Pregame preparations were disrupted ahead of a Bundesliga fixture between Heidenheim and RB Leipzig on Saturday. Home Heidenheim fans apparently placed butyric acid in the away section of their own stadium. Around 1,5000 Leipzig supporters made the 215-mile trip to southern Germany for the matchup. As fans entered the arena and filled their designated area, […]

Clubs in the Super League Greece will have to play the next two months without fans in the stands. Greek government officials made the call to ban supporters from the stadiums after a volleyball game last week. A police officer was attacked in the match between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos. These two teams also have soccer […]

About 100 people stormed and started a brawl at a London pub prior to the England and Germany match on Monday, according to Metropolitan Police. Although some of the group donned England gear, it is suspected that the attackers were German fans. "At 17:50 on Monday, 26 September, a group of approximately 100 males, many […]

Everyone has a memory of their first soccer game attendance. In reality, it might not even be the game itself that you remember. A certain food or snack just sat right after eating it. A song the supporters sang rang pure in your ears. Watching everyone launch their arms in the air because of a […]

Across Europe, atmospheres at soccer stadiums vary from the calm to the extreme. Oftentimes, the passion at the more extreme stadiums can drive the intensity on the pitch. Fans in countries like Poland, Germany and Croatia build up a remarkable atmosphere at each game regardless of opponent. Unfortunately, some countries have a reputation for taking […]

The Qatar World Cup's safety concerns are a constant subject of discussion in the soccer world. Social media provides outlets for millions to discuss and learn about how a World Cup in the desert country plays out. All the changes and accommodations for the Qatar World Cup are firsts for the world's biggest sporting event. […]

The Premier League claims that fans are the lifeblood of the game and it would be nothing without them. However, some of their actions make you wonder if they really mean that. Mega TV deals mean the Premier League has prioritized the broadcasters at the expense of fans. Despite the influx of enormous amounts of […]

Let me step back from my normal neutral MLS observer/blogger and enter fan mode for a few minutes.  I think this is the best way to analyze the Ben Olsen hiring. As a DC United supporter, I am ecstatic that Ben Olsen is the new head coach of the club.  His resume as a DC […]

The partisan nature of football is one of the greatest things about the sport. It gives us the chance to get behind one team, to share banter with opposing fans and feel that ecstatic high when our team wins. But do we take things too far? I am not talking about violence or poor behaviour […]

SUMmer of Soccer Continues The 'Summer of Soccer' which began on June 20, rolls on. After this past weekend, 41 events, including 15 doubleheaders comprising 56 matches have drawn 1,306,902, for an average of 31,876. Since my last post on the SUMmer of Soccer, the big guns were on display and the attendances reflect that. […]

Once again, MLS executives prove they are not in tune with their product.  The Gold Cup provided the perfect opportunity for MLS to expand their fan base.  Collaboration with CONCACAF representatives could have brought doubleheaders featuring one MLS game and one Gold Cup game from the first game through to the final (This year's format does provide doubleheaders, […]

News about the Arena Football League (AFL) not playing its 2009 season is unsettling and a surprise to many (at this time, statements from the league website are still evolving).  The league appeared to be in good shape.  Evidence suggested that the league was stabilizing.  For 8 home games, each of the 17 teams in […]

The most popular reason that U.S. sports fans give for not watching soccer is its lack of scoring.  In order to attract more fans, a professional soccer league in the U.S. must, above all things, try to create more offense.  Though many fans of the sport appreciate the skills, the passing, the midfield game and all the […]