The following is the official release from the Southsiders, Vancouver's Supporters Group.
We feel there are tremendous benefits to be gained by hosting as many visiting supporters in Vancouver as possible, because it is the rival supporters groups singing back and forth across the stadium that will turn Vancouver’s quiet spectators into lifelong supporters who shout their hearts out every match.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Our hope has always been that Vancouver could open its doors to more than 500 visitors, because we know the Timbers Army and ECS already have the numbers to fill twice that many seats. As a result, I suspect many of their fans caught outside the lucky 500 will be seeking additional seats anywhere they can get them, and this is a scenario which opens the door for potential security issues between rival fans seated next to each other.
That said, the fans of all three Cascadia cities are generally top notch, and they are not the sort to go looking for trouble. However, one only needs to look at a Canucks or BC Lions game to see what happens when you mix alcohol with rival fans sitting near each other. We have always said that the best security policy is one which contains visiting fans in one area, and strictly limits their contact with the home side. It’s not rocket science – it’s common sense. The league would do well to re-evaluate these numbers after the 2011 season, and look to Europe for examples of resolving these issues. There’s no need to re-invent the wheel.
As for Vancouver’s fans, I think 500 seats at Qwest and PGE are a good starting point to build on. Our city’s supporters culture is essentially in its infancy, and it will be up to us to demonstrate that we can completely sell those seats out before we are in a position to be asking for more.
I have asked the Whitecaps to provide clarification on four points:
1) What sections will away fans be seated in at each of the three cities?
2) What is the process for allocating away tickets to supporters?
3) Will the Whitecaps be adding any fees or pricing mark-ups to the cost of the away seats in Portland and Seattle?
4) Do the Whitecaps have any plans to get involved on the transportation side of the issue (i.e. organizing buses and accommodation)?
I hope to have some of those answers soon. In the meantime, the Southsiders are looking forward to shaking the league to its core with this rivalry. There is no question that the Cascadia Cup Derby is going to elevate the MLS to a whole new level of credibility, and we’re looking forward to taking Vancouver’s fans along for the ride.
John Knox, Spokesman
Vancouver Southsiders