Why Did You Become A Nycfc Fan?

[WestSideGuy]

I never played the game and did not grow up a soccer fan, though I do recall watching Pele and the Cosmos in Giants Stadium. My daughter started playing in the West Side Soccer League at about age 5 or 6 and then she moved up to Manhattan Soccer Club and now she has graduated to the Bronx High School of Science Girls Soccer Team. Over the years I've loved going to her games and following her teams and we've enjoyed watching the men's and women's World Cup together, but we never got into MLS. Last season we were offered tickets to see the NJRB against the Dynamo and went to that game. The stadium was empty, it was a hassle getting there and back from Manhattan, and it didn't peak our interest in MLS much. When we found out there would be a team in the City we signed up (1) as a way of doing something together, (2) because it was in the City and so accessible, (3) because it is so cool to get in from the beginning, and (4) because it's our City.

While I understand the game on a rudimentary level, I never played, so I just don't see the game on a tactical level like those who played do (but I am learning). It's great having a teenage daughter who can explain certain aspects of strategy and tactics to me and answer my questions. I'm having a great time following the Club and I have pretty much lost interest in all other sports at this point.

 

[Spursy]

The first reason is proximity being a NYer. Beyond that I adopted NYCFC largely due to the involvement of the Yankees. I'm a big Tottenham Hotspur fan, but have never really been able to get into MLS. Mostly this was due to quality of play and never feeling anything towards NYRB. After giving NYCFC a chance, I'm in. It wasn't nearly as awkward with the City affiliation as I anticipated. Looking forward to some more bitterly disappointing play because apparently I'm a glutton for punishment.

 

[andyrangersfc]

Caught my eye as a team with a clean slate from which to build on, had an interesting location, and was a welcome escape from the madness that is scottish football. NYCFC did some nifty business with David Villa and Frank Lampard, more recently Pirlo, which made me become a fan, as i am a fan of all three players. A bit different from growing up in Scotland surrounded at all times by a footballing culture and playing football all the time, and due to family history, i was destined to become a Rangers fan from birth. NYCFC is my escape from that. Not the greatest reasoning, but i still follow the club passionately.

 

[ds6]

A) I don't like the Yankees (Mets fan)
B) I don't like Manchester City (United fan)
C) I was a Metrostars fan

Yet, I have started to love NYCFC...

I'm not even sure how it happened. Those sky blue jerseys? Instant dislike. The ownership? I almost threw up. Yankee Stadium is "home"? No way. On paper I should be hating them.

But for whatever reason, I really liked the team. It just clicked.

I tried to continue to root for the Metrostars after the Red Bull sellout, but it just wasn't the same. I passively supported but followed less and less. By then I was living in London and watched the Premier League instead. But then I came back to a splash of a new local team, and it just happened.

Was it that it's actually a NY team IN NY? Was it that it's just "new"? The big Villa signing? The comfort of future financial backing? The classiness of the Yankees? Blue, my favorite color? The cool logo? Pirlo? I'm sure it was a bit of each. Or maybe these are the things that I like now AFTER becoming a fan?

Fast forward, and I am now catching each match, fist pumping after each goal, yelling at each turnover, looking for authentic away kit (still can't do the sky blue / MC ones, which admittedly are now growing on me), and contemplating season tickets.

The players are usually the biggest draw for me, but despite growing up liking the LA Galaxy (Cobi Jones) or Tampa Bay Mutiny (Valderrama), it was different this time around.

Still unsure what it is. But I don't care, nor does it matter. Here's to the ups and to the downs. Go NYCFC!

 

[Javi Garcia's Hairstylist]

Manchester City fan my whole life. But living in the US now and looking for a reason to follow the league. I could never get into it before because I never had much of a natural rooting interest for anyone.

I have to say I am really developing a lot of affection for NYCFC and look forward to the matches! Won't ever be my "first" club, of course, but there won't ever be a "third" for me either. I am proud to call myself an NYCFC fan and will represent for a couple of the away matches between now and the end of the season.

