That’s right. Today, we’re not going to talk about how secretive the Philadelphia Union regime is, what the real numbers are on the books against the salary budget, how the club is going to score goals without Sebastien Le Toux, or the various things in life that the ever nebulous allocation money cannot buy you. We won’t propose that Edward Scissorhands become Dan Borislow’s surprise new proctologist, and we won’t mourn the loss of a season’s worth of Tasha Kai appearances. (OK, we will, but it’ll be quiet.) To take it further, we won’t even ponder who the unnamed Union trialists are (because we have the great new drinking game known as “Name That Trialist!” which comes complete with camera, Internet, and two shot glasses as you try to identify the Union trialist who might some day get deported to Siberia or Trinidad).

Nope! We’re going to change the subject to something happier, more inane, but equally interesting. And that’s this:

No, this logo does not represent the Electricians Union.

Why hasn’t the nickname “Snakes” caught on for the Union? 

Come on. It never struck you that the Union logo was designed in part with that in mind?

Sure, I get where “Philadelphia Union” comes from, the union of the states.

Admittedly, when I first heard the name, my reaction was, “You’re naming the team after Philadelphia’s unions? Great, they’re going to be a bunch of thugs at political rallies, their coach will have a colorful nickname like ‘Johnny Doc,’ and the stadium construction crews will strike on a regular basis, resulting in PPL Park never getting built.”

Eventually, the name grew on me, and me and my history degree had to like the reference back to that classic 1754 Ben Franklin cartoon from the Pennsylvania Gazette. These days, many would agree that Philadelphia Union is one of the best team names in the league, even if most people don’t know whether to call them “Philadelphia Union” or “the Philadelphia Union.”

How do Delawareans feel about Ben Franklin's classic cartoon omitting Delaware (and Georgia)?

But putting the snake into the Union logo? A clear stroke of marketing and artistic genius. Perfect symbolism, and a built-in nickname waiting to happen.

And … still waiting.

Why?

Could it be that Philadelphia Union translated to “the Union,” so they didn’t need another nickname?

Would it have caught on more if there was no “the Union” and the team had no shorthand name, like Toronto FC?

Did it seem so obvious that the contrarians otherwise known as American soccer fans actively chose not to go for it?

Beats me.

So I’m asking you: Why not?

Why not the Snakes?

(You have to admit: This is better than dwelling on last week’s absolute train wreck. I’m trying to distract you and make you think happy thoughts. So … think happy thoughts.)

But if you see me walking by,
And the tears are in my eyes,
Look away, baby, look away.
If we meet on the streets someday,
And I don’t know what to say,
Look away, baby, look away.
Don’t look at me;
I don’t want you to see me this way.

CHICAGO, “LOOK AWAY”

“Tim, you just got Sebastien Le Toux, lucky b@stard”

That quote is from a text I got the day before Thanksgiving in 2009 after the expansion Philadelphia Union grabbed a Seattle Sounders player Sebastien Le Toux in the expansion draft. That text was from my friend Seattle Keith, a Sounders fan.

I never forgot the text because, when it got closer and closer to the Union beginning their existence, where players were in and out, where there were rumors all over the place (remember the Clarence Seedorf rumor? The RAUL rumor? You won’t forget that Raul rumor because it lasted for 15 seconds and here we are three years later and I still havent shut up about it), the SuperDraft—all along I said,“You know, this Le Toux seems like a lot of fun, Sounders fans are angry to lose him, this could be fun.”

Needless to say, from that first Union season on, Seattle Keith was right. Sebastien le Toux put his (purple clad) foot on the gas, and never lifted it. Not only did he have the instinct to score goals, what made him an absolute BLAST to watch was that he just never stopped moving. He never stopped running, and at the end of his 90 minutes (because he played every minute) all you could say was “WHAT A WARRIOR.” We all even watched that French documentary about him in Philadelphia. (Thank you Madam Beachey from 9th Grade French class, I could understand about every 15th word.)

Just for the record. I’m grateful to Seattle for four things:

1. Jimi Hendrix
2. FRASIER
3. Nirvana
4. Sebastien Le Toux

The Union and Le Toux were dynamic enough to make my brother Bryan a HUGE Union fan. My brother Bryan is a bit of a warrior himself. Long story short, he works excecutive security for a very important national landmark. It’s a landmark that bad guys may someday wish to attack, so as a result, my brother and his fellow warrior friends are highly trained guys and their days are their nights, their nights are their days. So for these guys, following sports isn’t easy because they never get to watch them during their 12-16 hour days. That changed when we were watching the Union do their thing in Year One. Sebastien Le Toux converted a mighty penalty kick, and my brother has been hooked ever since.

Last summer, I took my brother and some kind folks to see the UNION vs the Galaxy. It was a PACKED house with many new fans. Maybe they were there to see David Beckham, but he skipped that game. I think he had to clip his toenails or catch up on reruns of “DALLAS” on his DVR so he didn’t make the trip with the team. He wasn’t missed, because I had the joy of watching so many fans enjoying the LIVE Le Toux experience for the first time. On TV he’s great. But live, it’s so much more fun, because you can see whenever you want that he really doesn’t stop—he runs the entire time, looking to make a play happen. I’m not sure what I enjoyed more, the usual live Le Toux experience or watching the Union fans, who, like my brother Bryan, were enjoying their first LIVE Le Toux experience. This is how everyone looked who’d watched him for the first time: both palms up, shoulders shrugged, eyebrows arched and goofy grin. This Le Toux guy was something special, and we were ALL apart of it.

