Why Should I Join a Supporters Group if I’m not Sitting in the Supporters Section?
Many of you reading this are planning to be in the supporters section at McKalla Stadium in 2021. You’re ready to stand, chant, sing and make noise the whole game. You’re familiar with the history of soccer supporters and the unique role the section plays in the global game.You purchased a Los Verdes membership the day it went on sale. This article is not for you.
Others of you are new to the sport. Maybe you love the fact that Austin has its own professional franchise. Maybe you watch World Cup matches when they come around or you used to play, or your kids play. You’ve got your Austin FC gear, you’re going to be at the matches ready to help create the best game day environment in Major League Soccer, but you plan on doing it from outside the insanity of the Green Wall on the south end.
You, my friend, have come to the right place. You may think that joining a supporters group isn’t for you if you’re not going to be going crazy for the full ninety minutes, but here are four good reasons why you should absolutely still consider joining Los Verdes.
Creating chaos for visiting teams takes time (and money) - You probably have a vision in your head of a crazy soccer environment. There are countless examples of amazing environments from South America, Europe, Mexico and across the US. That vision includes drums, horns, banners, songs, smoke and more. All of those elements are provided by the supporters groups for each club and they are all funded by the supporters groups. Supporters groups are also full of volunteers who are committing significant time into perfecting those songs, trying new chants and host of other things. Los Verdes are committed to the very best game day experience, so your membership funds and merchandise purchases are going to support us in creating an environment that will be the envy of the rest of the league.
Let’s make the whole stadium the supporters section - Much of the chaos may take place in the supporters section, but to be all that we can be, all of McKalla Stadium should serve as the supporters section. Fans from across the city can swell with pride for their club and city, regardless of where their ticket is located. If you have a family with kids, or if you can’t stand for the whole game, we still want you to be part of the experience. Our hardworking capos, partnering with La Murga de Austin, are putting together the songs and chants that will reverberate throughout the entire stadium. By joining Los Verdes, you’re supporting that work. We’ll also keep you updated as new songs are developed and ask for your input about how the community as a whole creates a uniquely Austin stadium experience.
You get a cool scarf (and a lot of other perks) - Nothing says soccer quite like the traditional soccer scarf. We’ve got one of those and it looks great. When you purchase your $27 membership (in honor of Austin FC’s status as the 27th club in MLS), you’ll get a scarf, a bandana, a set of stickers, access to member discounts, the opportunity to vote on membership issues (including the leadership team) and an invites to our active Slack. So far, members have had the chance to pick our name, logo, membership kit items, Starting XI and more. Any profits we make off the sale of memberships go back into the game day elements covered in the first point.
It’s about soccer, but it’s also about community - More than any other sport, soccer unites people of all cultures and walks of life. No matter who you are or where you’re from, people come together to support soccer. Los Verdes is committed to using that spirit of cooperation to make our community better. Although we’ve been around for just a little while, we’ve already raised $2600 for the Austin Justice Coalition with our custom bandana, where 100% of the profits went to support the group’s work. We also partnered with Hopsquad Brewing on El Zapatista, a Mexican lager which sold out quickly. We believe in particularly supporting small and local businesses that are hurting during this time. When it’s safe to do so again, our members will be out in the community volunteering for a wide range of organizations. Join us to help use the power of soccer to bring people together.
Hopefully, these reasons have you convinced to join Los Verdes. If so, membership is just a click away. If you’re not sure of it yet, send us an email with your questions, or check out some of the work we’re doing on social media. We feel certain that you’ll want to become part of the group once you get to know us.
