| Emerald City Supporters | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 2005 |
| Type | Supporters' group |
| Team | Seattle Sounders FC |
| Location | Lumen Field |
| Website | www |
Emerald City Supporters (ECS) is an independent supporters' group for Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders FC. The ECS is known for large choreographed tifo displays. [1] [2]
Emerald City Supporters was founded in 2005 by the supporters of the now defunct Seattle Sounders soccer team that played in the United Soccer Leagues First Division. [3] The name first appeared on a banner used as early as 2003 by a now defunct supporters' group known as The Pod, and was adopted by the new group upon its formation between the 2004 and 2005 seasons. [4] The name reflects city pride, as Emerald City is a well-known nickname for the city of Seattle. When the arrival of a new MLS franchise in Seattle was announced in 2008 and it was clear that the USL Sounders were going to fold, the ECS decided to become supporters of the new club. [5] When the name of the new club was decided by vote, the ECS was very active in rallying votes for the Sounders moniker. When the Sounders played in the USL the ECS had fewer than a hundred members. [6] The arrival of MLS in Seattle resulted in a rapid growth of ECS membership, and by the inaugural game of Seattle Sounders FC in March 2009 ECS had about 600 members. [7] By the end of 2009 the membership had risen to 1,400. [3] In June 2010 the membership had passed the 2,000 mark. [8] In 2012 the annual paid membership was about 2,700.
ECS occupies sections 121–123 at Lumen Field, the home ground of the Sounders. These sections are general-admission sections located behind the goal at the south end of Lumen Field, also known as the "Brougham End" after the street (South Royal Brougham Way) that runs along the south edge of the stadium complex. On the day of a home game the ECS congregates at bars in the Pioneer Square area, and marches together the half-mile distance from Occidental Park to Lumen Field. [7] [9] [10] [11] During games the ECS contributes to a supporters atmosphere through standing, singing, and tifo. Songs are led by a capo with the aid of a PA system and megaphones. [7] [12]
Emerald City Supporters are vocal and seek organized and forceful expressions during games. Their style of cheering would normally be reserved for teams in Europe or Latin America. [3] The European influence shows in songs that involve coordinated movement, such as pogoing and scarf waving, and in many traditional British football chants such as Sounders Till I Die and Guinness Boys. In addition, the ECS has adapted some punk rock songs such as the Sick of It All song "Us vs. Them"'. [10] At kick-off, the ECS sings the first verse of the Perry Como song "Seattle".
Several sub-groups are designated by the Emerald City Supporters on geographical, cultural, or occupational lines. To be considered an official regional sub-group there must be at least 25 ECS members affiliated with the group; groups based on a common cause other than geography (such as La Barra Fuerza Verde and Pride of the Sound) require 50 ECS members to be officially recognized. [13] Among the largest sub-groups is 253 Defiance, representing the Pierce County area; the Armed Services Group; La Barra Fuerza Verde, representing the Latino community in the Northwest; Dry Side Supporters represent central and eastern Washington (Yakima being the center of DSS); Bellingham Nightwatch, representing Whatcom and the surrounding northern border counties; West Sound Armada, representing Kitsap County and areas west of Puget Sound. Major subgroups across the country include: the Heartland Horde representing the Midwest and Rocky Mountain region; Tropic Sound, representing Florida, the coastal south, and the Caribbean Islands; Seattle Sounders East, representing the Northeastern states; Anchor n Rose 48, standing strong in rival territory Portland, OR. [14]
Lumen Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. Located in the city's SoDo neighborhood, it is the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL), the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL, the Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer (MLS), and OL Reign of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Originally called Seahawks Stadium, it was renamed Qwest Field in June 2004 when telecommunications carrier Qwest acquired the naming rights. The stadium became known as CenturyLink Field following Qwest's June 2011 acquisition by CenturyLink and was nicknamed "The Clink" as a result; it received its current name in November 2020 with CenturyLink's rebrand to Lumen Technologies. It is a modern facility with views of the Downtown Seattle skyline and a seating capacity of 68,740 spectators for NFL games and 37,722 for most MLS matches. The complex also includes the Event Center which is home to the Washington Music Theater, a parking garage, and a public plaza. The venue hosts concerts, trade shows, and consumer shows along with sporting events. Located within a mile (1.6 km) of Downtown Seattle, the stadium is accessible by multiple freeways and forms of mass transit.
Tifo is the phenomenon whereby tifosi of a sports team makes a visual display of any choreographed flag, sign or banner in the stands of a stadium, mostly as part of an association football match.
La Barra Brava is an independent supporters' group for Major League Soccer's D.C. United and the United States. La Barra Brava are often called the craziest fans in MLS for their antics.
The Timbers Army is an independent supporters group of Portland Timbers, a soccer club in Major League Soccer—the top tier of the United States soccer pyramid. Its members are known for their loud, enthusiastic support and the raucous atmosphere they create at Timbers games. Centered in section 107 of Providence Park in Portland, Oregon, the Army has grown steadily over the years to encompass much of the north end of the stadium.