It doesn’t end there. After Le Toux would leave it all out there on the field, HE would be the one who was grateful. He would stay after the game walking around the field countless times and applaud the fans for being there for him. I took a snap shot, courtesy of my crappy Blackberry. The stands are practically empty and he’s still out there applauding every last fan. It’s the type of guy he is.

Now, this morning I heard the insane news that Sebastien Le Toux is leaving town to go to Vancouver. I don’t know why, but at this stage in the game, I treat Union head honcho Peter Nowak’s decisions the same way I treat Radiohead songs, LOST episodes or the ZELDA videogames when I was a kid: I don’t understand them, but I’ll go with it.

So with that said, I can only wish Sebastien Le Toux the best and hope that, here in Philadelphia, his Union jersey will get the same “immediate classic throwback” status that Allen Iverson, Mike Schmidt, Brian Dawkins shirts get around town. We’ll miss his fire, his easter egg colored boots and his flash mob commercial goal scoring dance. Vancouver Whitecaps fans? I’m passing along the same message I received when we got Sebastien Le Toux: ”You just got Sebastien Le Toux, lucky b@stards”

Please feel free to share your favorite Le Toux moments below.

The announcement that pro soccer was coming to Philly was a big shot in the arm for the city.

Yet, before the Union had even played a match, the Phillies were World Series champions, the Eagles were oh-so-close to the Super Bowl, and the 76ers were doing something poorly somewhere.

Philly always supported its sports teams (just nod basketball fans). But with so much sudden success for the Big Two, and with no soccer-specific stadium, would the Union still be able to win the city over?

Yes. And how.

But that was 2010. Most fans will admit that the team could have lost every game and sold out every match. The first go-around has novelty and excitement; the mere existence of a MLS team was enough to keep people chanting until the final whistle blew, long after the Union had been eliminated from playoff contention. The beautiful, new stadium opened, the tickets were cheap, and the ride out to Chester doesn’t seem all that long the first twelve times.

Now it is 2011.

The Phillies are back in the playoffs. In fact, they are far and away the best team in the National League. They have the best pitching rotation since Steve Avery disappeared from Atlanta into the cornfield. They picked up the best available player at the trade deadline. Anything less than a World Series win will be disappointing.

The Eagles picked up every NFL free agent that was good. They brought back one of the most exciting players ever to play quarterback, they have stars at every skill position, and they have the only coach who makes you start humming a certain catchy Beatles tune every time you see him.

The 76ers are doing something poorly somewhere, but they aren’t doing it as a team this time.

And the Union, after a season of exceedingly ugly yet supremely exciting soccer, are in the thick of the playoff hunt.

So who do you love?

When the Phils and the Union were on at the same time who did you watch? Sure this is the baseball playoffs, but a win would all but secure a postseason spot for the Union.

Who do you think about? Are the Union still as important to you as they were last year? Are you worn out by the long season? Sick of the Drunken Foosball offense?

It’s ok. Nobody will hold it against you. But now that the Union are firmly entrenched in the Philadelphia sports scene, it’s time to find out where they stand in the hierarchy.

Has your soccercitement waned with the arrival of football season and the baseball playoffs? Have you changed all your passwords from DOOP to DOC? Are you playing FIFA or Madden?

Now that it’s crunch time in the Philadelphia sports world: Who do you love?

Loading up: a successful campaign is all about the logistics

Let’s get this Doop on the road

Rally, ho!

You will hear us before you see us

Rising to the top…

…After all, we are above you in more ways than one.

Nice facilities you got here

You call that an eagle? We know Eagles.

Scooooorrrrrned!

Going commando

Banging it

Supporting our Doops

So I’m one of those people who brought five or more newbies to Philadelphia Union games last year.

When Adam posted the poll earlier this week, I was surprised to find I wasn’t the only one. Over 25 percent of the 128 people who took the poll took that many too. That says something about American soccer.

Yes, random people can become Major League Soccer fans.

All those I brought came away having enjoyed the games. None were clear soccer fans beforehand, but none were soccer haters either. Their experiences and profiles may tell a bit about some untapped potential out there.

Patrick, 39

My buddy, Patrick, played middle linebacker for his high school football team and then went on to become a part-time stage actor, full-time tech guru and die-hard Phillies fan. He knew I played soccer every weekend, and he was looking for something to do to get in shape. You better start running or biking first before playing soccer, I told him. He did — and he did.

When I went for season tickets though, I kept him in mind, and when he learned we could get season tickets for just $300, he went in with me and my buddy, Bekele, for three seats. As it turned out, Bekele ended up only going to a few games during the season. He is Ethiopian and has a lifelong love of the game, but he just didn’t always have time.

Patrick kept coming to games though. He clearly liked the game play, but he also liked the atmosphere and something interesting to do with friends. He’d never been a soccer fan before, and it was a unique experience at the stadium. It was also close to where he lives in nearby Havertown, so it was convenient. Plus, you’re in and out in two hours.

