Episode 4: Uniting a Fanbase

Football is all about the fans, There's no question about it. The crackle of electricity in the stadium, the noise when the players step out onto the pitch, the flags, the drums, the smoke, and the chanting. Chanting for their heroes, chanting for their team, chanting for their city. Fans can change games. It's why they're referred to as the twelfth man. Around the world, there are those stadiums whose fans have become infamous.

What I like to say is I'm an example of the enlightened American fan because I went to a Portland Timbers game with my kids in twenty eleven and they looked up at me, they looked over at the Timbers Army and they were just roaring in the corner and They're like.

Daddy, this is awesome. And I'm like, this is awesome.

I had no idea that was happening in America. And the Timbers Army is like this outstanding expression of a supporters group, you know, five thousand strong, just singing the whole time, and I had never experienced that.

So I was just like, WHOA. Well, now Tom hopes to build something similar in San Diego. Who knows, maybe something even better. The only problem is Providence Park in Portland, Oregon has twenty five thousand seats and it's taken over two decades to create that atmosphere. San Diego FC's new home is thirty five thousand seats and they only have a few months. In February twenty twenty five, San Diego FC became the thirtieth team to enter Major League Soccer,

Big challenge to fill up the biggest building in MLS outside of the NFL buildings in Atlanta, Charlotte and Seattle were the highest capacity, so we have a much bigger opportunity, which it's a bigger challenge too. Right there's three point three million people here before we get anybody from Mexico across the border, so there's.

A lot of people.

I love the belief that once this thing is alive and established, it's going to just take off like wildfire, because it's going to be a level sports entertainment with San Diego on our chest, and people love San Diego. The Padres when they're in a playoff run are just electric. The whole place goes bonkers.

He's not wrong. Petco Park has never looked or sounded so good. But in terms of the San Diego sports market, the Padres are the only Major league competition, leaving MLS with a golden opportunity. A point that's not lost on head coach mikey Badis.

San Diego coming to MLS is going to be a game changer because this region is been hungry for a men's professional soccer team football team, right, you know. I think the first amazing step was the women's team, the Wave coming in and you could see that the support for them has been amazing and they've done a great job at really setting the bar. And when you look at San Diego, whenever there's a major tournament, the viewership TV viewership in San Diego is always amongst the highest

Sporting Director Tyler Heaps is in agreement. In fact, the whole organization is aligned on this. Their first priority, perhaps their top priority, is to fill the snap Dragon stands with passionate local support.

We need to embrace this community because those fans are extremely passionate about their sport, and so we need to make sure that we lean into that and we are a product on the field that makes them proud and it's something that looks like the community here, because that is extremely important. The football clubs belong to the community, and that's no different here, especially a new one. Right we don't have this historical pedigree of being able to say we can lean on all of this and all

The question is how do you build a loyal, vocal, passionate fan base in such a short space of time.

This is Ray Weber.

I'm a longtime Mission Valley resident here in San Diego, and we're at snap Dragon Stadium, home of the San Diego State Aztecs, home of the San Diego Wave and soon to be home of SDFC, our new MLS franchise here in San Diego.

On a beautiful September day in twenty twenty four, we find seventy year old football fan Ray Weber beaming with pride as he gazes up at San Diego State University's three hundred million snap Dragons Stadium. He stands in the shadow of towering banks of seating, the floodlights arching high overhead like the proverbial dragon's clause. There are some great MLS stadiums already, no doubt, but the biggest are shared

Number One, you have to get fans in the building, So you have to make the games accessible and affordable for fans. You just can't play in front of empty stadium, So they've got to get people in, and then once they're in, they just have to have a great experience.

Right.

So we're still very very early on. I like to think that all of my soccer tribe will come to games, some more than others. Some will come and check out a few games. I think most will. Whether they'll commit to being ticket holders, that's kind of up to them. I think that all soccer fans are going to come to games here.

