I used to get quite fired up about every little thing Revolution related, good or bad I was all about it. I may have liked it, more often than not I didn't. Prior to TDIF starting I wrote quite a rant a couple of years ago that was on various revs related social sites. I had a passion for talking about this team, criticizing, and praising when it was due.
I couldn't wait for the next match, the start of the season. While I am excited for those things this season it is not nearly as much as it has been in previous years. I have to ask myself why...
Why do I support this club?
Why do I put up with the lackluster signings?
Why do I put up with a team that treats it's fans as poorly as this team has?
Why do I spend my hard earned money on a product that has constantly failed to deliver for many years?
I'm not sure I have answers to these questions. I know I'm not alone in these feelings. Many times things are blown out of proportion, I am probably guilty of that myself. Sometimes superlatives are thrown out there that aren't necessarily factual or verifiable, yet they are certainly based on the image that this team has in the region, the league and possibly in the world of soccer as a whole. This is a major problem for this team and one that it doesn't seem to think it has. Members of the New England Revolution absolutely write off these ideas and the people who speak of them. I know this because I have overheard it and even had it said to me by some of those people. Listen there are some people who go a little too far on both ends of the spectrum, but more and more those people are starting to have an effect and others are joining in with them.
The Revolution needs to start asking why these people are think that way... And maybe even pay attention to their concerns, take them seriously and stop writing them off.
As much as I am angry and frustrated with this team right now it is still my team. I love the sport. I love the team. I love the culture of soccer. I love seeing the people I have met. I love the game day experience that we as supporters have created for ourselves even if it isn't what it is in other places, but we can only do so much with what we are given. Despite all of this I still find myself asking why, and that is a problem.
People like myself should not be questioning why we do this, why we are so involved. We are the people that can make this team thrive, that are the lifeblood of the support for this team. The team needs to wake up and realize that this is one of the biggest problems they are facing, get us on board and get us reasonably content and this team and it's support will flourish. Let's not kid ourselves however, we are only as good as our credit card number, the team will do fine without us because of the youth market and the once a year market. The team even touted how good they did with that demographic at the beginning of last season.
I'm not asking the team to make everyone happy 100% of the time. If they strive for the ol' 'make 80% of the people happy 100% of the time" in all aspects of the operation, they will find themselves and the team in a much better position on and off the field.
Well,I feel your frustrations and has a soccer Fan I understand you very well.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is the Revolution is the only soccer team around here. But that is going to change soon. We are bringing a team to USL PDL this year, Boston Victory S.C. and we are building a estructure to go USL Pro, PDL and all Super "Y" league ages.
In Europe every major city has a few teams and that promotes rivalry and teams fight to get better every season. The promotion/relegation sistem promotes the competition not only to the top teams but also to the bottom teams creating excitement. Why we don't have it in the U.S.?
There is no team without a strong Fan base can survive for to long. The revs have it and they renegate the Fans...
It's up to you to change this situation. Join the Passion with Boston Victory S.C. Become member, go to the games, participate and together we will bring real soccer culture to New England.
Soccer Fans had the opportunity to be part of a club that has soccer Fans in mind. We need you and you need a club who leasons to you...
We are here and we calling all New England Fans to build this Soccer team with us... from day one.
You have a choice now. Do you rather be part of something that doesn't have you in count and frustrates you year in year out. Or be part of a new project that you can build together with us and have influence on the matters and feel proud to see your club grow and become strong...
I know it's not very exciting to watch PDL, but it's only the start and you can be part of this start up...in 3 years we are counting of being a recognized youth academy with european standarts and win USL Pro Championship.
But this only will be possible if the Soccer Community participate. That's what soccer needs, people interest to make it happen.
We are here for you, we can't offer you MLS in this moment but if we join forces, who knows...
Join the Passion!
www.bostonvictorysc.com
Sergio Taborda
BVSC Head Coach
I'm moving to DC this year, and I may do the unthinkable...support United. Full on. Unabashedly. Switch allegiances.