He liked the experience enough that he even wrote up his own Union song as an alternative to the Doop thing. Needless to say, it didn’t catch on.

Patrick’s going to the L.A. Galaxy match in May without me. The bastard.

Bryan, 33

Bryan’s a big New York Rangers and Mets fan, but for the first 12 years I’d known him, I had no idea he’d ever kicked a soccer ball. As it turned out, he had, but he hadn’t paid attention to the sport in nearly 20 years.

He was visiting in Philly the weekend of the home opener last year at the Linc, so he came to the game.

Like everyone else there, he totally got into it, though he seemed pretty surprised that he did. The Union were playing well, and the fans were going nuts.

And then there were those nutty guys going crazy the whole game.

Who are those guys, Bryan asked. The Sons of Ben, I explained. As he watched them curse out opponents, chant the whole game, generally go insane, Bryan fell in love. It might have been platonic, but he was hooked. Those guys are awesome, he said. The Brooklyn part of him really appreciated the abuse they heaped on D.C. United. I think the Army veteran in him liked it too.

When the D.C. United fans started throwing beer and bottles down at Union fans from the upper tier, he liked it that much more. I explained to him that the Linc doesn’t sell water bottles with the caps on. He thought it was because they wanted to prevent people from throwing caps. I said, Nuh uh. It’s because the caps keep the water in the bottle and make it more aerodynamic, thereby creating it a superior projectile weapon to an open bottle. He was pretty impressed. New Yorkers have an instinctive disdain toward Philly sports fans, but Bryan found some kindred spirits that day at the Linc.

Nick, 12

Nick had never been to a soccer match, and he didn’t play soccer. But we had an extra ticket one day (I forget which game) when Bekele couldn’t make it, so we took Patrick’s nephew, Nick.

Well, Nick’s a quiet kid, and for most of the game, you couldn’t tell whether he was into it or not. He had this sort of deer-in-the-headlights thing going on, this blank look that made you wonder what was going on upstairs, if anything. Then a goal got scored. Then another. The crowd’s going nuts, and finally an expression emerges on Nick’s face. Is it a smile? Is it enjoyment? Excitement? Seriously, the kid should play poker.

Then something happened in the stands. Yelling between fans, FU this, up yours that, shove it up your hole there, how about we take it outside there. Beer’s spilling, curses are flying, two teams are fighting like hell on the field, the ref’s making bad calls so we’re yelling at the ref, and suddenly, it became obvious: Nick was having a blast.

Yes, we should have known. Cross ultimate fighting with soccer, and you’ll hook every 12-year-old boy in America.

Patrick got Nick a Union jersey to bring home with him, but the kid was still quiet. I pressed him on whether he liked the game, and he gave the typical 12-year-old boy’s answer: “Yeah.” And that was about all the elaboration I was going to get.

A few weeks later, I picked Patrick up in Havertown for another game. Nick was outside with a soccer ball and a Union jersey. Yep, confirmed: A convert.

Lavinia, 34

My wife is Brazilian, so she has a certain appreciation for the beautiful game. No, she doesn’t play the game. She doesn’t even watch it regularly. Rather, she’s like most Brazilians: Basically, any excuse to have a party is good enough for her, and there’s no party like a soccer party in Brazil. She doesn’t really know anything about the game (she thinks the Brazilian league is better than the European leagues) and wouldn’t go to a game without me unless there was a World Cup party involved.

Admittedly, she’s not that difficult a convert at a Union game. She loves the Sons of Ben because they remind her of the crazy fans in Brazil, but she also has that hardcore Philly way about her that really loves to tell someone off to their face — you know, sort of like the SoBs do every game. There are tons of people at soccer matches, so it’s kind of like a big party. The game doesn’t take too long, so she’s inclined to stay and watch. Yeah, she’s pretty simple. I can take her to any game I want. (I even took her to a Galaxy match while we were in Los Angeles last year.) So yeah, I’m not going to devote too much space to her. Brazilians are easy converts.

Avalon, 13

I took my stepdaughter to a couple games last season. She has dual American-Brazilian citizenship, so soccer is in her DNA — sort of.  As with my wife, she doesn’t really love the game for the game itself, though she enjoys playing it (but isn’t very good).  She’s more an artist. And she can get bored very easily.

When I took her to the Toronto game last year, she practically fell asleep during the first half. Literally. I mean droopy eyes, nodding head. True, she’d stayed up late the night before when staying over a friend’s house, so she was short on sleep, but seriously, falling asleep at a sports match?

Well, it was a boring first half. I couldn’t blame her. Negative soccer turns me off too.

Add to that the fact that she didn’t like the Sons of Ben because of the cursing. We teach her not to curse, and there they were, cursing out the goalie every goal kick. Why? What good did it do? What’s the point? She’s not a stuffy kid, but I could see it made her uncomfortable. So sleeping through that? Maybe not such a bad thing.

Then the second half started. Yawn, sniff, anyway. And –

GOAL! Orozco scores! Heads in a corner from Le Toux!

