No but I've seen enough lower division soccer games along with the national team to know what the lifeline is.
Go to a Sporting game and tell me what the lifeline of that club is. Go to the US and tell me the Outlaws aren't the lifeline of that team. Go to Portland and tell me the Timbers Army aren't the lifeline of that club. Go to Detroit and tell me the Northern Guard aren't the lifeline line of that club.
Nobody at these games is a hooligan. Profanity is passion. Tulsa doesn't get it.
Personally, I could care less what is said. However, this team is located in the absolute most red and fundamentally Christian state in the union. Remember who the bulk of the audience is. Most people may not share our indifference to the F-bomb. If people with small children have an issue with it, they won’t buy tickets.
A pro soccer team will fail without youth league kids bringing parents to games. Ever since the real Roughnecks left, there has been one failed venture after another. It’s not the 1000 or so really dedicated adult fans who float a team. It’s not even the other 1000 or so occasional fans like CF and myself who will help float a team. It’s all those Bible thumping families from Owasso, BA, Jenks, etc. who will buy the majority of the tickets.
Profanity shows lack of serious thought or creativity. True passion can be expressed without it.
All I’m pointing out is the real Roughnecks of the 1970’s and 1980’s easily pulled more than double the numbers this team has mainly by playing really great soccer, winning, or at least making it a close game and creating a family atmosphere. I played in Green Country Soccer back then and were it not for the family support of the sport and youth league soccer’s overwhelming support, it may never have achieved quite the popularity it did.
In addition, that club had recognizable heros like Alan Woodward, Billy Caskey, Charlie Mitchell, and others. Even the Oilers revival in the early 1990’s knew and appreciated that formula. Even though the athletes were only making $400 a week, they were still recognizable people in the community due to great marketing. Every casual sports fan would recognize Luc Beausoleil or Tom Karalis out and about town.
That’s another failing of not just the pretend Roughnecks, but the Athletics as well. They need to do a better job of creating recognizable heros in the community.
Again, the success of a pro sports team is not owed to the mosh pit of people who refuse to grow up.