ReplyDeleteThe root of the problem is that the Krafts simply see the Revolution as a means of utilizing Gillette for a few extra days a year. Burns is wholly out of his depth in this new MLS, and lacks the ambition, connections and resources ($) to put together a 2012 rather than 2002 caliber MLS squad. The Revs are the single greatest argument for relegation/promotion.
spot on, man. they're hell-bent on keeping this team out at gillette. and i almost toppled over with shock when i found out that the masterminds behind the past crappy season GOT PROMOTED. then the heaps hire (which, to me, smacks of the Krafts wanting to hire a coach they can control since he's a former employee errrrr, defender).
Deletethe revs are my biological team. it's hard to imagine abandoning that freaking jersey and those colors and the sense of loyalty i have to them. but if i moved to a new city, you better believe i'd go to those games too. i'm a fan of live soccer and the MLS product (usually).
-mary
I was going to say no offense, but I actually do mean to offend. You're an idiot. How can you call yourself a true fan if you're willing to follow another team that easily? Even when you're team sucks, you have to be behind them and support them. As fans we can get frustrated with the team, the coaches, the owners, but this is our team and we can't just turn our backs on them. You stick with them through all the hard times and pray for better times to come. I'm Revolution through and through, and I get so pissed that I shake after matches, but I could never turn my back on our boys. Look at clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal who do not experience glory any more even though they are huge clubs with big ambitions. Or what about weak teams like Blackburn and Wolves. Do they leave the team? No. They attack the problem and protest, but they never abandon the team. The fans show up and sing week in and week out. If you were a real fan you would understand the true love one must have for a football club.
DeleteIf you are going to go after someone for switching allegiances, which I agree is something that shouldn't be done, may I ask why you are wearing a Galaxy jersey in your profile picture while doing this, especially when you say you are a revolution fan through and through....
DeleteBecause I support the league as well. Galaxy aren't our rival, so it's not a big deal. I'm a Liverpool fan and I have a Newcastle jersey and Blackburn shorts.
DeleteJust saying... it hurts your argument a bit.
DeleteI don't understand how it hurts my argument at all? I support football in general. Just shows how big a part of my life it is.
DeleteSergio, I am very much interested in seeing what BVSC can do, but you must also remember that soccer fans in new England are used to hearing promises of a grand scale and then end up being disappointed. No offense to you or your team, but you have a lot to prove before these fans are going to jump head over heels for your team. You are saying the right things but speaking for myself I need to see these things happen first. Be patient with the soccer fans around here... We're like someone who has caught their girlfriend/boyfriend cheating, we still want to love them but we are cautious when someone new comes along because we've been burned in the past. Come through with your promises, treat people well and put the best product out you can and people will come to you.
ReplyDeleteBrian, fair enough. I understand New England Fans had been burned in the past. We are working hard to bring an exciting team to the region. It will be great if we have a great Fan base. A soccer game without Fans is like watching black and white TV. We are bringing quality players to be competitive and this players will be excited if we can show them the Boston Passion for soccer.
DeleteWe are 100% commited to make it happen.
Thank you.
It's annoying as hell and now, only after a few months in charge Heaps is starting with this "we're in talks" BS when the next day Lekic signs in Denmark. However, I'm still supporting this team, hard as it is, I would find it very hard, not impossible though, to switch allegiances. Sometimes these struggles are okay if there is an end in sight. Supporting a team that wins all time could get boring, so it's okay to have a short bad spell and these next couple years are very important to tell Revs fans what direction we are really headed for. Is it improvement in sight, or still utter failure?
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see those 23 year olds running around in Quincy. Woo, that'll be a lot of fun. And the Sixth Brigade, stay away from those guys, they are DANGEROUS. I hear they are going to light flares. They are too Ultra for me. The area has been missing a team like QVC. So much passion and we all know they will deliver.
ReplyDeleteYou can look at it emotionally: It's okay to walk away from a friend who has betrayed you. Actions speak louder than words, and, when you see the friend has turned his life around, you can always patch things up in the future. I've given up long ago. There's nothing wrong with that.
ReplyDeleteYou can look at the situation economically: It's not intelligent to throw money away. Wait until the provide a service you want (fun, passion, etc) in a venue that makes for good atmosphere (a new stadium). Then it becomes a good value.