One thing San Diego FC can be sure of is the love of the sport here. Snap Dragon is already home to the Wave, the city's women's team. They broke the NWSL attendance record on their first ever game and never look back. But if SDFC are going to fill it week in and week out, they'll need an army of diehard fans.

But I will say this that the fanatics, they'll be up to speed very quickly. So I expect a good core, maybe a lot of younger fans in particular, They're going to rock this place and they'll be up to speed. No, I think the passion will grow from there.

Ray is happy to leave that to younger men, but he has faith in San Diego's next generation to come out in force.

That's one thing I like about the younger fans. They really get the singing, the drinking of beverages, the scarves, the travel. It's the culture and once you're in, it's hard to get out.

Back at SDFC headquarters on Kettner Boulevard, CEO Tumpen has a plan to make sure Snapdragon is rocking from the start. He never forgot the effect of the Timber Army, which is why when he built LAFC he copied the Portland model. The Army and the thirty two fifty two aren't just ramshackle groups of loyalists. These are official, well structured organizations. They are unions, an alliance of different supporter groups, each with their own styling culture, unified united under one banner.

So they're force at our matches because they drive the atmosphere, because they sing their songs and play their drums and throw off their smoke and check their beers in the air when we score goals, and it's just super fun. But then they become a force in the community too, because the way a union works, they can take dues, they can raise money, and then they deploy it in their own way in the community, and then we.

Can partner with them on that.

So they become a real force for good and all that, and the fabric of how that comes together and then expresses itself at all those.

Levels is yet to be determined. And that's the fun part. It's also the scary part. The reason it's scary is because they are creating something powerful, a political entity with leverage over the club. Football fans aren't exactly known for their diplomacy, but then that's kind of the point, isn't it. The men Tom put in charge of uniting San Diego's largest supporter groups into a union is Seb Morua, Senior

The right to dream mindst when it comes to football and a community is first and foremost recognizing the unique local context of that community and its relationship to the game. I can tell you that the passion in San Diego, the passion for the game in San Diego is unparalleled to anywhere I have been in the US. As a Latin American. It really reminds me of the same passion that we feel in Costa Rica in other Latin American countries that I have worked in.

Seb knows fan culture and he knows what a force it could be for San Diego. FC.

Supporters are the driver of that movement within the stadium, and they're the ones setting the tone and when the team concedes or when the team is losing, the supporters get louder, and it's a factor that influences visiting teams one hundred. So it's it's a competitive advantage for teams that do it well. That's a huge component of the match, the experience, and more than the match, the experience, that's just a huge factor of football culture.

Since day one, SEB has been attending fan rallies and holding focused groups trying to understand the opinions and priorities

We've identified a group of leaders that are partnering with us to build that section and they're pouring their lives into it. And you know, these are volunteers. They don't do it as a job. They do it because they love the game. They do it because they love their community and our job is that they end up truly falling in love with the club that represents the game in their community.

The reception SEB received from these groups has been mostly positive, but some have reservations about partnering with an MLS club, especially a club who's a rival. Coincided with the folding of San Diego's very popular second division team as Deloyal that this.

Will be the last season for San Diego Loyal, and a very emotional and heartfelt statement Loyal chairman Andrew Vassiliadas announcing that year number four of the San Diego Loyal will sadly be the franchise's last.

You know, it's absolutely crushing, you know what you're talking about, The Loyal, a team that's poured its heart and its money into the community.

This is kind of a different way of saying, well, MLS came into this market with different owners, they got the stadium solution that they needed.

There was no room for USL That's another way to look at this. The Loyal, once helmed by local USA Hall of Famer London Donovan, had always hoped it'd be them who'd get a shot at representing their city in Major League Soccer, but it wasn't to be.

I have always looked at what Loyal did as amazing. I know there were conversations with the club owners to consider an opportunity to be part of our ownership group, and that ended up not happening. But I think from a public opinion perspective, and particularly Loyal support, because they poured so much into the development of the fan base and the club, I think, of course, there were a lot of people that were hurt and naturally right we one hundred percent understand.

