VANCOUVER, BC – Emotion, dedication and pride.
In a nutshell, those three words define what it means to be a Vancouver Whitecaps FC supporter. They also explain why the club’s different supporters groups put hundreds of man-hours into making some of the most intricate tifos this past season.
The definition of a soccer tifo is a common one – a tifo is a sporting phenomenon used to encourage a team by means of displays choreographed by the fans.
But there’s more to a tifo than displaying an image or idea, according to Vancouver Southsiders’ director of stadium ops Brett Bird. It’s about creating an emotional connection with the players and those in the stadium.
“Getting stuff on TV isn’t really the point,” Bird told whitecapsfc.com. “For me, pulling something that huge off and having the players turn around and see it and understand that that’s for them and it’s our way of encouraging them to do their best … that’s the important part of the tifo.”
Between finding large enough locations to create the tifos, to fundraising, to sourcing out thousands of square meters of fabric, building a tifo is no small feat. The result is worth it though, as the sacrifice, dedication and hard work behind each display can be appreciated by thousands of fans in BC Place – or in an opponent’s stadium.
“All the [tifos] we’ve done are meaningful and quality and I’m proud of all of them,” said Zach Meisenheimer, a partner in the Curva Collective supporters group. “The 2011 ‘First Kick’ tifo has a special place in hearts, but I’m proud of everything.”
Whitecaps FC’s supporters groups are already thinking about new ideas for the 2014 Major League Soccer season. And no matter what they come up with, rest assured that emotion, dedication, and pride will continue to be the main ingredients.
Whitecaps FC 2014 season tickets start at just $349, subject to applicable fees. The 'Caps are also offering a flexible range of ticket products, including half-season tickets ($244), 5-packs ($149), student season tickets ($199), and a youth soccer half-season ticket ($100). For more information on all Whitecaps FC ticket options, call 604.669.9283 ext. 2 or visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
