The Beautiful Game: The Other Reason We Watch

Editor's Note: We continue with yet another random, new series on the Free Beer Movement. Soccer fans come in all shapes, colors, and sizes and how they became fans of the sport are as diverse as they are. While most of us are engrossed in the on-field action, the tactics, the drama.... for many it is more personal, more intimate.

Introducing "The Beautiful Game" a series that focuses on the lighter side, the more attractive side of soccer. Don't worry we're not trying to become "Kickette", but, in our ever-expanding quest to cover the cultural side of the sport its hard to look past a pretty face. Our contributor Amanda will be serving up soccer's best specimens from both sexes with a wit that only she can provide.

Please leave your feedback in the comments section!


And we’re back for the second installment of The Beautiful Game! Since this column started off with a look at some old-school Men’s National Team players (deathmatch-style, but still, a look), this time we’re turning the tables and checking out the ladies. (Note: this column is written by a straight girl, but we’re equal-opportunity when it comes to aesthetic appreciation.) And again, we’re going back in time, to appreciate the World Cup-winning 1999 Women’s National Team. And don’t worry, I’m not virtually killing anyone this week.

First up, Kristine Lilly. This woman is amazing. She’s been a player on the WNT for four decades, starting at the very beginning of the program in 1987, when she was in high school, and only retiring last year. She was playing on the WNT before some of her most recent teammates (like Alex Morgan) were even born. She’s played in every Women’s World Cup so far and set the all-time caps record for any national team player - yeah, ANY national team player. Any country, regardless of gender. Kristine Lilly beats them all. And with 352 caps, I’d guess her record is gonna stand for a long time. Basically, I have a total girlcrush on Kristine Lilly, and I hope she comes back to the game in some capacity soon. Though maybe not on the field, because as much as I love her, she probably needs a break, and the WNT definitely needs some new blood.


Next, Mia Hamm. Even though she retired in 2004, I would still bet you money that if you asked an average American to name a soccer player, she’d be one of the first mentioned. She holds the all-time scoring record for a national team player - again, like Kristine Lilly, when I say “all-time,” I mean more than any other player in the recorded history of soccer. I’m trying to come up with analogies to other players and other sports, but I’m getting a little stuck, because so few players have so completely dominated their sport in the way Mia Hamm did. Maybe Michael Jordan? Oh, wait. Nike totally got there ahead of me.

Seven years after her retirement, Mia Hamm is still in a lot of ways the face of women’s soccer in America. Which is amazing, considering that she’s mostly been focusing on her charity and raising her family since then. But when you’re probably the all-time best player in your sport (and pretty darn cute as well), that’s what happens, I guess.

Finally: Brandi Chastain. Yes, this is basically just an excuse to run this picture. Not that Brandi Chastain doesn’t deserve inclusion in this post all on her own merits, but y’all, I love this picture. I wish this were the title image for this whole series. I love the expression on her face, and the muscles in her arms, and just the sheer joy that shows through everything here. This is a beautiful picture, to me, not because of the whole sports-bra issue, but because of everything that’s represented. The years of work from every woman on the field, the luck of winning a shootout, and the elation that comes when it’s your kick that did it. I wasn’t a soccer fan in 1999 when this game happened, but I watched it anyway. And it probably has something to do with why I’m a fan today. Moments like these are what keep you coming back.

Meet Amanda

I'm a lawyer in South Texas, a.k.a. the middle of nowhere. I drive three hours each way to attend all the Dynamo home games I can, and that's only partially because standing with Texian Army gives me a
great view of Tally Hall from behind. Hot players are a bonus, but I'd love the game even if they all looked like Carlos Tevez (the women too). You can find me on The Girls in the Cheap Seats, talking about the American game as part of a rotating cast of smart female fans. I post my own nonsense over at Needs More Kittens,and tweet more than I should here.


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Six-Pack Interview Series: Kyle Sheldon, D.C. United's Director of Marketing Communications (Part 2)

Editor's Note: This is a shorter version of our "12-Pack Interview Series" where we talk to the people, personalities, and groups that are shaping soccer in the United States.

Kyle Sheldon (far left), in action, at the press conference
announcing D.C.'s signing of Charlie Davies.

Selling soccer in America is no easy task. Particularly in cities with many other major sports teams abound makes bursting through all that more difficult. The men and women on the front lines of this marketing war for Major League Soccer and their clubs have their work cut out for them.

We've remarked before that there are MLS clubs doing some amazing things to sell their teams and bring soccer to the forefront of fans minds in the U.S.

