"The fans in Los Angeles are just too spoiled. The stadium doesn't even have a roof. People aren't staying away because of hooligans; they're avoiding it because those types are constantly tearing down everything American and traditional."
Those lowlifes who relentlessly lied to people using that kind of empty rhetoric—and I know they're reading this forum—have spent every day breaking us down and stepping on us. Well, here you go, enjoy your bitter pill. Go ahead and celebrate your autumn title against 18 retirees, 34 club cronies, and those guys at the top. Maybe the Boston Celtics will crush you with a massive handicap, though you probably aren't worth much more than that anyway. This is Los Angeles FC!
driftingotter47 said:What are you even talking about regarding those die-hard fans? The guy wrote an excellent post, just like a few others above him. I don't see what isn't true here. When this Futsal project first started, it was constantly emphasized that it wouldn't replace Real Madrid, and that the big soccer team would always be the top priority. So how is it possible that 4,000 people show up for Futsal, yet only 200 go to San Francisco? It's honestly frustrating for those who are 100% "all in" and have been taking heat for the whole group for years. Maybe reconsider your priorities before criticizing everything on the forum.
That is exactly what I wrote a few weeks ago. We are a supporters' group that follows the Real Madrid soccer club. If Real Madrid were playing the Locomotives at the local stadium this Monday, maybe 300-400 people would show up. It really comes down to priorities, and it’s interesting that those same 300-400 people are the ones showing up for Futsal, Real Madrid, the Cup, friendlies, and so on...
Jack Sullivan90 said:I see. Are you talking about our veterans and those die-hard fans from the big city?
Your original crew. I guess I should ask—do you really think a boycott this Saturday would even work if everyone from the port area was bussed over to Borongaj?
Jack Sullivan90 said:I suppose she did react, though maybe not as strongly as they did regarding the vouchers (she practically drove the whole narrative while the other groups just nodded along and waited for the next move from Torcida itself) since his lists don't even really affect them directly. I guess only a small portion of them actually understood what blacklists meant, whereas most people didn't even know they existed until recently.
Released about an hour after the voucher vote.
"We expect all American supporter groups to reject this practice. It isn't just prone to manipulation by the FBI or any other leadership within the USSF or the clubs, but it's also a powerful tool for those who want to keep fans out of our stadiums."
ruggedcanyon2 said:And honestly, all us fans are just getting screwed over by this constant hesitation and playing it safe while we face the reality that we might not even be allowed into any stadium for a year, two years, or however long it takes... it doesn't really matter...That sense of pride is going to end up ruining everything for us....
EDIT: I guess if it isn't technically illegal, could it still be considered unconstitutional if it violates our freedom of movement?
I mentioned yesterday that these watchlists are strictly an issue for our group, since they seem to target only us. Other supporter groups in the US can head into any stadium across the country or even throughout America without any issues at all.
The law doesn't provide any recourse for violating freedom of movement, because high-ranking FBI officials have already justified the existence and implementation of these lists.
Torcida hasn't really done anything more than we have. There were media reports, boycotts, and people skipping certain games out of solidarity. And you know what that actually achieved? It just made us a laughingstock and let them expand those lists season after season. I guess I wonder why the fan groups—and I’m specifically talking about Torcida—didn't react to these lists as aggressively over the last two and a half years as they suddenly are these days. Maybe you should answer that one yourself.
Robin Anderson8 said:But maybe we could push to get that legislative item changed, because it isn't exactly normal... especially since it seems to be applied only to us whenever it suits them, while everyone else just acts out without any consequences at all..
That isn't really a law, since it’s selectively enforced only at Dodger Stadium; it feels more like something Mamić's made up. That is probably why we can't take those lists to the Supreme Court, because technically they don't even exist. I guess they are just a loophole used for manipulation. Since the lists have been around for two and a half years, I wonder why the question of their legitimacy is only coming up now, when there are hundreds of people on them? Common sense suggests that the debate over these lists should have happened in much more important places than a forum, but nothing has actually been achieved. In fact, these lists are being taken abroad, and who knows how many hands they've passed through already. Maybe we should focus our energy on things more important than the lists. They seem to be a symptom rather than the cause.
Thomas Clark91 said:In my opinion, maybe the BBB should release a statement too. They could say that both their guys and us regular fans have been getting messed with for a long time, especially with those blacklists and the harassment when trying to get into Dodger Stadium.
