Leadership from Dallas Beer Guardians, El Matador, Lone Star Legion, and representatives from the FC Dallas Membership Services and Operations departments met in the first Supporters’ Forum of the 2017 season to discuss the upcoming year.
The topics below were brought up by the respective supporters’ groups, and the solution or discussion of each followed:
Lone Star Legion(LSL)
- Drumline - The topic was brought up by LSL, but it also seemed to have an effect on DBG as well. The main concern is that the Drumline is over-powering and every time chants are trying to be started, the Drumline covers it up by being extra loud. Other supporters’ groups from other MLS teams do not have paid drumlines from the front office. They would rather have their own supporters providing the drumming because they can control it and it would go better with their chants. Solutions by the DBG and LSL were proposed to at least move the Drumline away from the Beer Garden and more towards the other fans because the Beer Garden does not need someone there in front of them to pump them up as they already do that on their own. The front office has encouraged the Supporters’ group to work with the drumline and the topic will continue to be discussed by the upper management.
- Hanging banners on the south end under Hall of Fame board - This request should not be an issue as long as the signage does not cover up the Hall of Fame sign on the south end. LSL will need to figure out a way to hang up the signs. Another solution proposed is to hang the banners either behind section 120/121 on the back wall or down the blue construction wall that borders 120 and the construction zone.
Dallas Beer Guardians (DBG)
- Getting on the same page about away jerseys/colors in the Beer Garden - The issue brought up with this topic is that patrons wearing non-FC Dallas jerseys or colors have at times been spotted in the Beer Garden. An example was last August, there were a lot of Liverpool Steven Gerrard jerseys in the Beer Garden when FC Dallas played LA Galaxy. So long as the jersey is not an LA Galaxy jersey then the patron is allowed to enter the Beer Garden. The solution to this is that a patron wearing an opposing MLS jersey will not be allowed in the Beer Garden. Another stipulation is that if the patron that is allowed admittance starts to cause issues, such as cheering against FC Dallas, then this will be handled by the Supporters’ Leadership and security if necessary. The biggest thing to get out of this is that we understand the safety for everyone down in the Beer Garden, but we are also encouraging soccer fans from everywhere to come out to our games and we are not going to condemn them just by what jersey they are wearing (unless it is an opposing MLS jersey). This topic also applies to patrons coming into section 120/121.
- Ensuring time and score is visible to patrons in the Garden - There will be a clock on the south end that will show the time all the way up until the 90th minute. The score will be shown on the video boards.
- Beer Showers - looking at measures that could be taken to allow - citing Orlando City with their "smoke zone" and the question was asked about a designated "splash zone." This was the topic that was most discussed. The front office has determined that beer showers are not to be permitted into the Beer Garden because there is no control over this from security. There is no way that security can determine that everything thrown in the air is even beer. A solution was proposed to have misters attached to the stands in the Beer Garden, and that when a goal was scored a button was pushed to activate the misters, and then water would come out, and spray everyone in that area. DBG and LSL were not keen to this idea because the intent of having the beer showers is just the idea of being able to throw something up in the air in excitement after a goal not necessarily being “showered” by something. DBG proposed the solution of being able to throw streamers and the front office has approved of this act.
El Matador (EM)
- 2018 Seating - The front office acknowledged this request from EM upon completion of the National Soccer Hall of Fame by asking them where they would like to sit. EM is going to go back and discuss among themselves where that area might be. Once the front office hears back from El Matador on their answer, it will do its best to accommodate any reasonable solution, and have an answer in place by May 2017.
- Smoke Bombs - This was another topic that had a lot of discussion. Security is in charge of the safety of all of the patrons that enter Toyota Stadium. One problem with a smoke bomb being deployed is that what comes out could be of a health concern of an individual. This topic also had an impact on DBG and LSL, as they too are wanting to have smoke bombs. There was discussion over different types of smoke bombs and what other teams do. The biggest factor in this topic was what kind of smoke is coming out of these devices. An actual device was brought in and observed by the front office. At the end of this discussion, the front office has asked the Supporters Leadership to bring all of the information that they can on these devices and they are open to trying to find a solution. Both sides want to have this item resolved by the home opener.
- Link to website - The front office will be working on this by getting links and logos updated on the FC Dallas webpage for all official supporters’ groups.
- Spanish Speaking ticket representative - The front office has provided El Matador with a Spanish speaking representative and his business cards were distributed to El Matador leadership.
- Cooler for summer matches - Request was made by El Matador to receive a cooler in their section. The front office will be providing a cooler to El Matador with cups. DBG and LSL also asked for this request for their Capos. The front office will review this and get back to the appropriate parties but don’t expect an issues with the request.