That the Loyal went out of business shortly after sdfc's arrival, but most accept the change. The Locals was one San Diego Loyal supporter group that has officially made the switch, but it was a hard decision.

My name is Andrew dyerd formerly was a big supporter of San Diego Loyal. I drummed in the stands and I was on leadership in one of the supporter groups for San Diego Loyal. Then around the time that STFC announced themselves, shortly thereafter, Loyal announced they would be folding, and yeah, we all kind of had to make a decision, and that for us, you know, has been an ongoing I think challenge. I started out as like a never sdfcer and then at some point transitions to like, let's give it a go.

But disagreements about how to progress, both amongst the supporter groups and with the club soon made Andrew feel like maybe it wasn't for him after all.

Just because of all the infighting and drama you get with any anything like this, Right, you're always going to have that. But because the stakes were so high, I mean that's the way I thought this was a high stakes.

Thing we're doing.

It became incredibly frustrating to run up against challenges that you know, I was just spending way too much mental energy on dealing with and at some point, you know, you just have to call it in and step away.

Seven. The folks at SDFC also had doubts about whether they could get San Diego's fan groups to work together, that is until the unveiling of their first star player.

San Diego f C formerly introduced the Mexican Soccer Star urbing Chucky Losana.

Yeah, I've already seen the billboard, ZEPSI, says Jay Garrianni, joining us now with more on Chuky Mania.

From North Keunty to the South Soccer enthusiast united to welcome living and Chucky Losano to San Diego.

Mexican national team forward and World Cup hero irbin Chucky Losano, a player who has won silverware wherever he's played. And trust me, I was there that night man. In fact, I was on stage next to Chuky doing the announcing, and I gotta tell you, looking out at the stands, looking out at the fans, everybody gathered together, united in one voice, singing hell Chucky Losano. It was a moment that said, Wow. I think everyone as DFC new right

My name is John Cross, and I'm the president of the San Diego Independent Supporters Union.

Today the Supporters Union is known by another name, FRONTETA SD. But remember this is back in October twenty twenty four, before there was even a team to cheer for. John is another hardcore loyal fan who's been making the switch to SDFC, and despite suffering the effects of long COVID, he's thrown himself into trying to build on what they had at Torrero Stadium. But this is the big leagues,

A lot of times they you know, what we think of supporters around the world is built up over decades and generations and family can and this is both the burden and the excitement about a brand new team. The excitement is you get to kind of start setting the tone for what that culture is going to be from the very beginning. You can help shape it. The burden is all the work that goes into trying to actually make that happen.

Having so many former sd loyal folks come over to SDFC certainly helps. Some are even now working for the club as employees. But right from the off there were problems. Different supporter groups had different priorities. Things moved slowly, and the club was in a rush to make progress. With tensions mounting, factions formed, But John and the other union leaders always felt it would be worth it in the end.

I think we all understood also in the back of our minds, it doesn't work unless we all come together somehow and choose to work together. If we really want to stand shoulder to shoulder with one voice. Three thousand plus people in that section is not going to work with various independent groups doing their own thing.

After months of work, one of the biggest remaining issues is the involvement of one of San Diego's most prominent fan groups, Dago Boys, a traditional Latin American style supporter group. The club desperately wants them involved, but they have been delaying joining the union, partly because they disagree with the pricing structure and ticket allocations, partly because of tensions with other groups, and partly because well, paperwork isn't their thing. I think.