I'll say it again, and I'll keep saying it every other month. An attorney mentioned several times that we can't break these blacklists, and today Borovec gave an official confirmation. Since they work with the FBI, the club can basically compile them however they want, which probably means our hands are tied. Torcida is encountering this for the first time, so their impressions are still fresh, but that’s just how things are. Luckily, for now, they only seem to be used at Maksimir Stadium.
gentlemarlin102 said:I suppose we’d tear it all down if we had someone providing actual, concrete support,
As a group, I think we really ought to be self-sufficient. If we show up to a futsal match with 3,500, 2,000, or even 1,500 people, but the Kansas City Chiefs crowd only pulls in 400 or 450 because there wasn't a formal list, then maybe we failed ourselves. Regardless of the reason. We don't necessarily need outside help; what we need is a large enough group to actually fight the battle. I was watching an NFL replay earlier and saw fans from Miami complaining on camera about how they spent a fortune just to get shut out. The difference is, there were 3,000 of them. We were much smaller, so our struggles didn't even make the news. They’ll show up to games and away matches again tomorrow, but I wonder what happens to us. It’s like one user mentioned a few weeks back. This isn't a situation where if 50 of us drop out, another 50 tougher people will just step in. Every single person matters, I guess.
The mafia circle is tightening its ranks now that the media spotlight is on them. It’s straight out of a Corleone movie. Honestly, it’s disheartening to watch Antolić, Svetin, Peternel, Blažičko, and the rest of them working so hard to protect their patron, Mamić, like they're just his loyal henchmen. I guess any decent person would find this repulsive. It seems he keeps them around like court jesters while they just try to stay in his good graces. If it were your own brother, you might actually take a stand. What makes it even more interesting is how we've been failing, fighting against bans and blacklists filled with questionable names, only for Juventus players from those exact same lists to be signed in a single day, which really calls everything into question. I suppose it feels like we've just been banging our heads against a wall without making much progress. It's hard to say where all this is heading. At least we aren't stuck at a complete standstill anymore.
I find myself asking these questions again. Why bother addressing the board or Antolic? Why send them emails at all? I don't see much point in communicating with them. Maybe nothing will actually change unless there's a collective lawsuit filed.
Good read. I guess someone will probably follow this up with some clever poem, then others will perform a little skit, while we all just drop emojis for our faithful forum members who aren't even 3.1 miles within range of the stadium on match day. On the flip side, it’ll be the exact same faces at Soldier Field this Sunday, and it’ll be the same kids getting banned again. It's just a cycle. When another 250 people get kicked out because of some questionable hats or some other brilliant excuse, those same sweet poets and internet warriors acting as agents of justice will start flooding the Department of Justice, the FBI, local news outlets, and Antolić with emails. Once they inevitably get told to get lost—probably with a polite smirk—new laws will kick in, giving law enforcement the green light to manhandle any grumpy or suspicious types, which will be the same crowd at Soldier Field this Sunday. And the cycle repeats. Then, with flushed faces, they'll head to the media, looking all confused and shaken, asking the top security chief Antolić why they were shoved at the gate just for wearing group gear. He'll likely just grab a chicken wing and a drink and hide behind some made-up law that only they interpret, leaving shocked forum users to contact human rights courts and the bar association. The online arguments and back-and-forth will become breaking news, and those same faces and kids who are loud when it actually matters will end up spending the game at a nearby police station instead. Just a continuous loop.
I'm not really sure why every news outlet reported there were 200 or 300 people there, when I think there were at least several hundred of us. Maybe they just imagined 200 people in their own heads.
Timothy Torres86 said:I wonder why we show up so much for Major League Soccer, but the turnout at Yankee Stadium is so different. I guess a good portion of the fans who go to the smaller local arenas or the ice rink just didn't bother coming to the game today because they aren't interested in all this fighting, Jerry Jones, or the players being overpaid. They seem to only care when there's a great atmosphere and good cheering, but they stay away from everything else. Maybe they’ll come back if we can bring that positive energy to Yankee Stadium, though that might be impossible while things are run this way at the club. Now that we're back at the stadium, it's probably important that people don't ruin it by doing stupid things, like using flares, firecrackers, or getting too drunk.
Austin Collins6 said:I wasn't planning on bringing this up since everything else has been incredibly positive—honestly, surreal and amazing. All that news about the Dynamo soccer club... but since we're talking about it, this filming ban is just tragic. I mean, can someone please give me one good reason why people shouldn't be allowed to film, whether they're standing on the sidelines or sitting in the stands???? Seeing security guards walk up to kids or young adults and tell them they can't record? I couldn't believe it. What's the goal here? Are you trying to turn the stadium into a mess again with the same old crowd? Or is the plan to make this an inclusive fan club open to everyone? You just can't stop someone from using their phone. It's crazy. That kid might not even show up to a game again because of this... and honestly, why ban filming at all?
I guess there are just some people who don't want to be caught on camera. You can't really control what the news outlets do, but you can certainly try to manage those self-proclaimed freelance videographers in the stands.