Free Beer Match Day in Minneapolis with the Dark Clouds

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By Jim Oliver / Dark Clouds Supporter


The Dark Clouds are a wide open group of jackasses that support soccer in Minnesota, focusing mostly on supporting Minnesota's second division NASL side, the NSC Minnesota Stars. The Dark Clouds have been making free beers a pillar of this summer's efforts to get new fans to come out to experience Minnesota's highest level of professional soccer, and this Memorial Day weekend's game against FC Tampa Bay was marked on the calendar as a game to make a big effort.

The Dark Clouds are camped out at the National Sports Center parking lot before every Stars home game, grilling on the park's huge charcoal grill and shouting encouragement to the youth clubs that are usually competing on the NSC's fields nearby the main stadium. This weekend the group made the pregame festivities particularly special by buying a few cases of Minnesota's finest brews from Summit Brewing, Surly, and Schell's to entice Minnesota's local-vores to sample the game along with their favorite beers. New fans got a beer the minute nobody recognized their faces. Experienced fans who brought their newbie friends got signed up for raffle prizes including scarves, t-shirts, and even the newly unveiled away jersey that is Admiral Sportswear's take on the old NASL team kit from the Minnesota Kicks.

Many Minnesotan soccer fans had a bad taste in their mouths from the local Fox affiliate all but pre-empting Champions League final coverage to give us second-by-second updates on weather that might have turned into a tornado (but didn't). You can see the video of their weather porn overshadowing soccer here. Thankfully, those that showed up to "the Nessy" got their soccer needs seen to with two entertaining U16 matches during the tailgate, followed by a riveting display of attacking soccer. Thanks to two outstanding goalkeeping performances from Joe Warren and Jeff Attinella we didn't have any goals to cheer for, but the shots came hot and heavy enough to work the Dark Clouds up into a singing, chanting frenzy.

Free beer is a way of life for Dark Clouds, who always have an extra hot dog, Grain Belt, or ticket handy for newcomers at the Nessy. When we really put our heads down and organize some giveaways and prizes to get new folks out the Stars do their part by putting on a great show for us. Here's to a long summer of Free Beer and good soccer!




There's lots more great photos of Stars action photos that our local photog Jeremy Olson takes every home game viewable here.

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