I mean, all the groups have their own culture and have contributed to the union in some way. Some are more on the organizational side, some are on the leadership side. If you look at a group like Daego Boys, they are by far just visually watching when we talk about what we want to create on match days, that is encapsulated,

Things all came to a head at an event held in early October twenty twenty four. Remember that opening scene of episode one where fangroups nearly came to blows in the street. This was that moment, for there it is, and that's John who just heard the first of a barrage of fireworks announcing the arrival of the Dago Boys Daego Boys, who are not officially part of the union yet and who are in the process of breaking a number of the Union's rules in regular relations, as well

Thankfully, the SDPD kept their distance and didn't antagonize the situation at all, and cooler heads eventually prevailed and everything settled down. But that was that was on a cusp of going sideways really fast. If someone had lost their temper and thrown a punch pushed too hard, who knows how the police would have reacted, I mean, could have been an ugly situation all the way around.

That was October fourth. It's now less than four months until their home opener, and the union is in chaos and that risk of collapse. Over the next couple weeks, Tentative messages are exchanged. Seven john were to bring all sides back to the table, but social media posts have emerged revealing there's still a lot of bad blood. On October fifteenth, all seven supporter groups reconvene for a major meeting of the union at SDFC headquarters at twenty one

We're working on the union for seven groups. As of right now, we have six groups that are pretty part of the union and we're still waiting to become one of them. Yeah, it's going to be kind of hard right now. Why because there's some things going on between the union and us, So it's going to be a pretty tight meeting, but hopefully we could work with them or get to an agreement that works for the outcome

As for what happened at the fen em It, Anthony can't see the problem. It's just what they do well.

We normally just whenever we show up to an event, we show up in Caravana, we gather up like a couple of blocks back from the event, and we always march down that day. We were I think we were doing perfectly. We had our little show going on. I think the union kind of got upset the way they came out and reached to us. I don't think it was the right way, so everything kind of got heated up. We're all here for the same reason, you know. I've been in soccer my whole life since my dad. I

John interim president of the Union, will be leading the presentation. Aside from dealing with the tensions within the group, he's also desperate to get the club to officially sign off so they can all move forward. Adjusting this COVID mask. Up on the human top floor of San Diego vs's downtown headquarters, he's feeling the heat and the strength of these past few weeks and months. He's also uncertain of what he's walking into.

Well, obviously, our hope is to be officially recognized. That's the whole point of this meeting, as from our perspective. The club gave us some documentation over the summer of what was going to be required to be officially recognized. We think we've gone above and beyond those recognition requirements, but yeah, it seems to have changed over time of what this event is actually going to be.

We'll see the large open plan room is packed out with dozens of supporters. Up here on the seventh floor, a wall of glass panels offers a dazzling view of the lights of downtown San Diego, like a blanket of stars rolling all the way out to the Pacific Ocean. And if the setting doesn't fully convey the sense of awe, then the assembled panel of SDFC executives does. Sitting up front is CEO Tom Penn, co owner in Sequon Tribal Chairman Cody Martinez, and head coach Mikey Badas. Clearly it's

In no way, shape or formed it via at dollar tickets in our plan.

But I remember, well, you know everything you all said, and I told you I had to go through a process, and so.

You know, it's taken longer than inspected. A part has coming together. It's taken a while.

Too, but you know, officially, more or less, you know, it's eighteen dollars days.

Next up is coach Bias, who gives a presentation on his footballing ideas and how he wants to set up the team, But he soon flips into the supporters. He starts a conversation about team culture that extends into the stands.

So what I'll say is, I think all of us are after the trophies because of those kind of goals when we when we go to the elite level, So one hundred percent of respect that that's that's where.

It would be.

But the fact of the matters.

We start a project. First game on the twenty second away to Galaxy.

We're gonna on the thirteen.

As you can probably tell, Mikey wasn't supposed to share that piece of information, but it goes down pretty well the secrets out game one, we go to La I almost told you.

I'm thinking about telling you later.

Phone of silence please.

On Monday we're announced away.

First match out.

There, we go kick their.

Next. Mikey asks the room to name some non negotiables for the team. Characteristics that win, loser, draw. They swear to live by it. Heart, passion, and unity are the first three answers that come up. He's building momentum and his message is landing. It's a team effort all the way around.

Our history starts now, doesn't start when the first game House it has already started.

