Crowd singing/chanting coordination

[Bertuzzi44]

I was in Edmonton for the Costa Rica game and the crowd was great. Very eager to sing and support Canada. However, I was in row 27 and our singing was not coordinated at all with the Vs lower down in section N.

So I was wondering if there was a way we could coordinate and all sing as one? That would sound AMAZING. I saw we had at least 2 capos with megaphones, but from halfway up the section there was no chance we could hear them. So, I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how we could coordinate better?

I have one idea: how about splitting the capos up, where they stay in line-of-sight with each other (and can hear each other), but split up vertically instead of horizontally in the section?

Anyway, just an idea. Big props to all the fans and especially to the capos. Hopefully we can brainstorm a way to get more of us singing the same song at the same time

Also, the MS Paint skills are real:

 

[rob.notenboom]

13 hours ago, Bertuzzi44 said:

I was in Edmonton for the Costa Rica game and the crowd was great. Very eager to sing and support Canada. However, I was in row 27 and our singing was not coordinated at all with the Vs lower down in section N.

So I was wondering if there was a way we could coordinate and all sing as one? That would sound AMAZING. I saw we had at least 2 capos with megaphones, but from halfway up the section there was no chance we could hear them. So, I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how we could coordinate better?

I have one idea: how about splitting the capos up, where they stay in line-of-sight with each other (and can hear each other), but split up vertically instead of horizontally in the section?

Anyway, just an idea. Big props to all the fans and especially to the capos. Hopefully we can brainstorm a way to get more of us singing the same song at the same time

Also, the MS Paint skills are real:

 

I know Zach has something in mind to help, but I don’t know what. 
 

Personally I’m in favour of a technological solution of some kind … but I’m not sure what that entails either. 
 

I tried to help on the megaphone until I lost my voice. But I couldn’t hear much and I was only 14 rows up. 
 

Although it was disjointed, I really appreciate people in other areas (higher up or over in section N) starting some things spontaneously. Although it may have interfered with coordination, it kept the energy going and introduced some new things.

It’s not just an issue at Commonwealth. It’s hard to coordinate in BMO and BC Place. Sound just seems to disappear. 

[CanadianTraveller]

Copy the Japanese, the Koreans. Too late (kinda) for this match, but easy enough to do if there are volunteers willing.

And certainly not a new problem - been an issue for as long as there's been a surge in new V's and a large enough group that everyone can't sit together. Think how compact the V's were at WWC 2015 vs. China...compared to the mob of newcomers on Friday.

[Bertuzzi44]

35 minutes ago, CanadianTraveller said:

Copy the Japanese, the Koreans. Too late (kinda) for this match, but easy enough to do if there are volunteers willing.

What do Japanese and Korean fans do to solve this problem?

[CanadianTraveller]

• Two capo per section - one low, one middle. Probably more at a stadium like the Tokyo Dome. Notice how the capo is clearly identifiable. Wish he wore his white gloves the whole time. (For Edmonton: Day-glo orange winter gloves.) To handle newbies, I'd suggest one-per-10-rows elevation, so...O1, N5, O10, N15, O20, N25.... Can skip Rows 1&5 if insufficient capo: the vets sit down there and know the routine.
• Clear signage or hand signals. I like the play-calling signs used in NCAA Football, but the Sapporo example is sufficient. Each handler (see below) should have signs, for the far-sighted fans. 🙂
• A handler/caller who is responsible for coordinating each capo - one handler, one capo. Back in the day they have hand signals (think colored wrist sweatbands + signals that would make a baseball catcher confused) but we have these things called cell phones, and the handlers can text. Section captain sends group msg every 2 minutes, handler relays to capo.
• Capos cheer their subjects when a cheer goes well. Capos cut cheers short and turn their backs when the cheer fades out. Very important to set expectations with people who don't know better. Silence is fine, even a good thing when used properly.
• I hate to say this, because I love it so very much but...no drum or bass. Whistles only. Drum works well because it produces the sound of 100 fans and it carries well. Drum isn't needed if you have 1000 singing...but only if they can hear the chant over the sound of a drum. Bring the drum when you don't have numbers.
• While the bleacher creatures in Hokkaido get 70 games a year to practice, we don't. Six chants total. Feel free to do something special once-per-half for the faithful...don't expect many newbies to join in. Six very simple, very easy to pick up chants. Notice no one in the video has a song sheet in hand.

Now if someone really wanted to impress Herdman, scatter the V's among the 60 sections of Commonwealth. Loudest section nets the V's yell leaders in that section a prize. (Prize like all-expense trip to Doha w/ tix.) Do like Texas A&M and have yell leaders practice the night before a match - I'm sure a V's Midnight Yell would go over very well among the faithful:

https://www.ncaa.com/video/football/2014-11-13/traditions-bleacher-report-texas-am-midnight-yell

None of this is needed when the V's are reinforced by dozens/hundreds of club supporter group members who practice 25 times a year. But when the locals disappear in a sea of newbies and V's from across the country, you need some coordination to be effective.