So You Want To Stand In Section 8 With The St. Louligans?

We’re thrilled to have so many new people wanting to be in our section for the games. Below are just a few simple things you need to know.

We’ve built a relationship with STLFC and established certain guidelines to make sure we can have as much fun as humanly possible without getting into trouble with the team. We’ve also established ourselves as a Supporters Group and if you want to join with us you’re expected to follow the guidelines we set. We want anyone to feel welcome and participate so here are some of the things you’ll need to understand if you want to stand in our section.

First. Our section stands. For 90 minutes. Sometimes we jump up and down. I’m not saying you have to stand, but you have to accept that if you sit down you won’t see the game because the person in front of you will be standing. There are a few people that complain at the matches that they want to sit and enjoy the game. I’m sorry, but there are other sections to move to if you want to sit.  Also- we’ve been noticing more people leave the section to get a beer or use the Porta-Potty-Pavilion and then not returning to the section. Some choose to stand and talk to people on the side of the section or worse stand in front of the stand by the field.  Please return to the section. It’s better when its full and LOUD. We miss you and your voice. Also if you’re down in front you get in the way of people walking by to get to the beer or in the way of the Capos trying to do their job. Also you make security nervous that you’re going to do something stupid. Get back in the stands.  If a gameday captain or Capo tells you to move- do not argue- MOVE.

Smoke. There will be Smoke. After every goal there will be smoke bombs. It’s a tradition, not just for us, but virtually any Supporters Group where it’s allowed. These are cool burning smoke bombs. We are working on establishing some guidelines, but if the smoke bothers you you’ll need to move to the edges of the section or to another part of the park. If you’re in the middle of the section it’s going to be thick and you might not be able to see for a few minutes. It adds a lot to the atmosphere and it’s expected. Look at all the pictures of USL games- you’ll see smoke. It usually dissipates in a couple minutes.

TIFO. Some weeks we hold the banners over our heads in the section. We’ll ask people in our section to help participate in things we’re doing from time to time. If you’re there you’re expected to help. Someone complained about having to be under the banner for 30 seconds. Sorry, that’s a small price to pay to be in our section.

Beer Showers. This is not a planned activity, but it’s going to happen. In soccer there is no better feeling than when your team scores a goal. People are going to jump up and raise their arms. If there’s a beer in their hands it’s going to fly. I’m sorry, but that’s how it works. If somebody is throwing beer to be a jerk we’ll put an end to it, but if it’s in the heat of celebration it’s expected.  SERIOUSLY- IF YOU’RE THROWING BEER FOR NO REASON YOU ARE STUPIDLY WASTING ONE OF LIFE’S GREATEST GIFTS- KNOCK IT THE HELL OFF. Someone always complains after a goal when they get a little (or a lot) wet. I get it. Best advice for you is to sit at the edges in section 9. If you’re packed in the middle of section 8 you’re going to get a beer shower when we score.

Singing and chanting. No, we never stop. You won’t be able to hear the PA announcements and you won’t be able to have a civilized conversation over the noise. We highly encourage you to sing and chant with us, but if that’s not your thing you can just quietly stand. If you can’t stand the yelling and drums, you’ll have to move farther away. Our capos (chant leaders) work really hard to create an atmosphere that goes with the flow of the game. Don’t work against them. This also goes if you’re trying to start your own chant. Sometimes it will happen (like the “You Still Live In Pittsburgh” chant). When organic chants take off they’re great, but don’t try to chant over what the Capo is doing. If it’s a quiet moment and you start something fine, but if it doesn’t immediately catch on- drop it. If you have a good idea- tell one of the Capo’s at half time or when they’re taking a break.  This has become a problem with newer people coming into the section and they’re excited to participate and they try to create a chant- sometimes with vulgarity. Please Stop. Our Capos and drummers do a great job of controlling the flow of the game and pacing the crowd. Work with them. As for chants with vulgarity, see the next paragraph.

Language. F-bombs will be dropped. As long as they aren’t consistently chanted or shouted nobody is really going to care. When our team misses a goal or the other team scores a goal I fully expect to hear a few. BUT, no organized chants with vulgarity will be allowed. The team gives us a lot of leeway, but this is one of their rules. We will follow it. Besides, it’s funnier and more clever to come up with something better than “Fuck You”.

Hate Speech. ABSOLUTELY NO HATE SPEECH WILL BE TOLERATED. No racist language, no homophobic language, no sexist language, no xenophobic language, etc.  We love to mock our opponents but do it cleverly. There is nothing clever about hate speech. PS- look around at our group. We have a diverse group with different races, sexual preferences, genders and nationalities.  It offends us all when that language is used. This is a deal breaker- YOU WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE OUR SECTION IF YOU DO THIS. Feel free to make fun of haircuts, boot color, home towns etc.

Kids. We love having kids in our group- but parents are expected to monitor them. If you don’t like the tone of the group or think its inappropriate for your children, its on you to move them. You cannot expect the whole group to change for the sake of a few kids. Be a responsible parent- move farther away. That said- we do try to be better behaved around the kids and there is nothing better than when a kid beats on the drum or is screaming his/her heart out. We’ve given away tons of scarves to mini Louligans that impress us.

Tickets. If you don’t have a Louligan season ticket for section 8 specifically we still want you to join us, but understand that you may have to be in section 9. That’s ok- we want to grow. Last game we had about 2 full sections squeezed into one. Feel free to spread out and we’ll annex 9 & 10 if necessary.

Throwing objects onto the field. ABSOLUTELY UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS IT OK TO THROW ANYTHING ON TO THE FIELD. Got it? Someone (not a Louligan) threw a bottle and another person threw a coin at the Pittsburgh player that scored when he was celebrating. Luckily they didn’t come close to hitting him. That’s the quickest way to get thrown out of the park and to be asked never to come back.

That’s the basics. I’m sure I forgot something, but those were a few of the things that came up last weekend. Failure to comply with these pretty simple rules will result in you being asked to leave our section. It’s taken us a long time to get to this point and a few people will not be allowed to ruin it for the rest of us.

If you have any questions or something that needs to be addressed during a game we have gameday captains at each match to help solve problems. They wear captain armbands. Just grab one of them and tell them what’s going on- they’re there to help.