Death to the Hardcore

Tonight's Chicago Fire game has brought up an interesting situation among Chicago sports fans.  The Fire will be playing the Colorado Rapids in a regular season MLS match while the Chicago Blackhawks attempt to win the Stanley Cup for the first time in almost 50 years.  The internal struggle, or lack there of, in the hearts of Chicago fans has brought some interesting tensions to light, and, most prominently, what it means to be "a true Fire fan."

I think it is precisely this kind of "MLS hardcore" mentality that is actually doing more harm than good for the club's image and marketing efforts.  In fact, I've noticed a lot of American soccer fans taking on the mentality that the local club is the only club, above all else, and have drawn a kind of line in the sand regarding MLS fanhood.  Many MLS fans experience this in one degree or another, because forming an opinion on the local club requires at least some sense of devotion, some degree of fandom to inform the decision.  However, it is the fostering of this opinion that one is not allowed to support an MLS team without sacrificing all previous ties to other teams/sports that I want to focus on.  Not everyone has adopted this "with us or against us" mentality, but for a league that struggles to get all the attention it can, it is understandable that some supporters take it upon themselves to become a kind of MLS evangelist.

But where should the line be drawn?  Challenging Chicago fans go from zero to full support for the Fire is not a winning position.  A person's fanhood, their love for their teams, is something that can't be easily created or discarded.  Asking potential new fans to make a black/white decision about your team can cut short their interest before they can ever develop a loyalty.  It would be similar to only selling tickets in 5 year full season blocks.  If you really want to watch our team, you have to really want it, or you might as well stay home.  That kind of message is not very inclusive, and even if there are good intentions behind it, it is an awfully short-sighted position.

MLS clubs will continue to struggle for relevance and stability in their own markets as long as clubs and fans attempt to separate themselves from the sports landscape .  In my opinion, clubs can only focus on what they know they can accomplish, putting out a quality soccer team at a reasonable entertainment value.  The league can complement the existing American sports calendar, and it has little in the way of competition for large parts of its schedule.  As for fans, supporters, casuals, eurosnobs, or whatever other labels we want to use, the first step to building community is accepting the differences in fan loyalties.