The stadium explodes with joy. Everyone’s going nuts. Cheering, yelling, singing, music, excitement, raw passion.

Well, guess who wakes up?

From that moment on, she was into the game as much as anyone, jumping to her feet on close plays, joining us in cheering, and the like. The game picked up, Toronto dug in, and the play got fast and fluid. When Toronto equalized, she was as crushed as everyone else. And when Jack McInerney won a penalty, she joined everyone else in a long cheer, then quieted with anticipation as Sebastien Le Toux lined up the penalty kick. He scored, and we all went nuts, including her.

When she flew to Brazil with her grandmother two weeks later to spend a few months there relearning Portuguese, she made sure she brought her Union jersey. She wanted to make sure everyone in Belo Horizonte knew that, when it comes to soccer, Philly represents.

Conclusion

So what’s this tell you? What’s the thesis?

Hell if I know, exactly. But it’s probably something like this.

Casual fans can be converted if they’re open-minded enough to give it a chance. If you get them to the game and provide entertaining soccer — the park-the-bus stuff won’t fly — and a great fan atmosphere, like the one PPL offers, you’ll get people. Their tolerance for a bad soccer experience is less than someone who loves the game. But the fact is that there simply is no American sports experience like big-time soccer, largely because of the atmosphere. Hockey comes closest, but it’s indoors. For soccer, you get those beautiful summer afternoons — and the beautiful game.

I know all you lifelong soccer fans say that you don’t need to convert anyone to the game. Whether that’s true or not is irrelevant. The point is — If you can, then why not?

After all, I’m a convert too.

Each stadium in MLS has a section reserved for away supporters. The trick is to find out which ticket agent in the stadium is responsible for selling tickets for that section. One of the Sons of Ben found out who this person was and let others know on SoB’s BigSoccer forum. The funny thing was that some of us ended up buying tickets for $25, others for $17. Most of us had the tickets sent to our home address rather than picking them up in Houston.

Via the SOB Forum, we had agreed on a meeting place near the stadium. Initially, this was going to be at the Hilton bar where some of us stayed. But the bar across the street was thought to be cheaper and ended up having much better beer (which was cheap!).

We ended up meeting other SoBs who do not even live in Philly. There were two from Austin and one from Allentown, who is now a student in Houston. It was so great to meet these new faces as well as the SoBs who traveled down to Houston but who I had never met before.

In the bar we got to know each other better and also had some interesting discussions with Dynamo fans who hung out there. They mentioned that their (football) stadium seats 34,000 but that the average crowd was only half that. For the opening game is was maybe 20,000; the atmosphere would have been a lot better in a full stadium. As we speak, a new soccer specific stadium is being built for the team.

The lineup in the program wasn't the same as the lineup on the pitch. (Photo: Guido Gaeffke)

When we approached the stadium we were surprised at how much was going on. It was like a big block party with numerous stands, a big stage and lots of things to win, as was indicated by the long lines at some of the stands. It was a big difference from PPL park, where very little seems to happen around the stadium itself. The block party had a very Mexican flavor to it and most attendees seemed to be Mexican American rather than Anglos.

Our seats were high up in the corner of the stadium. So, we (about 15 of us) moved towards the field and were able to stay there and sing our songs for 20 minutes. Although a lot of folks laughed at our songs, it seems the Union bench across the field could hear us, at least according to the girlfriend of one of the players.

Security soon came and sent us back to our “seats,” which were not really seats, just long aluminum benched with numbers stamped on the back. We continued to sing in our designated area but the songs did not have the same impact because we were too far removed from the bulk of the spectators.

Still, our seats were along a wall below which the Union team had to walk to get to their lockers at half time and after the game. We could therefore wish them luck and cheered them on. Danny Califf was so impressed after the game that he threw his shirt to us and one of us caught it!

The Dynamo had three supporters groups spread throughout the stadium but they did not sing one song. Rather, they supported the team—and competed against each other—with drums and trumpets!

The trip ended up costing very little for me since I stayed at friends ($250 for plane trip, $17 per day for the car and $25 for the ticket).  It was well worth it for an experience with the Union on the road.

Based on their reactions when they walked towards their locker room I believe the players (and coach) really appreciated having us there. Traveling to away games is something more of us should do if we want to help the Union to have more wins on the road!!!

Or nearly so, anyway.

Watch the Houston Dynamo v Philadelphia Union season opener on Saturday, March 19 at 8:30pm with the PSP at the 700, located in Northern Liberties.

The PSP’s new advertising partner, Angelo’s Soccer Corner, will be on hand to give away prizes during the half.

And there will be giveaways courtesy of 700 FC and the Philly Soccer Page, as well.

If you can’t make it out to see the game, be sure to follow the our live coverage of the game, right here on the PSP.

Houston Dynamo v Philadelphia Union Viewing Party
Saturday, March 19 at 8:30pm
The 700
700 North Second Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
215.413.3181
www.the700.com

Philly Soccer Page: How do you and your business partner Mark know one another?

Ben Lee: Mark and I met about ten years ago while working at the same mortgage company. We hung out a few times but really became good friends when a bunch of us went to St. Louis for the Eagles NFC Championship game in 2002. After that we realized we loved beer, music, tailgating, and Philly sports. We’ve been like brothers ever since.

