When I sat down to write this article, I planned on writing a piece on how much I love the Seattle Sounders, the soccer team that represents Washington in Major League Soccer. I was going to write about how much fun Sounders games are, and how no matter what the game, or where you sit, you feel like you’re with family. I was going to describe the amazing feeling of collective euphoria that occur when the team scores. This is what I was planning, until I read a New York Times piece written by Jay Caspian Kang, entitled "The Dark Side of American Soccer." I’m not going to link it in this piece, because I do not think it deserves any sort of traffic. Besides being biased, the article is not well researched, and in all honesty, it’s just not good journalism. I was curious as to why the New York Times let such a disastrous piece of writing through, but after a little digging, I found an interesting article on that subject (but I’ll let you read about that one on your own).
In the piece, Kang talks about the way American soccer fans idolize the European soccer culture, which has had a problem with racism and “hooliganism.” He says that American soccer fans, and a lot of soccer culture in America, has roots in racist practices. He says he felt very uncomfortable the one time he went to a Seattle Sounders game because of the blatant racism and violence. He also paints Sounders — and supposedly all MLS fans — as beer-slinging, hyper-masculine frat boys. Why he chose to single out the Sounders is a mystery to me — maybe because that’s the only research he bothered to do for his article. However, this assumed image of a group of fans made me pretty angry. I’m no drunken hooligan — who is Kang to assume that? Does he know all 45,000 people on average that attend any given game in Seattle? Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of fans across the state? I see people from all walks of life at Sounders games. Maybe the traditions displayed at games — like marching to the match or the tifos (large banners as seen below) — have roots in hooliganism, but they certainly don’t here in Seattle.
I’ve never felt anything but welcome at a Sounders game. Since there’s no way I could afford season tickets, I have to repurchase tickets. Often these tickets are season ticket-holder seats, and the people just couldn’t make it to that specific game. This means that you end up sitting with groups of people who have sat together for at least a season, if not longer. The people I have sat with in that situation have never been anything but kind and welcoming. You can talk to anyone, cheer with anyone, high five anyone at a Sounders game, because everyone is there with the same agenda: to support Seattle soccer. Not to be a racist hooligan, but to genuinely enjoy good soccer. Yes, there will be dumb fans in any group of people, but you cannot blame the entire fan base for that. Also, on the topic of inclusiveness, I’ve never heard the term “band-wagoner” when it comes to Seattle soccer. The more, the merrier. Seattle Sounders fans are a family, plain and simple.
On that note, if we are talking about the fans in Seattle as a whole, we should be pretty proud of them. Soccer is a huge part of the culture in Seattle — maybe it’s because we don’t have many other major sports teams, or maybe it's because the Sounders play at CenturyLink Field, which allows for many more fans than the typical MLS stadium. Either way, Seattle has one of the highest attendance rates in the MLS. Even though at the time this article is being written Seattle is on a spectacular losing streak, attendance hasn’t dropped by that much. Sounders fans know all about dedication.
Sounders fans love their team not only because typically the Sounders are a strong team, but also because the men that make up the team love Seattle back. Many players grew up in Seattle or surrounding areas, so they have a deep love for Seattle. Zach Scott, one of the Sounders' defenders, has been with Seattle for almost 15 years, since the beginning of his professional career. Players from other places in the world often comment about how much they love Seattle. Brad Evans, captain of the Sounders, and many other players recently marched and celebrated during Seattle Pride. Evans also runs charity events for shelter dogs in Seattle. The other players do charity events and visit Seattle Children’s Hospital on a regular basis.
The Sounders are a well-loved team, loved by good people. For me, and many others, going to a Sounders game is like going home. I've never played competitive soccer, but I love this team and its traditions. There is a high level of inclusiveness, and even if you don’t like soccer, I highly encourage you to go to a Sounders game. Maybe you’ll be like me and fall in love with Seattle’s soccer club. In regards to Kang’s, all I have to say is this: the Seattle Sounders’ fans are a family, and your failure to be a real journalist is not going to change that.
