So, it's done, finally. The decision has been made -- or, at least, announced. We'll likely never know for sure if the club really did take weeks and weeks to decide on the venue of its CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal, or whether the Rogers Centre was a fait accompli all along, merely awaiting the public announcement of MLSE's sale to the Rogers/Bell consortium.
Either way, no matter what your opinion about the ultimate venue (and playing surface) choice, you now know when it all goes down: March 7 v.s. the L.A. Galaxy. And if you have ever considered yourself a fan of Toronto FC, it is your responsibility to be there. Barring the scheduled birth of your child on that date, you have absolutely no excuse not to.
Oh, and you've got one other responsibility: Bring your friends.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
I'm not one for arbitrary distinctions between "casuals" and "supporters". To me, it just smacks of divisiveness and exclusion, even if that's not its intent. Yeah, of course, the folks in certain parts of BMO Field make more noise and create more of a visual presence than folks in other parts of it. But with few exceptions, BMO Field is generally full (or close to it) with people who paid money to buy a ticket, and paid money for some variety of team merchandise.
I think, then, it's safe for me to assume that they would like to see Toronto FC win. They like the team. They follow the team. They are all Toronto FC fans.
And this is to say nothing of the hundreds or thousands or who-knows-how-many people also follow the team closely but who -- for one reason or another -- can't make their way to BMO Field to watch them live on a regular basis, or at all.
The point is, there's no question in my mind that Rogers Centre could be filled with Toronto FC fans. Every single seat could be occupied (well, paid for, anyway) by someone with a rooting interest in the home side. If the ticket prices as reported on CSN earlier this week are accurate, then the financial barrier is removed too.
So, yes, there are unquestionably 55,000 people who have an interest in TFC, could make it to Toronto on March 7, and will be able to scrounge up $20 for a ticket between now and then. The game should be sold out.
Will each person in attendance know the names and positions of every player on the roster? Nope. Will they know the words to the chants? Nope -- heck, it might be their first time at a live TFC game. But what they will do is help create a massive boost for the club, not just on the field on March 7, but in the public perception when footage of the game is shown later (a la Montreal's Olympic Stadium sell-out in 2009).
Those who talk of the Rogers Centre as being "cavernous" are generally right -- when the attendance is 20,000 for a baseball or football game. But having been to two sold-out sporting events at the former Skydome in the last few years (a World Baseball Classic game and a Grey Cup), I can tell you that a sold-out, engaged crowd at that ol' park can still create one hell of an atmosphere.
Now, upon whose shoulders does the responsibility fall for promoting the game and ensuring such an exciting atmosphere? Well, of course it's the club. The multi-million dollar marketing machine that is MLSE hardly needs help circulating word of the game's existence. But mere knowledge of something doesn't necessarily translate to sales. The old adage is true: The best advertising really is word of mouth.
So to you, Toronto FC fan reading this -- yes, you -- do your part.
If you've got friends who like the game of soccer, who've always wanted to see a TFC game live or, hell, who would just like to be part of a grand footie spectacle in the city, tell them about the game. Tell them about its importance. Tell them it's not just some preseason exhibition game (as some may incorrectly believe); convince them, theoretically, a victory here is a step towards TFC being the team to get smoked by Barcelona in the final of next year's Club World Cup.
I'm making no distinctions between groups of fans here. Whether you've spent hundreds of hours drawing up banners or you still think Frings is a side order at Harvey's, you -- we -- are all in this together.
At the heart of it, anyone who calls themselves a fan of a team ultimately wants the same thing: for the team to succeed. And success on March 7 -- both in this tournament, and in rebuilding the internal and external perception of the club -- starts with Toronto's ability to pack the house.
Can you do it, Toronto? Will you do it?
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