Against Modern Football: No to Corp Chants

Some companies are stepping on turf that does not belong to them. Click “more” to read why Emerald City Supporters have a problem with this. Photo by Jenni Connor.

Traditionally in sport there has been a known and respected duality between the team and supporters. At one point, it was well known that the team would run the business and the supporters would provide the culture. Then it became acceptable for teams to provide more and more of the atmosphere – to the point where it is common in American sport for the supporter (or fan) to be told when to cheer, what to cheer and how loud to cheer it.

In football, soccer, futbol, calcio, etc. this has never been acceptable. The voice of the supporter is among the most sacred aspects of the sport. A few months back a company took one of the songs commonly used by Emerald City Supporters and began using it for their advertisements. We were a bit shocked, but nothing could be done. Tomorrow supporters will be enticed to sing another song, written for a contest held by said company, who asked “Do you have Sounders chanting chops? Let’s hear it! Scarves up proud & chant out loud.”

Tomorrow there will be a contest held to see which supporter group does the corporate contest winning chant the loudest with the winner getting an appearance from a Sounders player at their next event. While we support the players 100%, and always welcome them to our events, we find it insulting that they are being used as a “prize” for the loudest group.

The club’s marketing has gone too far with this and impinged on sacred ground. While all members are free to do what they want, we encourage ECS members and supporters to not sing the songs on the screen and instead join us in the “Seattle Sounders” call and repeat chant as well as “The Blue and the Green.”

See you on the terraces,
ECS Leadership