PSP: Your website says that you and Mark “are two guys, just like you, that realized that we were no longer happy doing the daily grind living inside of a cubicle every day.” Tell me about life in a cubicle? Were you doing t-shirt design and printing on the side before starting Bark Tees?

BL: Ha, no not really. We were selling mortgages during the boom in a cubicle and working for corporate America. But all through it we were always pitching each other stupid ideas for a business. We wanted out of the grind of having people telling us what to do, where to stick it, and what time to do it. Eventually we knew we’d have to go after one of our ideas. Finally the light bulb just went off with the printing and t-shirt thing and we’ve never looked back.

PSP: You offer a huge selection of designs for a variety of Philly sport teams—you guys have to be massive Philly sport teams fans. Tell me about growing up supporting Philly sports teams?

BL: Without a doubt, I was that kid that followed Philly sports teams a little too much. Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, Sixers, all the local college teams, etc. There was probably a stretch of time between the ages of 7 to 10 when I didn’t miss one second of one game. My parents were saints I guess. To this day I still love Philly sports way more than what is considered normal. My wife knows this. My kids are learning. It’s who I am. And now with the Union added in there? I need a DVR to stop and rewind my life just to have time for it all.

PSP: Did you play soccer growing up? If so, do you still play?

BL: It’s funny, with all the love I had for the four major sports in Philly at that time, soccer was always the sport I loved to play the most. I remember playing on tennis courts, basketball courts, neighbors’ yards, and pretty much anywhere we could stick two nets. I remember just kicking a soccer ball against my garage door for hours until there wasn’t a square inch left on it that didn’t have a ball mark. I played all through middle school, on our high school team, and coached kids at summer camps while in college. But somewhere along the line I just kind of gave it up. I still miss it though. If I ever get back in shape it will be one of the first things I get back into playing.

PSP: Have you followed the Union from the beginning? Do you have season tickets?

BL: We’ve always been pretty big EPL fans and big MLS fans, so we were very excited when we finally got our own team. I had just had my youngest daughter right when the Union came into existence, so season tickets were kind of out of the question at the time. Now that she’s a little older, I’m trying hard to get into the supporter section for life, and sell my wife on the idea.

PSP: How did you get started doing Union-related shirts? Did this begin with the Sons Of Ben?

BL: Actually, Mark came up with the “Philly is Unionized” idea and we just ran with it on our site. The president of the Sons of Ben, Bryan James, saw it and contacted us with some other great ideas for shirts. The rest is history I guess. We just kind of became friends with all of those guys and got into that market. They invited us to sell shirts at their tailgates and it seemed to grow from there. They set up a tent for us, gave us ideas for shirts, invited us to other events, had us print custom shirts, and helped market us. Their vice president, Matt Ansboro, is even helping us redo our website. Not sure what we did to deserve it, but Mark and I are very grateful for the business relationships and the friendships we’ve developed with those guys in the last year or so. It’s been a lot of fun and I hope to continue it for many years to come.

PSP: You guys have become something like a central marketplace for Union supporters group t-shirts. Do you belong to any of the different supporters groups?

BL: I think we’ll always associate ourselves personally as Sons of Ben Supporters, but we also fully support the other groups and sections as well. There is no wrong way to support the team you love. We want to have a website and a company that proves this and shows that no matter where you sit, and no matter what shirt you wear, we are all rooting for the same eleven guys on the field. That’s really what it’s all about. The guys with the IllegitimateS are awesome. Same with the Tammany Saints and the Bridge Crew. We’ll never refuse any Union supporters who want to work with us and make gear to support a common goal.

PSP: It’s gotta feel cool seeing pictures of people like Sebastien Le Toux, Jack McInerney and Zach Pfeffer with shirts you made?

BL: Funny, I didn’t even know that any of those guys were wearing our stuff. Very cool.

PSP: Are your Union t-shirts available in any local soccer shops or only through your website?

BL: Right now only on our website. We are working on getting some of our Union stuff in stores though. Anyone who would like to work with us can contact us and we’d be happy to discuss. We plan on coming out with new stuff constantly.

PSP: Easily available, high quality, fan-designed sports shirts have come a long way from what is usually flogged outside of the stadiums. Why do you think this is so?

BL: My only guess is that people like wearing stuff that is different from the normal stuff that everyone else wears. It’s cool to be original. Maybe people like giving money to people rather than large corporations? Your guess is as good as mine.

PSP: Do you do all of the design work yourselves?

BL: Not at all. We invite designers of all shapes and sizes to work with us. Really, we’re trying to create a family where we can involve a lot of people and have everyone feel like they are a part of Bark Tees. We look at ourselves as more as a group and less as a company. Design work we pretty much leave to designers who want to work with us, unless we have a great idea for a shirt. Then we just motivate them with money and a concept.

PSP: You guys are very inventive with your designs—even though you’re not using trademarked logos, everyone knows what the shirts are about. Tell me a little about how you accomplish this.