If you're a fan of any MLS side you may or may not be aware of all the work that goes into the successful selling of soccer. Today (and tomorrow) the Free Beer Movement hopes to give you an inside look at the marketing efforts of one team, D.C. United.

We spoke with Kyle Sheldon, United's Director of Marketing Communication and self-proclaimed "soccer nerd". He was kind enough to sit down and provide, in excellent and extreme detail, the focus of his department in selling DCU for the 2010 season.

Given Mr. Sheldon's (very welcome) verboseness we've decided to take down a whole six-pack in one sitting may not be the most responsible thing ever so we'll give you all two days to get through it all. Think of it like respecting a very high-alcohol imperial IPA or barleywine... those need to be sipped slowly and enjoyed in their full flavor.

Much like Kyle's words.

[You can read "Part One" of our interview with Kyle Sheldon here.]

4) All season the FBM is focusing on the supporters’ impact on the MLS game. How important is having two major supporters groups for DCU? How do they make your job easier from a marketing perspective?

Our supporters clubs are of paramount importance to our success. Clearly, Barra Brava and Screaming Eagles set the standard for in-game support in MLS. They were doing 15 years ago what you now see in Toronto, Portland and Seattle – and, quite frankly, only Portland has recently approached the same fervor and intensity that our supporters have been bringing to RFK Stadium since 1996. In more recent years, La Norte and District Ultras have also joined the fray. While they’re still smaller than the originals, they’re bringing additional energy to an already rockin’ RFK.

When I have a conversation with someone who hasn’t been to one of our games, I always tell them it can’t be described, that they have to see it in person. One can’t understand what it’s like to experience several thousand people standing, chanting, singing, banging drums, waving flags and generally losing their minds for 90 minutes straight. It is truly awesome. While our product on the field over the last 15 years has – on the whole – been very successful, it’s really our unique supporters culture that has been the factor that sets us apart from other sports teams in-market. None of the other teams have what we have and that is a significant advantage.

From a marketing perspective, our supporters clubs make our job easier by creating one of the most unique experiences you can have at a sporting event. One of the most difficult things we face is trying to communicate that experience outside the 50-year old walls of RFK. You’ll notice in any video we produce, we include several shots of the supporters in action – seats bouncing, flags waving, drums banging. It’s one of the few ways we can attempt to capture that energy.

Also of note, for our College Night program – which saw 200% growth from 2009 to 2010 – we hold seats in several sections just behind the supporters. We don’t want them in the thick of it, but is there anyone that enjoys a rocking good time more than college students? I’d argue there’s one group that enjoys it more – our supporters. We believe large numbers of college kids will enjoy the experience so much that they’ll come back of their own accord.

5) You’re welcoming three International friendlies into town: Manchester United vs. Barcelona (August) and D.C.’s matches against Ajax (May) and Everton (July). All three games are a part of season ticket holders’ package. How do these sorts of matches help DC United’s image in the local market even when the focus is less on your team and more on the high-profile “other” teams? Is any soccer played in D.C. automatically good for DCU?

Our Executive Vice President Stephen Zack did an incredible job of securing games against Ajax and Everton early in the year and negotiating the inclusion of the FC Barcelona-Manchester United game in our season ticket package. Our club has a long history of playing big international opponents over the years. The likes of Real Madrid, AC Milan, Chelsea, Celtic, Newcastle, Bayer Leverkusen, Boca Juniors, Blackburn and many others have made their way to Washington to play United. There are two major opportunities (among others) when hosting these games – 1) the possibility to make significant dollars (still very important for a League that has only a handful or profitable teams) and 2) the opportunity to gain attention from the soccer fan in-market who might not be a D.C. United fan.

I’m not sure If it’s unique to D.C. – I don’t think it is – but, our market has thousands of soccer fans who follow teams from England, Spain, Italy, etc., as well as Central and South America, but aren’t necessarily committed to their hometown club, D.C. United. The success of Toronto and Seattle, in particular, can be attributed to the fact that they were somehow able to capture the imagination, interest and (eventual) support of those very fans. Friendlies against the teams these folks support give us one opportunity to showoff our product – both that seen on the field and that seen off – i.e. our supporters.

Any big-time soccer played in our market is good for us, especially when we own the game. In the case of Barcelona-Man United, we’ve got the possible Champions League final coming to town. The Redskins actually own the game, but we did secure tickets – at significant cost to the club, as we had to pay full price – for our season ticket holders. While the cost was significant, we felt it would be a great value to our most ardent supporters to provide them with a ticket to perhaps the biggest game Washington has seen in a decade. That being said, we also know that we have fans who are only interested in seeing D.C. United play, so we offered those fans the opportunity to exchange their ticket for any other D.C. United match, whether in MLS or U.S. Open Cup play.

