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Banner seen in the pre-game tailgate. Those who made it did not deserve to be let diwn by a minority
It was supposed to be the night of glory for the city of San Diego. It was going to be the showcase of our diversity and internationalism. It was supposed to show MLS what they had been missing.
The pre-game tailgate was incredible, among the best I’d seen in covering four MLS Expansion home debuts. It was the ultimate rebuttal to those who would try and divide America against its Hispanic population.
Even visiting St Louis fans were warmly greeted and made welcome. About 300 idiots took all that away from over 34,000 people in attendance any many more watching on television.
[Photo Gallery of pre-game festivities]
Fans of both clubs mingled before the game in a superb atmosphere
The narrative around which San Diego’s inaugural home game would unfold was not immediately apparent.
The home club were besieging the goal directly in front of La Frontera, the organised supporters section.
From the 7th minute when a Chris McVey header went over the bar, St Louis City’s Swiss keeper Roman Burki took goalkicks with no indication of the word ‘puto‘ anywhere in the ground.
As late as the 74th minute when San Diego’s Marcus Ingvartsen also headed over the bar, there was little to worry about.
Six minutes later, the trajectory of the narrative about San Diego’s opening night changed dramatically. As Burki took another goal kick, a quiet chant of ‘puto‘ arose from the southern end of the stadium.
The first sign of trouble came as late as ten minutes from the end
Inside the press box, there was a deep intake of breath.
Those covering the game for a soccer outlet or who had covered the game regularly in this country knew immediately what had just happened. The feeling of “if we don’t get a goal here, this is going to be the story” began to form. Soon the thought of even a goal changing the subject became overtly optimistic.
The press weren’t the only ones to know the likely consequences. The club reacted quickly.
Within a very short period, an appeal to cease the chant appeared on the scoreboard and was repeated over the public address system. It wasn’t just the standard appeal not to chant things. The wording suggested it had been hastily written to address events on the night.
The club acted quickly to put a warning up on the scoreboard
Photo: Sandiego.futbol
The message read:
DISCRIMINATION HAS NO PLACE IN OUR SPORT AND IN OUR STADIUMS AND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. THE FAN CHANT THAT WAS JUST USED IS OFFENSIVE AND WE ASK THAT FANS DO NOT CONTINUE TO USE THE CHANT. THANK YOU.
That however did not dissuade the minority. Before full time, the chant was repeated twice more although with far fewer people taking part each time.
The club displayed the message again and there was a quiet murmur of approval from the rest of the stadium the second time, notably from the supporters’ section behind the north goal who had put so much effort into creating an otherwise fantastic atmosphere.
One of those active supporters who had cause to feel betrayed was Justin Brown, Vice President of the Riptides Supporters Groups. He told Prost:
“The chant was a horrible display of who San Diego is. This is a welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant community. It is built on diversity. That’s its greatest strength.
“The chant was lead by fans that have no business around our club (not supporters). We (Riptides and the other groups of the supporters union) condemn it vehemently.
“We are working with the club on ways to correct this.”
The final line suggests conversations are already underway around an issue that seems to have united Front Office and Supporters Groups at a stage in a new franchise’s development where they are often fighting. There might be an upside after all, but it’s a high price to pay for that unity.
It wasn’t just members of organised supporters groups who were expressing despair.
A Supporters Group flag stands defiantly up to the clouds
Prost spoke to Carlos Martinez, a Hispanic fan of the club. He told us:
“I was enjoying tonight’s game until our fans started to chant the ugly homophobic goal kick chant, and the night was ruined.
“I won’t support a club that condons this behavior.”
He needn’t have worried on that score. The first question thrown at Mikey Varas, the club’s Head Coach, was about the chant.
Visibly angry, Varas made it perfectly clear that the club did not condone it.
“The chant that was heard tonight is unacceptable. It’s outside of our value system. It doesn’t represent the players, myself or the club, and it certainly doesn’t represent San Diego or Baja California.
“It’s not a reflection of who we are. We’re a community full of love, of support, and we believe in the power of diversity.
“I just want to make very clear that it has no place here. If they’re going to continue to come to the game and make that chant, it’s better that they don’t come here.”
Martinez hasn’t fully given up on the club and still hopes the club can eradicate the chant:
“I feel strongly that the chant has no place in fútbol or at SDFC games. I’ll see what SDFC does in the coming home games to determine if it warrants my support and loyalty.
“I follow a club that has the same values as mine. I hope it changes sooner than later for the clubs sake.
“Until then, I’ll watch from the sideline to see if this club matures into the club I can support. Good luck with the season!”
There are some who leapt on the incident to fingerpoint at Mexican fans. From the ferocity of the initial reactions on social media, they are among the angriest about the chant.
One wrote:
“As a Mexican, I’m guilty of using that chant way before they told us not to. I understand it’s a cultural thing, I understand we don’t mean harm by it. However,
“1. We can’t push our culture on everyone, it’s not just Mexicans there.
“2. There are parents at the game that don’t want their kids learning this and finally
“3. I stopped when they told me to stop!
“I am not above the rules, I am not arrogant and believe I can do whatever the hell I want, whenever I want. There is a time and a place and if the league said no, then that means no!
“Again, I said the chant many times in my first few years. We weren’t stopped but those times are over, whether you think it’s a bad word or not.
“We were told to stop and if you have a hard time following rules then stay home. Just like you would kick out someone from your house if they can’t follow your rules, whether they think they’re bad rules or not.”
With time to think and react, the club itself released a joint statement on behalf of the ownership and management on Monday:
“What took place during our first-ever home match does not reflect who we are as a club or the values we stand for. The sport of football brings people together and in San Diego that inclusive spirit thrives.
“The use of homophobic language in our stadium is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. San Diego FC is built on respect and the belief that soccer is for everyone.
“We are committed to fostering an environment where all fans, players, and staff feel safe and welcome. We will take immediate steps to address this behavior and will communicate a detailed plan prior to the next home match.”
They have 11 days before they host Columbus Crew on March 15th. But there’s another cloud on the horizon.
Despite the fragility of the field, Soccer United Marketing (SUM) have scheduled a friendly match between Xolos Tijuana and Chivas Guadalajara at Snapdragon on March 23rd. It is part of Chivas Tour Rebaño.
Should the ‘puto‘ chant appear there, the debate will move away from just San Diego fans but the lack of action on this chant at many previous SUM games, none of which stopped them organising and making money off another one.
However that presents an opportunity.
The hopes of all decent fans are behind San Diego FC in isolating the few who would selfishly ruin something so enjoyable for so many. If they find successful measures to prevent it reoccurring on March 15th, hopefully those measures can be brought into force for the Chivas friendly.
Then the City of San Diego can loudly and swaggeringly argue that the puto chant came to San Diego to die.
And that’s something we can all, gay or straight, be proud of.
