If you make your way to Red Bull Arena for today's New York-FC Dallas, you're likely to find it much, much quieter than usual.
The Red Bulls upset many of their fans for their recent treatment of the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals (sending a complete reserve team and not even flying in first-team coaches in an eventual 4-0 loss to the Chicago Fire) and now New York Supporters Groups are ready to let the club know just how upset they are by staging a protest at tonight's match.
The protest is thoroughly justified given the team's embarrassing decision to essentially give up in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals by sending a full reserve team, and flying that short-handed team into Chicago on the day of the match. The Red Bulls were one of seven MLS teams still alive in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, but were the only team not to field a team with more starters than substitutes. In fact, New York didn't field a single player who could be called a regular starter.
That decision was a terrible one, and one made more embarrassing by the fact that a handful of Red Bulls fans actually made the trip from the New York area to Chicago for the match.
What do you think of the decision by New York's Supporters Groups? Think their anger is justified? See the team issuing a formal apology?
Share your thoughts below.
who cares? with 100 degree heat, who’s going to go see the metrobulls/redstars or whatever the hell their called ? Time to stick a fork in this debacle !
Lets go Cosmos !!!!!!!
At least NY’s front office is willing to make moves to improve the team. Galaxy fans are the ones that should protest.
Weak Sauce. While I agree a protest is justified, the south ward should be empty. Sitting quietly for a half expresses mild dissappointment not outrage.
Galaxy has a new supporters club???
Someone completely missed the plot.
This protest has nothing to do with not playing well. NY fans have been acquainted with that for almost the team’s entire existence.
Really? Averaging almost as many fans per game as the Knicks isn’t good enough? Get a clue.
You’ve missed all the real issues. Resting a few starters would have been fine. The problems are:
1) agreeing to play overseas friendlies during a period of fixture congestion, exacerbating the problem – this is what people are REALLY most upset about
2) not playing ANY regular starters – tough to defend sitting them ALL
3) amateur hour move of flying team out day of
4) senior coaches showing lack of respect for the tournament by not travelling
and finally, and perhaps most importantly,
5) failure to recognize the fact that all competitions should be taken seriously when the club has never won anything.
My seats are to the left of the supporters section. The supporters definitely bring the noise and a lot of the excitement to the game. While I will miss their energy tonight, I will cheer loudly for the team and pray that Brek Shea doesn’t hurt us. (at least Shea is quality, not like Braun or Nyassi).
+27
I was saying if it wasnt for the CCL spot i wouldnt be mad at NY. The tournament is worthless because it has no impact on regular season standings or the MLS cup. It is a waste of time and travel and its not even played in their stadiums. It might mean something to minor league teams but not to MLS. It is a sad attempt to draw in the eurosnobs and no cares about the winner. Its like winning the losers bracket, congradulations but you didnt win the thing that matters.
Great totally support this move..if anything this is Backe fault. He is wrong and dangerous for the development of the league in ALL his decisions he do from
1. Not giving youth players chances and building depth and lining up foreign players
2. Unecessary criticism (ex: Open Cup, MLS playoffs, players, etc)
3. His arrogance and superior european-like complexion
The protest is about the Open Cup, don’t get it twisted. From all accounts Richie and Des were properly fired
The Red Bull supporters did protest about Security when they were in Giants Stadium and they won. Security was removed from that section and the supporters policed themselves
If you could read, you would know that winning the Open Cup gets you entry into the CCL. How can one focus on the CCL without being in it?
I’d like to hear your reasons as to why the Open Cup is not meaningful.
Vote with your wallets.. buy nothing at the stadium for the next month
thats because he doesnt want to play in it just like every other injury prone player.
Agreed. The Revs fans protest was because of the front office + security issues. If they protested because of the decisions the coaches/team made, well they honestly wouldnt show up to any games cuz the Revs are terrible this year.
LOL, you suggested that Arsenal would be in the Club World Cup. That’s a funny reality you live in….
Just a thought.
IF I am Henry and I want to play in the US Open Cup, can’t I make that happen ?
He is Henry for pete sake. Maybe the others you can cut some slack, but…
IF I WAS on NY, I would have played in that game. You would have to pull my cleats off my dead feet to keep me out of any game.
I know the last 2. (mildly gloating)
+1
Haha the Red Bulls are pathetic.
If you could read you would know I said they should have went after the CCL spot. I find it funny that we are so desperate for soccer history here we act like this competition means something. It is a waste of time and congests the schedule when MLS should be soley focusing on the regular season and CCL. The only logical defense i have heard to keep the tourny is it gives reserves minutes but i guess thats gone.
lol
UEFA started a huge stink over countries playing in different confederations. Mexico and Costa Rica were forced to send scrubs. Get your facts straight.
To the haters and trolls:
You halfwits who try to crack wise about NY supporters show themselves to be the dimmest folks going.
The great supporters section, among the biggest and loudest in the league, are still there despite over a decade and a half with no trophies.
The supporters don’t get to play the matches. They’re accountable for bringing support, not for failing to win trophies. Only an armchair casual fan who has no experience supporting a team would say something so stupid. The real supporters in MLS are backing the South Ward’s refusal to take any crap.