In summary, big games against big opponents provide big opportunities. In sum, big is big.

6) What sort of impact has the arrival of Charlie Davies had on ticket sales (season or singles)? From a marketing perspective how has his inclusion (and, so far, success) been a benefit to DCU? Is the hope to sign Davies to a long-term deal?

After scoring his fifth goal in his fourth game (the team’s fifth), Charlie Davies is on pace to score 34 goals in 2011. It’s safe to say, if he keeps up that pace, I think it will be everyone’s hope that we sign him to a 10-year deal. Clearly, though, Ben Olsen and the technical staff will evaluate his play over the entire campaign and decide whether or not to buy his contract from Sochaux at the end of 2011 (which would not come at a small cost).

It’s difficult to say exactly what impact Davies’ arrival has had on specific ticket sales. While it’s clearly had a positive impact, I think it’s safe to say we’ve seen more value from the relative awareness his presence has brought. In the several weeks Davies has been with the team, we’ve seen highlights on SportsCenter, major articles in Sports Illustrated, USA Today, the New York Times, LA Times, Washington Post (on a few occasions) and dozens of interviews for local TV and radio. Still to come in the near future are features on SportsCenter and the CBS Evening News. His story and journey is clearly an incredible one and has resonated well beyond the average soccer fan. While we can measure things like web traffic (which soared when news first hit he was on trial and when we officially signed him) and see the increased media attention, it’s tough to attribute ticket sales directly. That being said, his presence has had nothing but a positive impact in that department.

Beyond the coverage and attention, Charlie is like a lot of the young guys on our team this year – great personality, a willingness to do whatever is asked, a positive attitude and, simply, a lot of fun to be around. In seven seasons with United, I haven’t seen a better group of guys when it comes to helping the club off the field, not to mention that they’re an absolute trip on twitter. Follow our guys here if you like having fun.

To expand upon that point, while Davies has clearly been the biggest story of the year so far, it’s the new-look squad, built in the image of Ben Olsen, that has really made the difference for us in the early stages of 2011. We’ve got a long way to go, both on the field and off, but with one of the youngest rosters in MLS and some of the best young players in the League – things are looking up for D.C. United fans.

I’m excited to be a part of it.

Finally, an offer, from one beer drinker to another:

In honor of the Free Beer Movement, I will be providing a delicious keg of the brand spanking new DC Brau at D.C. United’s May 14 game versus the reigning MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids. 

I’ll host the “Free Beer Movement Party” in our Lot 8 Tailgate beginning at 5pm. In order to qualify for free beer, you must simply bring a D.C. United/MLS newbie to the game, prove you’re over 21 and agree to soccer-nerd talk with me. Send me an email for more details: ksheldon@dcunited.com.

[You can read "Part One" of our interview with Kyle Sheldon here.]


All Photos Courtesy (and with permission) of D.C. United's Flickr account unless otherwise noted. 

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Six-Pack Interview Series: Kyle Sheldon, D.C. United's Director of Marketing Communications (Part One)

Editor's Note: This is a shorter version of our "12-Pack Interview Series" where we talk to the people, personalities, and groups that are shaping soccer in the United States.


Selling soccer in America is no easy task. Particularly in cities with many other major sports teams abound makes bursting through all that more difficult. The men and women on the front lines of this marketing war for Major League Soccer and their clubs have their work cut out for them.

We've remarked before that there are MLS clubs doing some amazing things to sell their teams and bring soccer to the forefront of fans minds in the U.S.

If you're a fan of any MLS side you may or may not be aware of all the work that goes into the successful selling of soccer. Today (and tomorrow) the Free Beer Movement hopes to give you an inside look at the marketing efforts of one team, D.C. United.

From l to r: Corinne Thomas (future Mrs. Sheldon), Kyle Sheldon,
Ben Olsen, and Olson's wife Megan Schoen

We spoke with Kyle Sheldon, United's Director of Marketing Communication and self-proclaimed "soccer nerd". He was kind enough to sit down and provide, in excellent and extreme detail, the focus of his department in selling DCU for the 2010 season.