BL: You mean without getting in trouble? We have been in trouble before. Not like real trouble. Just people telling us “you can’t do that.” And then we take it down. It’s so hard to know what is acceptable and what’s not when it comes to that kind of stuff. It’s a real gray area. For the most part we just try and make designs that are socially understandable to hard-core fans without getting too many corporations pissed at us. A fan of the Seattle Mariners could look at our site and have no idea what anything means, and that’s the way we like it. We once sold shirts at an event outside Philly and a lady asked us “Where are your Philly shirts?” We laughed. She looked confused.

PSP: Have you run into any trademark problems with local teams?

BL: Teams? No.

PSP: Companies like Who Are Ya solicit design submissions from fans. What if someone has a cool Union t-shirt design – do you guys accept design submissions? If so, what would someone get in return?

BL: For sure. We welcome new designers and designs all the time. If you have a awesome design, submit it to us. If we decide we want to print it we’ll put you on the payroll. We’ll give you a percentage of shirt sales, your own designer category, and the opportunity to grow with us.

PSP: Tell me a little about how one goes about getting a shirt made by you.

BL: Really, just e-mail me and talk to us. You’ll find we’re pretty regular dudes. Let us know what you need and we’ll hook you up.

PSP: You guys do more than t-shirts. Can you do banners and flags?

BL: Absolutely. We can do banners, flags, hats, glasses, awareness bracelets, jerseys, jackets, balloons, coasters, you name it. Anything you need something printed on we can make it happen.

Bark Tees have teamed up with the Sons of Ben and the Brotherly Game to raise money for “Help Kick Hunger.” All proceeds from the sale of “Stache’ Bash” t-shirts will go to that worthy cause. Why not order yours today? For only $14.99 you can get a cool t-shirt and support good works.

Last week the PSP ran a series called “The other supporters groups.” The series had that name for the simple reason that, when it comes to Union supporters groups, the Sons of Ben define the scene.

Why this is so is plainly obvious: they are extremely good at doing the hard work that needs to be done to be a successful supporters group. They are well organized, on game day and every other day. Their marketing is excellent. In long form, their name references local history. In short form, the name is both comic and ironic, while also being exactly what they want opposing players and their fans to think of them. They have a logo that has become, in a very short time, iconic in the Philadelphia soccer scene. They have a thriving web presence, through their own website and through forums such as Big Soccer. And as a registered non-profit, they work hard to transform the energy and passion of their members into a power for good in the community through charity and volunteer efforts. On top of that, perhaps most importantly for their members, they know how to have fun while doing all of these things and more.

The Sons of Ben are an exemplar of what it means to be a successful and effective supporters group. As such what they are so good at doing serves a model for what the Union wants to see from any other group that wants official recognition from the club.

What does it take to be recognized?

The aims of the supporters groups we talked to for the “The other supporters groups” series—the Tammany Saints, the IllegitimateS, the Corner Creeps and the Bridge Crew—are as different as the groups themselves. All were asked if they had aspirations toward becoming an officially recognized  supporter and only one said that, at this time, they did.

When I was putting the questions together for the series it occurred to me that I had no idea what it would take to gain official recognition from the Union. Mike Quarino, the club’s Vice President of Ticket Sales and Fan Relations was kind enough to provide some answers.

I wondered if there were league or club standards to become a recognized supporters group.”There are no official standards that are required to be a recognized supporter club,” Quarino told me via email, adding, “We do have some guidelines that we want groups to follow.”

How you do it counts

The primary guideline concerns the manner in which a group wishes to demonstrate its support.

“The one pre-requisite that we do have is that if they want to stand, sing, have flags and drums, etc., then they must sit in the designated Supporters Sections.”

In other words, if you want to demonstrate your support like they do in the River End, to the River End you must go.

At least for now.

Quarino said that, as demand for more standing sections increases, “we are all for re-classing more sections into a ‘standing section.’”

Until that happens—and wouldn’t it be fantastic if there was enough demand to increase the the number of standing sections, whether that demand came from Sons of Ben members or any other group—groups that wish to stand will have to go to the River End.

Size matters

Quarino says that group should have a minimum of 154 confirmed season tickets for official recognition.

“This is very flexible,” Quarino explained, “and the 154 number was put out there because that is number of seats that are section 134 and 140. Those are the smallest sections in the Supporter Section, so we want a new group coming in to fill out their own section so they can have their own identity.”

Noting that the Union wants “organization and direction” from any group looking for recognition, Quarino stressed the need for a group to have in place some kind of leadership infrastructure to act as a liaison between the group and the club as well as a mission statement, a code of conduct and a commitment toward community outreach that can assist larger efforts at revitalizing Chester.

Growth is good

Quarino said the growth of other supporters groups “shows how many people are passionate about this game and our club.” Understandably, he warns, “What we have to be cautious of is a plethora of groups of ten friends saying they want to become a recognized supporters group so they can come in and stand and bring in drums and flags. In the end, that is not really a supporters group, unless they present us a plan on how they will grow, what their goals are, and how they will get there.”

The Union needs groups to be organized if it is to be able to reliably work with them. Quarino praised the Sons of Ben “who put a lot of work and effort” into the kind of hard and unglamorous work that is necessary for any supporters group to succeed and grow.