We get to write it. I'll love your reader. We get to be on the ground floor of what's going to be the most amazing.

And inspirational projects in all of MLS and in North America.

So all I hope is that whatever we do, we all do with that vision.

That next up is junk, followed by various group representatives who go up one by one and deliver their presentation. They nail it. Tom Penn and the other SDSC staff are completely blown away. In fact, the whole meeting is going perfectly, that is, until the subject of internal politics comes up. It's time to address the elephant in the room.

But really, ultimately it comes down to be able to start code of conduct and members saving and this really was reinforced at the event the Friday before E Live. You could have had arrests, people in the hospital and a major news story that was huge. And when you have a group that starts lighting off fireworks and marches down on Curial Avenue block in both lanes of traffic and has two patrol cars unseen before they're even at

The room descends into chaos. Some Dago Boys feel like they're being ganged up on, Others think the Dago Boys are being obstructed. It's getting tense and at risk of falling apart when seb steps into media.

You read our comedian to the fresh start that we're talking about.

You got owned that individually.

So when you leave these field, if somebody makes the comments, you gotta.

Call them out.

And it's the same on your side.

The social media bullshit that's going on, that's gotta stop.

That doesn't any but that just a noise. Those in the room who fill the club shouldn't be interfering with an independent supporters union at all.

Is the mom and pop?

I'm gonna stop that.

What the mom and popping gonna stop? All right?

So why have we been in the middle of this because you guys, you guys can't do it.

On your own.

Clue right, So was the moment bucks up?

Yeah, I would love for that.

I will have to Actually, I would get my weekends back him spending.

Him with John on the phone yelling at me.

So, yeah, we want that to stop or you guys got a word to get it.

But arguments break out once again.

What you're saying this?

At this point, Tom Penn tries to step in before it gets out of hand.

Let me tell you, Bray, please.

The temperature in the room is sky high. These are passionate people who at the end of the day all want the same thing. Eventually, one supporter steps up and says something they can all agree on. Maybe some people put bone lighting each other. You're right, you probably are right, one hundred percent right.

But so well, man, let's just put that to the sighting and work together.

Because you guys bring that.

Flavor that other people don't ring.

But other people bring that.

Flavor that you guys don't ring.

You know what I mean?

They we get all work together, man, trusting night, you know what.

I mean, all are in agreement. They need to put the pass behind them, though precisely how they're going to do that is unclear. The office doors are opened up, allowing the tensions to disperse. As the supporter groups all file out of the building, they laugh and joke. Only time will tell if this piece will hold. As the last members leave, Seb stops to share his thoughts.

Yeah. So, I think the main problem tonight is about the groups not being able to compromise and to put their differences aside to work together. At the root of the problem, that's what's happening. We had Tom penn Our CEO and Cody Martinez our chairman and owner. So I also did know how that was going to go and if he was really good to have Mikey's participation because that brought a different voice that they all respect and

Seb actually thinks the meeting could have gone a lot worse.

Because I know a lot of these guys. I can stand up and raise my voice and also call them out, and the good thing is that they're all receptive to it. They're all open to it. None of them walked out. You know, We've had people walk out before. None of them walked out, and they work through their frustrations and that's something that for sure we have to recognize.

Tom Penn gets it too. He's seen it all before.

I was a little nervous about it, and we're in a real time pressure situation now where we needed to bring everybody together so that we can move this forward.

You know.

But I've always known of all these guys major passion guys and gals, right, I mean, the group is just they're so passionate, which is what you want, and so with that comes passionate about differences and you know, so we'll see it all comes together.

They won't have long to wait. At the weekend, the club is holding a big fan rally for San Diego's Hispanic and Latino community, a rally where the Union is supposed to be out in force. It's early evening on the eighteenth of October and the party is getting started. We're back in downtown San Diego at an open air events space. Throngs of people are laughing and smiling, eating free tackles and watching their kids play games and waiting

Tonight, we are throwing our first Carnasala Consan Diego barbecue, essentially a community barbecue. We sponsored a bunch of different things to just create a little bit of a neighborhood festival vibe for the predominantly Mexican community, and also as an opportunity again for our supporter groups to come together and show what they're about.