Given Mr. Sheldon's (very welcome) verboseness we've decided to take down a whole six-pack in one sitting may not be the most responsible so we'll give you all two days to get through it all. Think of it like respecting a very high-alcohol imperial IPA or barleywine... those need to be sipped slowly and enjoyed in their full flavor.

Much like Kyle's words.

[You can read "Part Two" of our interview with Kyle Sheldon here.]

1) D.C. United had a very difficult and tumultuous previous season in Major League Soccer. What’s was the marketing/media strategy going into this season?

2010 was a record-breaking year for D.C. United – unfortunately, as our supporters well know, we were breaking all of the wrong kinds of records. Our struggles on the pitch were widespread and well documented. The only benefit of being out of the playoff race by August was that we were able to turn our attention to 2011 very early on. We began season ticket renewals earlier than almost any year prior and conducted full analysis and evaluation for almost all of our major programs and ticket packages before the season was even over.

We also knew midway through 2010 that we were in the midst of Jaime Moreno’s last season in United black. He truly was the last link to the incredible early years of our club. Heading into 2011, we knew that we’d have a ton of new players that would be relatively unknown, especially to the general market fan. As we discussed our marketing communications strategy during the offseason, we were keenly aware we’d have to introduce a lot of new faces.

We had a number of things fall into place during the offseason the made our jobs a little bit easier. Ben Olsen being named Head Coach gave us a guy who was not only one of the best known players in club history, but someone who is quite possibly one of the best interviews in U.S. soccer. The acquisition of players like Dax McCarty, Josh Wolff and, of course, Charlie Davies, gave us a group of new guys who were not only going to be significant contributors on the field, but who were personable, engaging and great with fans and media alike. We were excited to introduce these guys to D.C. and our broad strategy centered on that idea – we needed to generate general market awareness, enliven and excite our hard-core supporters, and introduce the casual fan to the new faces of D.C. United. Our plan was to do that as best we could via paid advertisements (print, radio, digital, outdoor); local, regional and national media (radio, TV, online); internal content production and distribution (dcunited.com, Facebook, Twitter); and by hosting a series of local events that would draw fan attention and media coverage.

2) Your pre-season marketing efforts, and correct me if I’m wrong, seemed to focus on getting the United brand out into the larger D.C. market and was directed at potential casual fans. I’m going to list a few of the more recognizable ones and hope you can comment on what each one was, why you chose these opportunities, and what was the goal for each.

You’re not wrong. You’re spot on. In fact, I wrote the above answer before reading this question and you’ll notice we used almost the exact same language. To reiterate, gone were the likes of Jaime Moreno, Luciano Emilio, Christian Gomez, Ben Olsen and others that were well known in D.C. over the previous several years. We were coming off a terrible season and had a lot of new players and needed to reenergize a fan base and market.

* Ads at Metro stops and on Metro buses:

Our marketing team identified very early on the need to garner general market awareness via outdoor advertising. In short, people weren’t encountering our brand often enough to make an impact. Coupled with the fact that we had the previously mentioned new faces, our approach was two-fold – we wanted to smack people in the face with the D.C. United badge and introduce our new players. In other words, we needed to recapture some of the relevancy that was lost after missing playoffs for three straight seasons.

Our idea was not a novel one – we created a series of identifiers for some of our key players (Dax McCarty was The Engine, Andy Najar was The Phenom, Chris Pontius was The Workhorse, Santino Quaranta was The Veteran, etc.) and centered everything on the new man in charge – The General, Ben Olsen.

The call-to-action was simple (and centered around one of our most valuable assets): Join Olsen’s Army. The creative – designed by our Creative Director Ben Mahler – was also clean and simple. Big badge. Big player image. Very little copy. We wanted something that stood out amongst the clutter and didn’t try to do more than it needed to.

We did a mix of outdoor ads – within metro stations, on buses and at bus stops. We also did one large wallscape featuring Davies and Andy Najar, in a young, trendy neighborhood that hit just a few weeks before the home opener. To achieve the wide mix of (costly) ads, we worked with our partners, adidas, who supported a large portion of the total outdoor ad buy.

We received incredible feedback from our supporters. One of the benefits we hoped to see occurred very early on – our hard-core supporters were so jazzed to see their team represented around the city that they were tweeting, commenting on facebook and posting photos frequently. It empowered them to be excited about their team again.

I personally knew the campaign was a success when Ben Olsen – who was featured across all ads – pulled me aside and said, “what have you guys done? I can’t eat breakfast in this city anymore without someone coming up to me and saying ‘hey, you’re the general!’” I told Ben I was sorry… but that that’s exactly what we wanted.