The Cascadia Cup is the name of the trophy created in 2004 by supporters of the Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, and Vancouver Whitecaps, which is awarded each season to the best soccer team in the Pacific Northwest. The cup is named for the Cascadia region. The Timbers, Sounders, and Whitecaps have roots dating to the days of the original North American Soccer League. It was first contested in 2004, and was claimed by the Whitecaps. In 2011 the competition continued with the now Major League Soccer (MLS) sides Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders FC, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
The Seattle metropolitan area in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States is home to several professional and amateur sports teams. They include seven teams in major leagues, several in minor leagues, and collegiate programs for two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I universities and one NCAA Division II university.
Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's soccer club based in Seattle, Washington, United States. The Sounders compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. The club was established on November 13, 2007, and began play in 2009 as an MLS expansion team. The Sounders are a phoenix club, replacing the second-division Sounders franchise that played in the American Professional Soccer League (APSL), A-League, and USL First Division (USL-1) from 1994 to 2008, and carrying the same name as the original Sounders franchise that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1974 to 1983.
Zacharias Scott is a former American soccer player who last played as a defender for Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer. A one-club player, Scott now serves as a periodic contributor to local Sounders television broadcasts.
The 2009 season was Seattle Sounders FC's first in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top flight of American soccer. It was the 29th season played by a professional team bearing the Sounders name, which was chosen for the MLS expansion team by a fan vote. An MLS franchise was awarded to a group from Seattle in 2007, including Adrian Hanauer, the owner of the second-division incarnation of the Sounders.
The Portland Timbers–Seattle Sounders rivalry is a soccer rivalry between the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders FC, both based in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The rivalry originated in the North American Soccer League of the 1970s, with both cities reviving expansion teams, and has carried into lower-level leagues, including the A-League and USL First Division. The rivalry moved to Major League Soccer, the top division of soccer in the United States, in 2011, where it has grown into one of the largest in American soccer.
Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Vancouver. They compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The MLS iteration of the club was established on March 18, 2009, and began play in 2011 as the 17th team to enter Major League Soccer while replacing the USSF Division 2 team of the same name in the city, making them a phoenix club and the third to carry the Whitecaps name. The club has been owned and managed by the same group since their USSF days.
Royal Brewer Brougham was one of the longest tenured employees of a U.S. newspaper in history, working for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in Seattle, Washington, primarily as sports editor, for 68 years, starting at age 16.
Gorilla FC (GFC) is an independent supporters' group for Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders FC.
A supporters' group or supporters' club is an independent fan club or campaign group in sport, mostly association football.
Seattle Sounders FC, a Major League Soccer club established in 2007, has gained a reputation for having passionate supporters since its inaugural season in 2009. There are four recognized supporters groups for Sounders FC: Emerald City Supporters, Gorilla FC, North End Faifthful, and Eastside Supporters.
The 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final was a soccer match between the Seattle Sounders FC and the Chicago Fire, played on October 4, 2011, at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington. The match was the culmination of the 2011 U.S. Open Cup, a tournament open to amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation. This was the 98th edition of the U.S. Open Cup, the oldest ongoing competition in American soccer. The Seattle Sounders FC won by defeating the Chicago Fire 2–0 with goals scored by Fredy Montero and Osvaldo Alonso. The attendance was 36,615, breaking the record for the final set the previous year when Seattle also won and hosted. Seattle became the first team since 1968 to win three consecutive U.S. Open Cup championships and the fourth team ever to do so in the 98-year history of the tournament.
Seattle has had professional soccer clubs for over four decades who have played in various leagues since the 1970s. These include three incarnations of the Seattle Sounders, playing in the North American Soccer League, United Soccer League, and Major League Soccer. The city is also home to OL Reign, originally known as Seattle Reign FC, which began in 2013 as a founding member of the National Women's Soccer League. Seattle has also hosted teams from the Continental Indoor Soccer League, the National Women's Soccer League, and the Major Arena Soccer League.
Tacoma Defiance, formerly Seattle Sounders FC 2, is an American professional soccer team based in Tacoma, Washington, U.S. that competes in the MLS Next Pro, the third tier of the United States soccer league system, as the reserve team of Seattle Sounders FC. The Defiance is operated by The Baseball Club of Tacoma and managed by Seattle Sounders FC, while 20 percent of the club is fan-owned through the non-profit Sounders Community Trust.
San Francisco City Football Club, commonly abbreviated to SF City, is a supporter-owned soccer club located in San Francisco, California that competes in USL League Two.
The Seattle Sounders–Vancouver Whitecaps rivalry is a soccer rivalry between the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Seattle Sounders FC, both based in the Pacific Northwest region. The rivalry originated in the North American Soccer League of the 1970s, with both cities reviving expansion teams, and has carried into lower-level leagues, including the A-League and USL First Division. The rivalry moved to Major League Soccer, the top division of soccer in the United States and Canada, in 2011. The two clubs are part of the Cascadia Cup, the trophy and competition created in 2004 by supporters of the Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps, and the Seattle Sounders which is awarded each season to the best top-flight soccer team in the Cascadia region.
