the stadium. Unfortunately, there are the MLSE cheerleaders who turn a blind eye to all the corporatism, but if there are enough supporters who hate it, and realize that their opinions aren't being heard, and do something about it, then maybe, just maybe, MLSE will be forced to listen.
The Canadian Men's National Football Team finally returned to action at the National Soccer Stadium (usually known as BMO Field) where they faced off against Jamaica, who came up short in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup and were looking to start off on the right foot themselves. It was a spirited match, and Canada ran away 3-1 winners, which was their first win in about two years, and their first multi-goal game in a long while as well.
There were two things I noticed as soon as I entered the stadium. The first thing I noticed was the sheer amount of empty seats at the stadium. I felt like the match could have been promoted better, as I didn't really hear about the match a whole lot through the different types of media. However, the match did have some challenges when it came to attracting people to come out, such as the fact that it was a weekday match (Tuesday evening), and that they had to compete against the Toronto Blue Jays, who were playing in the Rogers Centre at the same time. It also didn't help that the Canadian team wasn't very good.
The second thing I noticed was that there was a strong contingent of Jamaican supporters at the stadium. Canada matches that take place in Canada (especially in Toronto) always had the issue where the team that they were playing had more supporters in the stadium than the Canadian fans. That always bothered me, and I made the joke that all the Jamaican supporters were actually Jamaican-Canadians, and I have a suspicion that I might actually be right. Name me one person that flew from Jamaica to Toronto just to go watch this friendly, I don't think you will be able to.
As for the match itself, I was pleased with Canada's performance. Canada were understandably a bit rusty at the beginning stages of the match, but the Canadian midfield imposed themselves and were in control (Hutchinson and De Guzman had solid performances). The Canadian defence were quite composed and even though they had some scary moments when Jamaica threatened the goal, they were able to shut them out. Milan Borjan had a stellar performance, making great saves and not being afraid to come out for the ball. The Canadian forwards had a tough time putting the ball on target, which echoed previous struggles whenever Canada played, but luckily for them, the scoring came from other sources.
It's worth noting that the response from Canada after Jamaica scored the first goal was something I have never seen from this team. They would usually wilt under the pressure of going behind, but they instead roared back quickly, and then put the game out of reach. Much credit to the coach, Benito Floro, for his role in inspiring the team.
The Canadian supporters in sections 112-114 were absolutely fantastic. They didn't stop singing for the entire duration of the match, and they brought an atmosphere that was sorely lacking whenever Toronto FC played at BMO Field. It was without a doubt, the best atmosphere at BMO Field this year, and the supporters deserve a lot credit for that.
Lastly, I have a couple of videos. The first one was taken immediately after the match ended where the Canadian players thanked the supporters for coming out to watch them beat Jamaica. The second video was taken outside Gate 3 after the match where more singing and chanting ensued.
Overall, it was an awesome time out. I met various supporters from here in Toronto, from Ottawa, and beyond. The match was also quite entertaining, and it was good to see Canada prepare for their World Cup qualifying with a win. This may be wishful thinking, but I hope this win lays the ground work for shaking off the "loser stench" that has plagued the Canadian National team for so long.
I went to the friendly last Wednesday between Toronto FC and Tottenham Hotspur. Now before I hear it from the "anti-friendlies" brigade about why I would even think about going to the match, I would like to tell you that my ticket was free, and I had nothing to do that night. If you had a free ticket to a friendly involving TFC, I'm pretty sure you would go as well. Regardless, it was a nice evening out.
Not surprisingly, there was a large congregation of Spurs supporters at the stadium, with many of them getting their one chance of a lifetime to see the team they support. I'd say there was probably a 40-60 split between Spurs supporters and those wearing TFC/plain clothing. With friendlies of this nature, it was also not surprising to see fans wear gear of the rivals as well. I did see a handful of people wearing Arsenal gear, and I'll be honest, I hope they got jumped.
I make it to the stadium, meet my large group of friends and family, and perched myself at the top of 111 to watch the match.
Spurs came out for their warm-ups to a rousing cheer, but the loudest of cheers went towards Jermain Defoe, as he was playing against his old team. He received cheers from both Spurs and TFC fans.
The teams lined up, the anthems were played, and we were ready to go.
The 1st half was a little bit dull, to be honest. It was easy to see the gulf in quality between the strong EPL team and the mid-table MLS club. TFC struggled to get out of their own half while Spurs were applying the pressure, especially on Kyle Bekker in the centre of midfield. Erik Lamela scored 2 goals for Spurs (insert joke that this was his biggest contribution in a Spurs uniform) and the half ended 2-0 to the visitors from North London.
The atmosphere was a bit subdued and our section stayed sitting down, despite the section being a standing section. I'd like to give special props to the group of people at the top of 110 drumming up some sort of atmosphere with chants and singing. I'm pretty sure they were the only people in the entire stadium creating prolonged support for Toronto FC. Even the south stand was understandably dead.
There was an incident at around the 30th minute of the match when four people showed up very late to the row below me and threw a fit that people were sitting in the seats that they bought. Yes, they had those seats, but it was impossible to feel sympathy for them when they showed up so late. When you come to the stadium, show up on time! What a bunch of morons.
The 2nd half began. Spurs sat back and TFC went forward to try to get back into the match. Spurs were definitely trying in the 2nd half (that was sarcasm, by the way). Andrew Wiedeman scored for TFC to make the score 2-1, and then Jordan Hamilton scored with a nice finish past the ancient Brad Friedel to tie the match. Spurs then decided to try again and they got their winner from Andros Townsend to make the final score 3-2 to Tottenham.
After the match, I went over to where the Tottenham players were coming out to watch them write autographs to the supporters patiently waiting. I actually managed to shake hands with Christian Eriksen, while I got snubbed by Lewis Holtby and new manager Mauricio Pochettino.
All in all, it was an enjoyable night, especially for the Spurs supporters that came out. I'm happy that they got to see their idols and it gave them something to remember for the rest of their life. People will complain about friendlies, especially involving Toronto FC, but I hope they realize that the revenue potentials and the reach that it has in potentially bringing new supporters to BMO Field to watch TFC matches, for the most part, outweighs the fatigue and potential injuries that may happen to the Toronto FC players. Remember that Toronto FC is a business, and it needs to maximize profits. Would you rather they increase the prices of season tickets for next year in order to increase revenues?
Regardless, I had fun, and I'm glad I had a free ticket to this event.