* Third jersey launch at the Washington Auto Show:

Where United is, there also is Volkswagen. VW is obviously our biggest partner and is closely tied to everything we do. When conceiving of a launch for our third kit, we wanted something that was both different and high profile. We had several people internally working directly with Volkswagen – who invested a hefty amount of money in the event – to help us pull off the reveal during the busiest day of the Washington Auto Show, which sees tens of thousands of people come through the Washington Convention Center over a long weekend in February. 


We had a huge 15x15 foot replica 3^rd jersey made and hung behind the stage and stationed a couple of good lookin’ VWs stage left and right. Of interest, we were somehow able to keep the kit under wraps until the actual reveal – something that is very rare these days. That led to significant web traffic for those wanting to see the new kit. Following the reveal our large jersey was hung at the Convention Center entry way for the remainder of the show. It ended up being a great crossover event that put us in front of a ton of people who might not have otherwise encountered our brand.

* United truck cruising the streets (and at D.C.’s Shamrock Fest):

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tbridge/

Our Marketing Manager, Amanda Farina, discovered the AdVan – why it’s called an AdVan and not an AdTruck is beyond me – while doing some research last year. The Portland Timbers used the truck for some of their promotions in 2010 and we immediately dug the uniqueness and high visibility the truck provided. In working with the Portland-based crew at All Points Media, we were able to secure the services of a truck the three weeks leading into our home opener. It aligned perfectly with our pre-season Olsen’s Army campaign and we jumped at the chance to do it. We were also lucky to work with a video production company based out of Minneapolis, Elite Edge, to create a really sick 90-second spot that played on a loop while the truck was out. The truck was in-market for 21 days and spent eight hours a day driving around downtown D.C., Northern Virginia and Bethesda, Maryland. We targeted high traffic areas around rush hour, lunch and big events (Capitals and Wizards games, concerts, Shamrock Fest, etc.). The driver also periodically parked the truck during the day and handed out home opener information and various premium items (key chains, sack packs, hats, tees).

* Ben’s Olsen’s Chili Bowl:

This little promotion was a bit of a miracle. As we entered the last two weeks before the home opener, we were looking for one more promotion that would generate general market interest and local media coverage. 

We worked with a topnotch local agency – AKQA – who conceived of the idea and helped us execute the entire thing in six days. For those that don’t know, Ben’s Chili Bowl is a D.C. landmark on U Street. It’s the most well known eatery in all of D.C. and happens to be about two blocks from Ben Olsen’s house. The Thursday before our Saturday home opener we took over Ben’s Chili Bowl and turned it into “Ben Olsen’s Chili Bowl.” The takeover included new signage on the front of the store and our giant 3^rd kit hung up on the side of the building. From 6-7pm Thursday evening, we had Benny, Charlie Davies and Dax McCarty behind the counter giving out free half-smokes – their signature meal – to all in attendance. AKQA designed an exclusive “Ben Olsen’s Chili Bowl” t-shirt and anyone who purchased tickets to the home opener or checked-in to the Ben Olsen’s Chili Bowl location on foursquare received one for free. The full-time staff wore either a 3^rd kit or D.C. United branded aprons the entire day.

We generated coverage from local TV affiliates, Comcast SportsNet and several local blogs. And, it was a whole ton of fun.


Video of the event:

3) Thus far most MLS teams haven’t tied much marketing to the coach, but you guys have made a pretty big deal about having people declare they’re apart of “Olsen’s Army”. Was this because Olsen has just as much name recognition as players on the team (being a former member of DCU)? Are you wary of tying your efforts too closely with a coach if things don’t go well?

Ben Olsen is the absolute man. Our fans adored him for the way he played – with heart, passion, grit, and determination – and loved his honesty and commitment to the team off the field. Because of his work in the community, he was and is very well connected outside of the soccer-loving public. In other words, he’s one of the best-known sports figures in Washington.

When he was named as the team’s Head Coach at the end of November last fall, we knew we had a guy that our supporters would get behind immediately.  As we discussed how to best integrate Benny into our pre-season campaign, we borrowed from a song our fans had sung for years in support of the head coach. The simple first lyrics of the song are “we’re all part of Benny’s army, we’re all out to win the League.” We made a slight adjustment using his last name in the formal campaign, but felt the message was just as strong. The call to action simple – join us.