If you want to protest, protest the Red Bull name (almost as bad as magic jack), protest Soler’s horrible player trades, protest the old injury prone player signings, protest the getting rid of future players, protest Backe not using subs ever and not drafting a GK higher, protest Rost as a DP when he will be as effective as Sutton with their defence, protest how Ballouchy is still on the team and playing but dont protest Backe not taking the US Open cup seriously because they have been injured all year.
okay, 18k out of 25k is a great average for such a cosmopolitan area with great mass transit and a jewel of a stadium. you need to be ashamed of yourselves and not the team. I hope the Cosmos get in the league and blow you out of New Jersey as well.
I love when ‘fans’ of team with NO history talks about this league… as far as MLS originals go, you’re not even recognized… 16 years is infantile… go back to your crack-destroyed city 30 minutes outside philly with the rest of your fat fans. YOU HAVE NO HISTORY.
How is the US’s oldest soccer competition a joke? It certainly does count as a trophy, along with Supporters Shield, MLS Cup, and CCL.
Oh, and CCL, that one you and I both love…the Open Cup is a ticket to it.
I wouldnt protest the fact that backe didnt take the open cup seriously because the competition is a complete joke. I would be more angry at the fact that NY didnt try to go after the ccl spot considering supporter shield is out of the question. The Open Cup is a waste of time and should be dropped for the lower league teams. Quit trying to copy Europe and make let the best teams into the CCL. And im sorry but the Open Cup does not count as a trophy please dont be so desperate.
Quick! Without looking! Who can name the last 5 MLS Cup winners? Or the last 5 SS winners?….Yeah, I didn’t think so.
Aw is 20k or so average attendance more than yours so you have to lash out?
By the way, it’s always the supporters groups who make the noise and NY SGs have always been fantastic. RBNY’s crap marketing and mediocre filling of pricier seats is of no consequence to noise.
You are woefully misinformed. Try reading the article before commenting.
Our team has no trophies and has a history of not establishing a winning mentality. Let’s see if such a thing was continued during the Open Cup match with Chicago:
14 players sent. Ballouchy the only one who has a claim as a sometime starter. Flew in a few hours before the match. Head coach and assistant coach absent. Red Bull did bid for the home game. Starters will play in meaningless friendlies in London.
I’m not sure you can accuse Metro supporters of wanting to win everything… Dunce.
They should protest the fact that Mehdi “I have to play defense?” Ballouchy still gets significant playing time.
You guys are morons, EVERYONE sends scrub teams when the play two major competitions, look at Mexico and Chile’s teams THIS YEAR!!!!!!. Get a Reality check
No tourney, match, cup or game is ‘stupid’ if you are an actual supporter. This is why the MLS is so far behind, not just because of poor management choices but because the fans don’t get it.
This is the silliest protest I’ve every heard of.
Protesting because your team is not playing well.
Support them more not less. Your team has a great stadium a great team, spending money to get better players, they’re not playing well and you want to protest because they just got beat.
You sound like a bunch of babies wanting to win every game or we’ll protest. Huh?
Please see my response to john. It applies to your comment as well.
Please ever hear of Champions League? FA Cup? Euro Qualifiers, World Cup Qualifiers? Teams from other countries can handle it so the MLS teams if they actually want to compete on world class level need to suck it up. They look like pansies when they pull stuff like this.
+1
Of course Red Bull Arena will be quiet, empty seats can’t make noise
For those saying that the USOC isn’t an important enough tournament, this is part of the process by which it will become important. The more the core fans demonstrate it matters to them, the more focus teams will begin to put towards it. That will lead to improved quality of play, which will then bring in more casual supporters, then sponsors with money, and now you have an important tournament.
I thought this protest was about Ballouchy still getting minutes on a regular basis… now that’s a protest I could really get behind and support
Pink Cows,
Why u no win cup in 16 years?
Fans like trophies. There is more than one and with the depth that RB had they could have pushed for more than one.
I think the better question is what percentage of MLS fans can name the number of trophies (outside of the Atlantic Cup) the NY franchise has won since the inception of MLS without needing the internet?
are you kidding… please only speak when you actually know what you are talking about.. we average 20k agame, are supporters section is one of the biggest in MLS. and what is this about not supporting the national team??? F*** off, you are embarrassing yourself.
I’m with the supporters on this one. If you’re a professional athlete and can’t play twice in one week for a friendly, USOC game, or league game then you’re in the wrong business. If you’re an international and can’t see the point of the USOC or any trophy than your motives for being here have to be questioned. If you’re a manager and see a mid-week flight from NY to CHI as a burden – for a game that could put you in the USOC semi’s against Richmond and a legit shot at a CCL berth – then your motives for being here have to be seriously questioned.
Blame the fans for not giving full support to their teams in all competitions throughout the league. Shoot, they don’t even support OUR national team. the Red Bull Arena is half empty for most games despite all the money the owners have shelled out. If you want change, sit your butts down in the stadiums, fill them up and then demand for excellence.
The best way, maybe the only truly effective way, is to protest during a game. Were I NYRB (Im not) I’d be pretty upset with my club right now, not only for the disgraceful disrespect shown to the US Open cup but also because of the mess on the field at the moment. NYRB supporters deserve more respect for the $$ they have to shell out to get into Red Bull arena.