Outside of the fact that you will have an incredibly good time, the prime benefit of purchasing season tickets in a designated supporters section is reduced cost. The seats that go for $290 in the River End sell for $425 in the Land End. What the club—and everyone else—gets in return for that discount is a stadium-wide atmosphere that is priceless.

Two of the groups we talked to for the series on other supporters groups are located in the corner section adjacent to the River End, section 101 for the Tammany Saints and section 133 for the IllegitimateS. That Section 133 is the designated area for away support means that large parts of that section are already de facto standing sections. Unfortunately, MLS rules forbid the seating of an officially recognized home supporters group in the same section as away supporter. As Jeffrey Mitchell explained in the IllegitimateS article, this is why the group decided not to pursue official recognition from the club. Section 101 might then be the prime candidate to be the newest designated supporters area, but that is just speculation on my part.

What is beyond speculation is that, as Quarino said, the growth of other supporters groups is an indicator of the passion Union supporters have for their team. The continued organization of that passion by the Sons of Ben and other groups benefits not only the club, but all of its supporters.

Philly Soccer Page: Did you play soccer growing up? Do you still play?

Benjamin Bedard: I play some in high school and a my freshman year in college. Now I play in our living room with our 18-month-old daughter and in a local park with [my wife] Sarah.

PSP: Your website says you founded the Bridge Crew after the inaugural season. What prompted you to start the group? Were you a season ticket holder last year?

BB: The honest truth is about the founding is sort of a strange story. I grew up in Salt Lake City and was living there when RSL was founded and had its first season. At the end of that first season my soon to be wife and I moved here to Philadelphia, where she is from. I continued to follow RSL and MLS during those first few years back here in Philly. When I found out the Philadelphia was getting a team I was stoked. My wife and I decided that we would get season tickets about the same time we found out we were to be parents. With our good friend Catherine Schreiner, a very dedicated Philadelphia Phillies fan as well, we bought our season tickets for section 120.

Fast forward to RSL at PPL Park. Sarah and I agreed that we would come to that game and root for RSL. That was a mistake. The rude, hostile, insulting, and threatening jeers we received shocked me. I, to my credit, did not sit in silence during the match. Remember that we been in these seats all season, cheering our guts out, dressed in Union jerseys and scarves. It was at this moment that I first thought that the bridge end needed a supporter club. A positive force for ALL the fans in 120 and 121.

Please let the record show that going forward, for all MLS games, the Bridge Crew and its founders only follow the “U”.

PSP: How many members does your group currently have?

BB: The answer is no so clear. We only ask that our members say that they want to be members and join our membership list. We are still getting started and gathering members. A solid number for those on our membership list would be twenty-one.

PSP: What sets you apart from groups such as the Sons of Ben, the Tammany Saints, the IllegitimateS?

BB: A lot. Our size, our seat locations, our clear positive mission statement.

We sit in 120/121 the bridge end. This is where we want to be. Before we even began this club we where in communication with the Union and gave them a full mission statement and proposal for this club. After they reviewed it, we were told, “To form a club recognized supporters group and receive supporter benefits we must to move into the supporters section. This is not negotiable. This area was built and designed to allow supporters to watch the game their own way…we cannot expand our supporters section benefits to other areas. The North End of the stadium is more of an area where youth soccer clubs and families sit. By putting a supporter section in this area (Sec 120 & 121) it will make it more difficult to find a place for people who want to watch the game in a calmer atmosphere, to enjoy the game. Essentially we cannot tell people who currently sit in a section that they can no longer sit there if they didn’t want to be in the supporter group.”

If the Union officials came to sit in 120 last season they would know that there are plenty of fans that make 120 not a very calm atmosphere. However, anyone who takes time to check out our mission statement would see that we don’t plan on disturbing other fans.

The only thing we ask from our members in respect for the game and the players. We don’t currently have a fee for membership. We are pretty informal. We are just soccer fans who wanted organize the fans around us to make the experience better at PPL Park. Even if you don’t sit in 120/121 you can be a member.

We are most like the Tammany Saints in what we sit for, but I think that we all want to see the Union win, the fans attending each game grow and the City of Chester improve. We all want to see Califf hoist the MLS Cup.

PSP: Have you had much contact or networking with other Union supporters groups?

BB: When I was first starting out, trying to figure out how to get started, I contacted dozens of supporters club affiliated with most of the MLS teams. Zero contacted me back. It was only after Jeffrey Mitchell, with the IllegitimateS, contacted me that we really got going. Big thanks to him.

PSP: Throughout the Bridge Crew mission statement, you emphasize your desire to make “sections 120 and 121 a positive place to watch the Union,” that you are “Positive, respectful, and considerate fans.” Is this a reaction to some of the more profanity-laced chants that come out of the River End?

BB: That and the experience that we had during the RSL game. I hear a lot of people on various chat sites and Facebook say that “This is how all the stadiums sound and all fans cheer.” If that were true, and it is not, do we want to be like other clubs and teams? If the Union want more casual fans, families, youth soccer clubs, civic organization, etc., then they had better address the hostile and profane fans in their stadium. Not everyone that comes to PPL want to hear “asshole.” Now, I don’t mind because I’ll come to the games anyway and use that word all the time. But if it keeps casual fans way, which it might, that is a problem for the league and the Union.