Additionally, the Olsen’s Army campaign was conceived primarily as a pre-season initiative, so we instituted it knowing it would phase out as we got into the season and began to focus more on specific games. The team continues to do well – and the campaign has been successful enough – that we still use the tagline periodically. Clearly, if things don’t go well it becomes more difficult to use, but we also believe Ben has built up a lot of 
“political capital” with our supporters and that they’d support him through any potential early struggles.




[You can read "Part Two" of our interview with Kyle Sheldon here.]


All Photos Courtesy (and with permission) of D.C. United's Flickr account unless otherwise noted. 


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Better Know A Supporters Group - Red Patch Boys

We continue to expand our coverage of American soccer culture with our series "Better Know a Supporters Group," just like Steven Colbert's "Better Know a District" from "The Colbert Report". 

Our goal: to feature each of the MLS teams' supporters groups. We've sent e-mails to each and every SG in Major League Soccer and soon you'll be able to check all what each is all about and what awesomeness they have to contribute to our growing American soccer world.

When we devised this idea a while back it was cool to be able to see what each supporter group is about, but in light of the terrible, one-sided, anti-American, condescending profile of Philadelphia's Sons of Ben SG by the British GQ (not even going to link to it to give them the site hits) we think its all the more important to give supporters groups in Major League Soccer the proper exposure and voice they deserve.

Today we feature "Red Patch Boys", supporters of Toronto FC.

As told to the Free Beer Movement by RPB President Boris Aguilar (and others).


The Basics

MLS Club: Toronto FC

SG Name: Red Patch Boys (RPB)

Stadium: BMO Field

Year SG Founded: 2006

Section Name (if other than SG name): The Bunker

Any other SGs apart of your section? No

Location of SG in Stadium (section #, side, direction): Our home is section 112 in the south end, however, we have groups of RPBs scattered throughout the stadium

The Meaty Questions


What are the origins of your groups’ name?

The name Red Patch Boys (RPB) was chosen as a way to pay homage to the veterans of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division of the Second World War, known as Red Patch Devils by axis troops in recognition of their bravery and perseverance. The name was modified and is now worn as a symbol of pride and to emulate camaraderie.

Favourite chants/songs?


We have quite a few and the full list can be found on our site here.

However a few favourites that have spread beyond the supporters sections including the bounce, the massive and most recently sloop TFC.

The Bounce

The Massive

Why is sitting in the supporters section the “best seat in the house”?

This is where the energy of the stadium is the strongest – it starts here and then resonates throughout the rest of the stadium. Just as important you are standing shoulder to shoulder with individuals who all share the same undying passion for the club and for the sport.

Danny Dichio tribute banner.

Brag. What makes your SG one of the best supporters groups in MLS?


The Red Patch Boys, in its five year history have achieved a great deal. We have about 500 paid members, and 2500 registered users on our message board. We achieved what MLS considers the best supporter display (Danny Dichio tribute banner) and we firmly believe we had some great competition.

We also have a unified voice that can stir things up and cause change. Back at the end of the 2010 season, the supporters felt that they were being priced out of the stadium. We also felt that the ticket price increase was not justified. The membership was furious and after weeks of debate we as a group decided to launch the ‘Wear Green Campaign’. The reason why we chose green was because it was the colour of greed which we felt that our front office was exhibiting. This campaign gained recognition throughout the league and made headlines in local media and even the New York Times.

The Red Patch Boys are also proud to travel and support our team. Distance has proven not to be an issue for our group from the Cruz Azul game in Mexico City to somewhere closer like Columbus we proudly travel and cheer on our team.

Finally, RPB members come from across Canada and even overseas and the membership as a whole is composed of people that are more than just supporters. Our membership is a family.


Greatest game(s) in team history?

To win the 2009 Canadian Championship and secure a spot in the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League the team needed to win it's final game against Montreal by 5 goals. This kind of result is quite rare but June 18 2009 a large contingent of TFC supporters made their way to Montreal. On that rainy night in Montreal a "miracle" happened. Montreal was first on the score sheet but after that it all turned around and TFC pulled out a miraculous 6-1 win and secured the 2009 Championship

Predictions for this season?

We believe it’s a year of rebirth – we expect to see positive change this season, both on the field and in the stands. As fans we truly hope to see the playoffs however as supporters we also know this is another year of rebuilding from the ground up.

During Mo Johnston’s era, we felt that the team used band-aid solutions to our team which never really accomplished anything. However with the change in management this year and a new director of soccer who has a vision for the club we believe that the future is bright for TFC. With this vision new players have arrived, a new attitude is visible from the club on and off the pitch and frankly it is a breath of fresh air for supporters.


Why Major League Soccer? Why North American soccer?

