About

Who are the Emerald City Supporters?
Emerald City Supporters (ECS) are a independent supporters group of Seattle Sounders FC. Our aim is to support our beloved Sounders and continue to create the best atmosphere in Major League Soccer. Look to the Brougham End to see and hear the ECS in action on gameday. The vision is that the ECS becomes an umbrella organization that incorporates supporter subgroups of all persuasions. If you are thinking of starting a group or need help please contact us via email (ecs@weareecs.com) or on our message boards. If you just want to join us, then come stand with the ECS, sing our songs, and participate in the displays.

Can I join the ECS?
Yes! We welcome new members. In fact, we are actively recruiting new people dedicated to supporting the sounders by standing, chanting, and actively participating on gameday displays and songs.

How do I join the ECS?
Easy. During the season just show up at either of our pregame bars, Fuel or McCoys, both at the intersection of 2nd and Washington. Come in and introduce yourself – as long as you are there to support the Sounders. At the stadium you can find us in the General Admission (GA) area of Qwest which are sections 121-123, nicknamed the Brougham End. Also, sign up on our discussion forum and during the off-season attend one of the events that will be announced on the site and forums. Whether you join to support our cause from far away or you intend to stand with us in the Brougham End, you are welcome to join us. Only thing is we expect you to embrace our supporter culture and mentality: First the Sounders, Second the ECS.

Do I have to pay dues for joining?
No. However, we do have a membership package that includes an ECS scarf, ECS t-shirt, and a membership card that gives you discounts at our sponsors. The membership costs $30 per year. See the join page for details. View this as a contribution to a group that adds color and atmosphere to the game day experience, if you want more of it, support us!

What is your history?
The ECS was formed in 2005. Back then we supported the now defunct Seattle Sounders of the USL Division 1. We look at Seattle Sounders FC as a direct continuation of the same soccer tradition that the USL club was a part of. We have grown to 1300 members and are the largest Seattle supporters group and one of the largest in Major League Soccer. We follow our own model for support which, based on the multinational spread of our members, aims to fill the terrace with large flags, vocal chants, and pride for the city of Seattle and the Puget Sound.

Can I bring my kids to your section?
The supporters section is probably not the best place for young kids – but would be okay if they can handle colorful language and folks jovially drinking and singing.

Where do you get the flags?
We make our flags and two pole banners ourselves. If you are interested in participating please join the discussion in our forums.

Do I have to sing in the ECS section?
YES. We strongly encourage vocal participation. This is the main requirement of the ECS: if you stand with us, we expect you to sing and will strongly encourage you to do the same. If you are an ECS member and you do not sit in the GA you should view it as your personal mission to help spread the supporter culture throughout the section you are in. It is in this way that our group is the only group in MLS that has managed to get the entire stadium to do chants. So we ask that non GA ECS spread our songs and culture and to take initiative on this matter by printing out our song sheets. This should be done by encouraging participation from those that are not ECS members, with the hope that some day they will become addicted as you. Our song sheets can be found on the songs page.

What’s Tifo?
Tifo is short for the Italian word tifoso, meaning supporter. It’s used as a general term to describe flags, banners, confetti, balloons, paper rolls, smoke, flares, scarves, and any display that supports your club. We encourage everyone to make and bring tifo to the match. For the big matches we sometimes make bigger displays or choreographies in a more organized fashion. We are always looking for our members to make tifo, especially two pole tifo. Stay active and we encourage our members to join our tifo parties where you can get a chance to learn some handy supporter arts and crafts. These events are typically great social events where you can learn from others and talk about your respective experiences at football matches around the globe.

Do I have to drink to be in the ECS?
Absolutely not. Though most of the ECS like to drink before, during, and after the game, it is definitely not required to be a part of the ECS. It is however required that you bring the noise and the color!

Are the ECS soccer hooligans?
We hope that violence and hooliganism will never be a part of American soccer.