PSP: Fan v. supporter. What’s the difference? Or is the question of difference more like spectator v supporter?

BB: I don’t know the difference. If pressed I would say that fan follows the team through the press and web, a supporter attends games and has made commitments of time and/or money to buy tickets, merch, etc.

PSP: Are you inspired by or consciously trying to create a more “English-style” of football support to PPL. If so, what does a more “English-style” of support mean to you? How would that be different from what the Sons of Ben are trying to do?

BB: I would like to foster the type of dedication that is describe within the New York Times article about Man U. There can be only one Man U, but if the supporters clubs for the Union could help to grow the Union’s follower and fans, then I say we are serving our purpose.

PSP: What makes the style of support the Bridge Crew are trying to encourage unique to Philadelphia?

BB: I don’t think that there should be anything unique to sportsmanship, being hospitable, and staying positive in the way that fans should show their enthusiasm for their teams. This is what the Bridge Crew is about. Why do we have to boo and bad-mouth the other team?

PSP: Some MLS supporters have suggested that the league has made a mistake in over-marketing itself as “family friendly,” which leads to the kind of debate we saw over the summer about the “You suck,…” chant. Where would you place the Bridge Crew in this debate?

BB: Football/Soccer is here in the U.S. and it is only going to get bigger. How big it gets will be up to the leagues and their fans. The face of America is changing and more of our citizens are embracing this global game here, because more people in this country are from around the globe – supporters club for Spanish-speaking fans has to be on its way. This is a game for all ages and we should be prepared for all ages in our stadiums. We don’t encourage our children to play basketball and then not take them to see the 76ers, baseball and not take them to the Phillies. Why would we think that they can play youth soccer and then not take them on a Union game.

PSP: Supporters group threads on forums like Big Soccer often have long (and heated) discussions about the difference in acceptable behavior between sanctioned supporters sections such as the River End and everywhere else in the stadium. What has gone on in your section that you thought was not appropriate?

BB: Please see my early responses for the answers to most of that question. I don’t want to go on about what is expected and not or what test should be used in determining it. I can say that Philadelphia fans have a reputation and it is not for being friendly and respectful.

PSP: Your section was in the area of the flare incident at the game against Celtic – were you there?

BB: I was at the Celtic game and it made me feel like I was in Europe. I don’t know if that is good or bad.

PSP: Along the same lines, your website says, “We don’t stand throughout the entire game or wave flags and banners. We know that like us, most fans [are] just there to watch the match.” Can you elaborate on this? For example, I’m sure you do stand some of the time – where do you draw the line?

BB: It will hard for us to know when our member will stand or not. I can tell you that people in 120/121 will not stand for to much standing. I only stand during corners and goals and I think most fans at the bridge end are about the same, whether they are BC members or not. Unless your mission is to stand the whole game, most fans stand when things are exciting or upsetting.

PSP: Along the same lines, you website says that the Bridge Crew is “not negative or hostile towards the opposing teams in PPL Park,” that, instead, “you are vocal positive supporters of the Union.” Can you elaborate on what you mean by this? For example, would, say, booing the Red Bulls be frowned upon in your area?

BB: I can only control my own actions and try to set an example. We will cheer our hearts out for the Union and will remain silent for ALL opposing teams. We are loud and proud for the Union.

PSP: Your website says, “We want the fans that occasionally come to PPL Park to ask to sit in 120 and 121 knowing that they will have a great time.” In that sense, recognizing that your section may not be filled with season ticket holders, are you trying to make a space for supporters who can’t afford to go to every game or are perhaps more casual or newer in their support of the Union?

BB: All of the above. We want fans that are casual or occasional to know that 120/121 is fun and enjoyable place in PPL Park. They should expect to have the full soccer experience, singing, cheering and chanting. We want more soccer fans in Philadelphia. If people start to recommend 120/121 as the place for “the experience,” that is one of our goals.

PSP: The website says one aim of the Bridge Crew is to find “new and unique ways of showing our support for the Union.” What have you come up with so far?

BB: I guess you will have to wait until opening day to find out. We are working on a few things.

PSP: Will you be organizing pre-game tailgating? Is there a danger that tailgating might make adhering to your mission statement more difficult?

BB: I don’t see how. Tailgating is not the same as “pre-gaming.” We like to drink a beer or two before the game. Does that mean that all Bridge Crew members will be drinking? Do all Sons of Bens drink before the game? Or Illegitimates? Tammany Saints? We will be gathering to eat and talk and drink, not to fight and brawl and vandalize.

PSP: What kind of activities outside of the matchday does your group plan to organize?

BB: We are still in the early planning stages of this club and those will come along as the season gets going.

PSP: Do you have any plans to travel or organize trips for Bridge Crew members to away games, particularly against the Red Bulls or DC United?

BB: We hope to piggyback with section 133, Tammany Saints and Sons of Ben for at least some.

PSP: What would you hope to achieve by being officially recognized by the Union?

BB: More exposure and recognition for a positive force tied to the Union. There are many spaces to fill in support of the Union. Why have just one “official” supporters club. Please take a look at the websites for all most every other club in MLS and you will find more that one club and a verity of mission for those clubs.