Come fly with us: Triangle Soccer Fanatics reorganize and recruiting new members

posters

TSF the group officially announced its reorganization

INDY Week

a new paid membership plan













the Crocketteers Ralph’s Mob Flight 19 the Borough Boys

So, last January Campbell recruited a small circle of devotees to meet every two weeks and hash out their vision for a new TSF. The result is the relaunch announced this week.

[Sung to the tune of “Yellow Submarine”]
We all cheer for an orange football team,
An orange football team,
An orange football team.

For Campbell, there are three principal advantages to TSF’s new composition.

“The first advantage is institutionalizing the group,” he begins. “People can look at it and see this isn’t just a guy with a PayPal account. That lends an air of authority to the organization.”

The second advantage is financial. “In order to do some of the ambitious things we want to do, we need operating capital,” Campbell continues. “By building a membership base that’s on a pay basis, it will give us some operating funds to do some different things that we couldn’t do before.”

These things include game day materials like banners, drums, tifo and other paraphernalia that can’t be donated. TSF also hopes to improve tailgating and in-game operations, such as erecting a capo stand.

The third big reason is liability concerns, particularly as it applies to travel for road games. “One of the goals of the club is organizing trips to away matches,” Campbell explains. “From a liability standpoint, there was some concern over who is responsible when you take a bunch of people on a bus for a road trip. Incorporating transfers potential liability from the individual to the corporation.”

Campbell stresses that nonmembers of TSF remain welcome to tailgate, sit with the supporters at the game and even participate in activities. But, along with voting rights, only members can participate in certain activities, like discounted seating for away travel and a planned end-of-season Feed-the-Team dinner.

Indeed, TSF members aren’t even required to sit in the 309 Depot during RailHawks games. Amy Garner, TSF’s new board secretary and founding member, will retain her season ticket in section 105, positioned directly behind the away team’s bench, her preferred perch for enjoying the histrionics of visiting managers.

Campbell says the RailHawks’ organization supports and has cooperated with TSF in implementing these changes. For example, TSF pregame tailgating for 2014 will now take place in lot C behind the east grandstands. The team has also promised TSF permit parking in the lot, which doesn’t include the parking fee but does provide designated space near the stadium.

RailHawks President Curt Johnson is ebullient about the new TSF.

“I think we could look back to right now in 10 years and say this was absolutely the key thing that happened to take our organization to the next level,” Johnson says. “There are so many fans in their 30s and 40s who are soccer passionate and want to become involved, whether it’s socially, in-game, watch parties, whatever the case may be. I think this new version of TSF will foster that, along with our reinvigorated relationship with TSF.”

Johnson sees the fruit of that reinvigorate relationship already growing.

“Now as opposed to us interacting once, twice or three times a year in meetings and sharing information on our website, now we have a regular dialogue,” Johnson explains. “They’ll have a formal board that we’ll interact with, so that’s a very tangible way to get things done.

“It takes time and energy, and there are more people than ever within that group who are committed to making TSF the best it can be, and there are more people in our organization who are focused on it … [and] talk daily about how we can assist them and build off what they’re doing.”

While Campbell embraces the collaboration with the RailHawks, the Triangle’s lone pro soccer team, he emphasizes that TSF’s activities and community outreach will not always be dependent on the RailHawks. The two organizations share a common vision, but these changes reinforce that TSF remains financially and administratively independent.

“The RailHawks are our local team, and that’s who we support,” Campbell declares. “Triangle Soccer Fanatics has been around since before the RailHawks, and if the RailHawks were to move on for whatever reason, TSF would still be around to support soccer in this area.”

[Sung to the tune of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”]

We’ve been cheering for the

RailHawks, all the live long day.

We’ve been cheering for the

RailHawks, when they’re home or

they’re away.

Can’t you hear our whistles blowin’,

see our flags up in the sky.

Can’t you hear the fans a’ shoutin’,

RailHawks ‘til we die!