North America is a sleeping giant for the sport and year over year though it continues to grow and expand. We believe that we’re on the verge of seeing big things in this league as it continues to focus on expansion in key markets and most importantly quality player development. Beyond just MLS and TFC an investment in this league results in investment in all the smaller developing leagues (CSL, USL, etc) within both countries which directly benefits our national teams.

For more information and/or to join the Red Patch Boys... check out their website.

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VIDEO - MLS MatchDay 360: Portland Timbers Home Opener

Courtesy of Portland Timber's Facebook page.

Incredible scenes from Portland Timber's long-awaited home opener.  The Timbers Army (our first supporters group feature) arrived early and was in full voice for their singing of the National Anthem.

The match itself was no let down. The Timbers opened the scoring early and piled on to a 3-0 lead only to see their opponents, the Chicago Fire climb back to 3-2. A late goal mouth scramble score sealed Portland's 4-2 christening win at JELD-WEN Stadium.

Take in all the scenes of this amazing night with Major League Soccer's MatchDay 360 video:



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The SOB Cup - Sponsored by Free Beer Movement

It's on folks! Today!

If you're in the Twin Cities area, like soccer, and like free beer then you should stop by the SOB Cup. Watch some quality amateur soccer, take down a beer or two, and help "Pints for Prostrates" while you're at it.

For more information, check out Stegman's Old Boys website.


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Going Suds Up: The Best Soccer, The Best Beer

By Kirsten Schlewitz / Senior West Coast Beer and Aston Villa Correspondent 

This week, it’s time to move away from the thrilling and slightly scary realm of Turkish football and back into the safety zone – not the zone keeping teams away from the relegation zone, but the nice easy place in which we can watch matches in English without straining too much.  And, of course, the matches to watch this week are the derbies (when aren’t they, really? Oh yes, when Aston Villa and Birmingham City play one another).  On Saturday, Manchesters City and United meet in the FA Cup semi-final, and just a few hours later, at 3pm CST, Real Madrid and Barcelona face off in the second El Clásico of the season, with two more to come. In keeping with the derby theme, we’re putting beer against beer this week, and you’ll have to judge the winners for yourselves.

Manchester City v Manchester United (11am CT, Fox Soccer Channel)

Amnesia Brewing Copacetic IPA v Deschutes Brewing Inversion IPA

Portland, the city that often plays second fiddle to Seattle, offers up the setting for this first battle of the beers. Amnesia is the little upstart company that could, sitting off one of the main streets in what essentially looks like a garden shed. Deschutes, meanwhile, sits squarely in the tony Pearl District, lord of the Brewery Blocks. Ok, so this analogy doesn’t really work. But try the beers for yourself, anyway.

Copacetic  is not a typical west coast IPA—it’s not a hop bomb, it doesn’t overpower you with a bitter grapefruit finish that just lasts and lasts. This one’s aroma is much spicier, with a bit of caramel to balance. The taste does have some citrus, but it’s balanced by the hops, with the final taste nice and peppery.

Inversion is one of those beers you can probably get at any decent grocery store at any place in the country. They probably even make knockoffs to sell at half the price. There’s nothing over the top about it—it’s simply a consistently well-brewed IPA. Although this one certainly does have the citrus flavors expected from this style, they’re balanced by plenty of malts, making it taste all caramely before the grapefruit finish.

Real Madrid v Barcelona (3pm CT, ESPN3 and ESPN Deportes)

Russian River Consecration v Lost Abbey Framboise de Amorosa

It’s not an inner city derby, so rather than give you two beers from the same city, I give you two beers from arguably two of the best brewers in California, two that are often going up against one another in a race for supremacy. Careful, though…either one of these is likely to leave a sour taste in your mouth.

Consecration. What better beer to offer to the team lead by the man that anointed himself the Special One? Love him, hate him, love to hate him, but like this sour ale, Jose Mourinho is a great balance of tart and sweet, as well as carbonation and smoothness. Ok, maybe Mou’s not carbonated, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the media believed he could stick his finger in a glass of still water and turn it sparkling. This delicious beer tastes tart, of red fruits and currants with a hint of oak.

Well, of course Barcelona gets the beer with love right in the title. Ever notice how people who attempt to criticize Barca become stigmatized, forced to live on the edges of society? You must love the Catalan club and if you don’t, you better at least love Leo Messi. I imagine Messi smells just like this beer, of sun-ripened raspberries and lazy summer days. I will not extend this comparison any further, however. Messi is a footballing god and he must be treated as such, not made the subject of any tawdry analogies. This sour ale is, well, sour, tasting mostly of raspberries with a bit of rose petals thrown in. Yeah, it sounds weird, but I promise, this one’s both soothing and exciting. 

