Black & Gold: LAFC already has major impact on fans


By
 in ,

Sports is sometimes viewed as a frivolous topic. Non-sports fans often see it as a means of entertainment on a lazy weekend night. But what many people fail to see is the impact that sports has made throughout the globe and behind the scenes of what they see on their screens. 

From generating national pride during international competitions to providing a source of solace from daily struggles to empowering young athletes, the impact of sports is undeniable.

Just in our backyard, at the Banc of California Stadium, the Los Angeles community experiences this impact first hand. It is hard to believe that the Los Angeles Football Club played its inaugural game only a year and a half ago. Finishing the best regular season for an MLS expansion team and boasting the best record in Major League Soccer this season, LAFC has already made a respectable name for itself. 

What has made the rise of LAFC even more impressive is the rapid growth of its loyal fan base. Ever since the MLS awarded L.A. the new team in 2014, the passion for LAFC has been on full display. Without even knowing the names of the club or the players in the team’s early stages, many fans started to support the team simply because it’s based in L.A. In their eyes, an L.A. team is their team. The LA Galaxy claims the Los Angeles name but plays half an hour away from the city. LAFC plays in the heart of L.A. And for me, LAFC is Los Angeles’ team. 

The 3252 — LAFC’s Independent Supporters Union — has been bursting with undying loyalty and love for its club. The name refers to the 3,252 seat capacity at the north end of the Banc of California Stadium where energized supporters are constantly standing and singing for the entirety of their club’s games. The 3252 unites thousands of fans across the city and beyond with their shared love for LAFC to create one of the best atmospheres for soccer fans in the nation. It has garnered worldwide recognition for representing the rise of soccer in the United States.

While watching LAFC’s stellar performance on the pitch is entertaining enough, attendees of LAFC home games must also take time to watch the north end. You can see the passion each person has for the game and for the team. With their collective disappointment in losses and their tight embraces and loud cheers after wins, it’s evident just how much the team means to them.

Even inside the stadium, the impact that LAFC has had on the city is clear. Thousands of people with different backgrounds unite to cheer on the Black & Gold in a stadium that would quite literally not exist if not for the MLS expanding to L.A.

I remember first hearing of LAFC’s inaugural match months before I graduated high school and moved out to USC. As an avid soccer fan, watching recap videos of the home games made me even more excited and impatient for my move to L.A. The chants, the tifos, the scarves, the passion, the pride — it was surreal for me to think that this was all going to be right next door. Seeing the energy, enthusiasm and love that surrounded the team at every angle made me eager to wear a black and gold jersey and call L.A. my home and LAFC my team.

For me, L.A. is a dream come true. No, it is not perfect. No city is. However, it’s the imperfections that foster our desire for growth. It’s the struggles and how we rise from them that deepen our love for the city. The diversity that lies within the limits of L.A. is unmatched, which is why it amazes me even more that we are able to unite as one for the place we call home. 

LAFC shows us how powerful and impactful sports can really be. It has been able to bring together thousands across L.A. through their pride in the city and the team, and Banc of California Stadium has become a place where everyone can set their differences aside and cheer together as one.

Johannah Suegay is a sophomore writing about LAFC. Her column, “Black & Gold,” runs every other Thursday.