SAB is ensure what to expect this kind of event is a golden opportunity for everyone, both for the club in terms of community outreach and for the supporter groups. This is a great chance to recruit new members.

You know, I think particularly in soccer, the Hispanic Mexican Latino communities love the game.

For us, it's religion.

And so we're gonna have the Banda, which is Northern Mexican music play and you're gonna see everybody line dancing and so so yeah, I think it's important because number one, we're doing it for the first.

Time, and we're sending a message.

To the Hispanic Mexican Latino community.

At now we see them and.

They feel like this is a club for them. But this event tonight is taking in a step further and deeper, which we want to continue to do.

Then it happens quiet at first, then loud singing, drums and chanty. They're here. People rush outside to see the wall of color and sound. Marching down Imperial Avenue. One hundred or more supporters are blocking four lanes of traffic. They're smoke, streamers, flags and banners, banners emblazon with the group's names, all seven of them. They are united as they parade into the courtyard. It descends into a mush

As the Union us as individual supporter groups. We decided that that.

Is obviously something we needed to be at.

So we decided to show up.

A lot was said on Tuesday evening, but it's something that needs to happen because we're all family and at the end.

Of the day, we all love each other and we come together and we march down the street as a as.

A huge family, making a lot of fun noise.

There's smoke, there's chanting, marching, jumping up and down.

Is just such a great energy.

That's the passion, that's the energy that.

We're gonna show ten old come you know, game day one twenty five.

Another member, Vanessa, couldn't agree more.

It's an amazing feeling to see that while we all have differences because we you know, each individual group got together to create something. But the fact that all of us took the time, we heard everyone out and we said, you know what, we're doing this for the love of a sport that we have, so we're gonna band together and we're gonna do this. So to have everyone here and really enjoying themselves and really having that family feel, it's absolutely amazing. I'm just really glad that we got here.

Seb emerges, smiling and soaking wet with the mix of sweat and beer.

The supporter groups just entered about thirty minutes ago, and thankfully they came in together and they sang together. So yeah, I think we're all very happy. I just spoke to a few of them and they they're happy as well. They enjoyed it and now they just enjoying the night.

As the bunda strikes up and people start to dance, Seb is thankful for what he hopes is the beginning of something special. You can't argue with the show the supporters just put on. People are going up to them to congratulate them and ask them how they join wait till they hear about the eighteen dollars tickets. We spoke to one pair of fans who recently signed up to join DAEGO Boys. Juan fell at home straight away.

My name is Juan Cano and I'm part of the Diego Boys. I love the family atmosphere they have. I like the how welcome I was the day I showed up here and with the guys.

I didn't know. One hasn't had a chance to speak to the leadership about the latest union updates. But the news is Dago Boys is now a full member and it's full steam ahead.

Our leaders, Burly and Ford was that they worked something else with them, so they haven't They haven't told us what the agreement was. But I mean, we're just excited to be part offs SDFCRE. I mean we can't wait to support them.

And Juan didn't join up on his own, He also registered his three year old son. Seems to me like the club's future is in good hands.

He's my son, he's youngest, he's the youngest a member and Diego Boys, you knows all the cheers just up last week. The teacher called me telling me that then uh, he started doing a cheer during naptime. He did sc sc Let's see.

You know, it might not happen all at once, but if these guys do feel those three thousand seats in the North stand. If their energy and passion catches on man, imagine a thirty five thousand sellout crowd feeding off of them. La and Portland better watch out next time. On Behind the Flow, Mikey and Tyler take time to remind themselves of what it is they're building and why. They jet off on a whirlwind world tour of the Rank to Dream Network, visiting Ghana, Egypt, and Denmark as they figure