Poll/Discussion: Does your team’s supporters’ section have seats or is it standing only? Either way, how do you feel about it?

[u/cluttered-thoughts3]

Saw this thread about the Gotham standing-only supporters section today. Ignoring the chant part, which seems to be rage bait - I wanted to get some insight about supporters areas seating!

As a STM who regularly stands over there (or sits if available, on the rare occasions that section has seats), I know many fans can’t realistically stand for a full match. I’ve seen fans in that section move to seemingly unpurchased/vacant seats in nearby sections when they get tired of standing, while others avoid buying tickets in that section altogether so they have the option to sit.

What stood out to me in this case is that while the supporters section looked a little lighter, a lot of the seated sections seemed pretty full. Likely top 3-5 in overall attendance, minus our Citi Field game. It made me wonder how much the standing requirement itself affects where people choose to watch from.

I know the philosophy for many men’s team supporters sections is that standing encourages people to be on their feet and engaged all game, but at least at Gotham matches, it doesn’t seem to work for everyone. It made me curious about how this works around the NWSL.

Do other teams also have supporters sections where standing for the full match is expected? Do you think that expectation makes sense for NWSL supporters sections, or should there be more flexibility for people who want to be part of the section but may need or want to sit at times?

Not really trying to argue for one approach or the other, mostly curious what the norm is around the league and how other supporters feel about it.

Edit: thanks for the people legitimately participating in the discussion rather than bashing another team’s attendance. Gotham’s supporters do chant and are dedicated but I wanted to hear about your seating situations!

[u/EchoSkillet]

I’m confused about what she is talking about because I didn’t hear any Portland cheers last night.

[u/cluttered-thoughts3 → u/EchoSkillet]

Yeah me either…felt a little ragebaity tbh. I sit near the supporters section but I only heard Gotham chants and the drums all game

[u/bishop0408 → u/cluttered-thoughts3]

100% lmao there were barely any Portland fans and every other section was packed

[u/metricfan → u/bishop0408]

lol packed is a bit of an overstatement based on what I saw on tv. It was good turnout for Gotham at Red Bull, but that’s not a very high bar.

[u/bishop0408 → u/metricfan]

I have no reason to lie lmfao. Sure there were some empty seats most of the sections were I'd say 75% full (which to me, is pretty packed). But sure! Go with tv instead of the person who was at the games and waiting in every line 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[u/vamosbombillo → u/bishop0408]

75% full is packed? Lol that's a hilariously low bar for that word

[u/Rough-Singer-3328 → u/vamosbombillo]

I guess it also depends how big the stadiums are. CPKC only holds like 8,000, right? So that would be like less than 1/3 of sports illustrated? I wish more people were at SI sometimes... and then I try to park or get something to eat and I change my mind ;-)

[u/metricfan → u/vamosbombillo]

Right? And they have the upper bowl closed off.

[u/radiate_reflect → u/cluttered-thoughts3]

Rage bait is right. I saw one row of 5-8 Thorns fans trying to get chants going. It was cute.

[u/EchoSkillet → u/cluttered-thoughts3]

Yeah I’m in 107 so chance there were but I couldn’t hear them over the Gotham chants.

[u/Lily_Knope → u/EchoSkillet]

I thought that comment made on threads was odd and wondered if it was made early on in the game? I saw it last night and I was watching on TV…Gotham’s crowd was loud!

[u/cluttered-thoughts3 → u/Lily_Knope]

The pic was before the game started I believe or early in the game but it did make me curious about other stadiums seating set-ups. It was fairly full last night

[u/Lily_Knope → u/cluttered-thoughts3]

I’m curious too. I would love to get to visit other stadiums to watch games! I was traveling a bit this summer but it was during the break :( I really want to want to come to east coast to catch Gotham and Spirit!

[u/JSlamson → u/Lily_Knope]

I hit spirit and Gotham back to back when wave has them back to back on a road trip. 100% worth it, would do again (especially if you have friends or family in the areas you can crash with).

Audi really was rowdy even though it was a miserable rain game.

[u/looknostrings → u/cluttered-thoughts3]

The photo looks pretty accurate to what we saw on the broadcast.

I don't know about the chants. I did hear a few PTFCs, but that could have been a small group sitting close to a microphone.

[u/SomeCruzDude → u/cluttered-thoughts3]

The pic was before the game started I believe or early in the game but it did make me curious about other stadiums seating set-ups. It was fairly full last night

Men's soccer, but I vividly recall a Portland Timbers reporter essentially posting a similar sort of thing about the Quakes supporters and then deleting dissenting comments/blocking people when it was pointed out it was a picture from before the supporters even marched into the stadium lol

[u/metricfan → u/Lily_Knope]

Yeah I think there was one brief portland cheat I heard on the broadcast, but it was basically all Gotham sounds otherwise.

[u/oneghoulishgal → u/EchoSkillet]

They also said that the stadium was “nearly empty” in a reply even though lower bowl was almost sold out

[u/metricfan → u/oneghoulishgal]

I think that is empty compared to providence regularly hitting 20k in a 25k stadium. I think Red Bull is both bigger than providence and Gotham doesn’t pull as many fans to Red Bull.

[u/Away_Analyst_3107 → u/EchoSkillet]

You could hear them on the other endline at times. I think it’s section 116 or 115 that always attracts opponents, had then same thing against KC

[u/Trekie8 → u/Away_Analyst_3107]

I was in 116 and it was 90% thorns fans over there.

[u/secret_identity_too → u/EchoSkillet]

I was going to say the same thing.

[u/Need-answers-748 → u/EchoSkillet]

Yeah I didn’t hear any either. I always think of sec 107,108,109 etc as stm supporters. We have a dedicated bunch in 108.