About Kirsten

I may be a law student at Lewis and Clark, but soccer is my true love, with beer coming in a distant second. That's not to say I don't love beer--I've tasted over a thousand different brews, and listed many of them onRatebeer. Living in Portland, Oregon, I attend quite a few festivals and tastings, and am able to argue passionately about the merits of Cascade hops vs. Chinook. 

As for the soccer, I'm the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Aston Villa site, 7500 to Holte, the Italy Editor for SB Nation Soccer, and cover the Seattle Sounders on SBN Seattle (don't judge--I'm from Seattle!) Finally, I write for Two Footed Tackle when I find words worthy enough for the site. Want more? Follow me on Twitter!

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Doing Good With a Brew - The SOB Cup with Pints for Prostates

This weekend our amateur soccer club friends, the Stegman's Old Boys, are hosting their first annual SOB Cup in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One reason we like these guys? They love their beer.

The SOBs have a hilariously serious "club site" where they have a profile series drinking beer with their players and, best of all, they're sponsored by a local homebrew company, Northern Brewer.

Most importantly this group of SOBs are having their first organized tournament this weekend with a number of other local Minneapolis sides. The event will feature FREE BEER and brewing demonstrations from Northern Brewer with the tourney champions drinking homebrew from the SOB Cup. Sounds like plenty of quality FBM-time if you're in the area.

Now for the "Doing Good With a Brew" part of the this feature. The SOBs depart from their name and are sponsoring the charity, Pints for Prostates.

If you've in the Twin Cities area then you should check out the inaugural SOB Cup with loads of opportunities for FREE BEER and also a charitable cause.

Oh, oh... and there are post-tourney drink specials at The Tin Cup as well. This thing is chalk full of opportunities for soccer newbies to be exposed to the beautiful game Free Beer Movement-style!

For more information check out the tournament schedule.


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USMNT Celebrity DeathMatch: Mexico Edition

Today we're revisiting both our "USMNT Celebrity Death Match" series and the classic US vs. Mexico series.


The regional rivalry has, in the last ten or so years, reached a cresendo of competition. All-time, Mexico holds the advantage 32-15-11 (W-L-T), outscoring the U.S.126-65, but since 2000 the U.S. has rebounded owning a  10-4-2 record against their continental counterparts, including a quarterfinal win in the 2002 World Cup and the 2007 Gold Cup final victory (that led to our run in the 2009 Confederations Cup).


The recent ownage of Mexico (minus that B-squad loss in the 2009 Gold Cup and at Azteca) has fueled numerous conflicts with the increasingly frustrated "El Tri".


A few of our most favorite moments from the the USMNT's recent history with our southern neighbors.


Here's to hoping we can pay them back in this summer's Gold Cup for 2009!


Any other points or events on our timeline to add FBM community? Favorite US-Mexico memories? Favorite villains? 


Vote for the most outrageous moment below!


Cobi Jones v. Rafa Marquez: Now The Head Butt is on the Other Foot (June 2002)

Oguchi Onyewu vs. Jared Borgetti: What are you looking at? (2005?)

Gooch just melted Borgetti's face with this stare.

Eddie Johnson v. Oswaldo Sanchez: Dirty (Attempted) Tackle (February 2007)

Photographic Evidence - Donovan: Goal. Johnson: Celebration. Sanchez: Dirty.

Video Evidence:




Tim Howard v. Rafa Marquez: !Otra Vez con el Tarjeta Roja! (February 2009)

Mexico captain Rafa Marquez karate kicks USMNT keeper Tim Howard.



Frankie Hejduk v. Mexican Ass(istant) Coach: Spicy Slap (February 2009)

After the above USMNT victory over Mexico our man Frankie gets slapped by Mexican assistant coach Paco Ramirez.

Honest Hejduk:

"I was just trying to pump the crowd up [as he was leaving the field]. I was actually saying, 'F*&% yeah!' I think they thought I was saying, 'F*&% you.' It was a misunderstanding and I can see why they would be a little bit upset if they thought I was saying the other one, which I wasn't. At the end of the day, no one was hurt. There was a little love tap and that was it. I still have my face. No damage done. It was fun. That's just how emotional this game is and that's how passionate they are about their sport. It was none of their players -- I want to make that clear to everyone."

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