And I will surely get out to Yankee Stadium at least once next year. Looks like a great atmosphere you guys are developing!

 

[TabascoDiva]

Before USA 94, I hated futbol, to me it did not make sense to root for a foreign country, like my , sisters, brothers and Dad. I couldn't see what they saw in Brazil el jogo bonito... what was pretty about running after a ball, lol , Argentina, Germany were like the panzers , Holland -LaNaranja Mecanica...lol (what was mechanical about it ?). My mom , baby sister and I were outnumbered every four years during the WC month. Then The WC came to USA and finally it made sense to me. I had a team and players to root for. Then came the MetroStars, Juventus, Inter Milan, Zidane, Batigol, Manchester United, Ronaldo(Brazilian), Roberto Carlos, Del Piero, and began to understand the wonder of the games seeing all this guys, artfully and skillfully rolling the ball without the use of their arm and hands. the GOOOLAZOS...

When the MetroStars was formed, I wanted to get season tickets but it was far away in New Jersey, The cost of turnpikes and bridge/tunnel and distance, I did not. but I was their fervent fan. I still remember Pitufu, El tanque , Gio Savarese( Current RB DT ), Italian maestro Donadonni, goalie Johnny Walker( I still keep the Shirt with his name, El animal( a Brazilian player with poor discipline ,can not remember his name but do remember his nickname and why he was called that but to current behavior of Jara or Luis Suarez, did not compare to them. i did attended a few games at Meadow Lands. Petke with long braids. and other American players cannot recall their names but do remember them. I lost total interest after they built their stadium in Harrison, I forgot to watch or follow them. the dead knell in the fan relationship was when they changed their name. Although the team identified as NY/NJ the team never really acquired a New York Identity. Everything was in Jersey.

Last year watching on TV the sport segment for the WC 2014, I heard about the creation of a team called New York City Football Club with Claudio Reyna at the helm. Wow!!!! The name just perked up my ears and piqued up my interest. I bought the newspapers, and searched the internet and listened avidly Telemundo and Univison sport segment. I looked up the phone number of Yankee Stadium and asked how I could purchase tickets. It was true, A Football Club , not a soccer club. Being a New Yorker I loved the name. If they would had called it a soccer club , it would had diluted its appeal.

And the best thing David Villa was going to be the star of the team. I admire Villa as an athlete and more so after I found out he was a UNICEF sponsor for children with disabilities, David is a humanitarian and is something he quietly does. since I am a person with disabilities, I just t felt I had to be a season ticket holder. Mi Granito de Arena (my grain of sand )to contribute in the development of futbol in USA and support my home team NYCFC. The BEST part the team is playing in the Yankee Stadium ,Bronx , easily accessible for me.

 

[Tony L]

About 4 years ago I was losing interest in everything but MLB and the NFL, and even then I found myself missing games here and there. I needed something new, but I didn't know what it was exactly. My barber is an avid Barca fan, and after sitting in his chair complaining one day, he explained the game, the leagues, how it basically all works. It was enough to convince me to give it a shot, and I've been addicted ever since. When there isn't a game on ... its like opening your pack of smokes and finding nothing but a few grains of tobacco at the bottom of the pack, on the way home from work, after you've just been fired. I'm showing up at my friends place on sundays talking about it and trying to convert them like I'm a jehovah's witness. I live for this game. I live in Jersey now, right outside the city, and the RB's fanbase never agreed with me, nor has going to Harrison. When this franchise started, it was a no brainer .... new team in the league, starting out in Yankee stadium, I knew this was going to be my new team. I'm very excited to be a new season pass holder and being part of this community for a very long time!

 

[DonnieJ]

I live in rochester we have a soccer team but they will never go to MLS plus i hate the red bulls and NYCFC is the next best thing today againest LA this is the 3rd game NYCFC i watched i also support southampton