Tifos are woven into the fan experience for MLS, allowing authentic expression and breathing new life into old rivalries
There were 200 identical pieces of cardboard in the stands at Yankee Stadium.
Each one had an enthusiastic fan hiding below it. Every single one was painted separately by a group of supporters, depictions of Timberland boots hoisted into the air.
Further down flew two massive canvases with “Timbs Army” emblazoned on them. It was NYCFC fans’ way of marking their home fixture against Portland Timbers. It was also a bit of an inside joke. “Timbs” are popular in New York, the unifying shoe of the five boroughs. The idea here was that NYCFC would stomp on their opponent.
The final score is irrelevant. But the image went viral. Reddit blew up. Fans of other clubs offered their praise. The best comment? A reluctant “Haha that’s hilarious” from a Portland fan.
This is one of the many ways MLS defines itself. Fan culture in MLS is an elusive thing, caught in a battle between American authenticity and rip-offs of other global leagues. For the most part, no one really wins. But the most authentic, and often most effective way of supporting a club – or getting one over another – is through tifos, massive visual displays meticulously crafted by fans.
They are the product of hours of planning, days of painting, and, presumably, the consumption of countless beers to piece together the perfect method of fan expression.
“Most matches, we're gonna do some fun banter for the other team, or try to razz them out a little bit, and then we just kind of go from there,” James Shelton, creative director for the Pride Cincy, an FC Cincinnati supporters group, told GOAL.
Getty'There is going to be some ribbing'
Tifos are not a particularly new or MLS specific phenomenon. They were originally used by ultras in parts of Italy and Eastern Europe in the 1960s, mostly to make political statements – or send messages to their own club. They were, in effect, early examples of fan protest. The term “tifo” originates from the Italian word tifosi (fans).
They have since changed in meaning. In the early 2000s, tifos became more prevalent worldwide. And while in Europe they have stayed mostly black and white with simple lettering, MLS fans have used them as a primary way of expressing club culture. Chants are ripped-off rhythms, or co-opted versions of European culture. Singing post-match might be a bit too niche.
But put up a beautiful and well-crafted display, and everyone takes notice. There are some classic examples. Portland’s Timbers Army led the way, but other clubs have followed. These days, tifos are the primary way in which clubs address rivalries, make statements, or simply have a bit of fun.
“There is going to be some ribbing that happens, but I think it's all in good humor,” said Andrew Tucker, president of The Third Rail, an NYCFC supporters’ group.
AdvertisementAndrew Tucker'We have the graphic designers'
The concepts often start in a Discord, WhatsApp or Facebook chat. Supporters’ groups can reach triple digits these days, and some teams allow their fans to be as active as possible. When the season schedule drops, chats become a flurry of activity: big games, tough stretches, and who, exactly, they can target over the course of the season.
“We have a lot of conversations… like, ‘Hey, listen, what do you guys think we should focus on? We should focus on at least five games this year. What games do you want to do?’” Victor Arroyo of the Red Bulls' Empire Supporters Club said.
And then the ideation starts. Most groups work with graphic designers, natural creatives, or artists. Then those without artistic backgrounds get involved, too. What happens, often, is a flurry of ideas, combined with a select few people capable of actually bringing the concepts to life.
“We have the graphic designers, and they'll be like, ‘I got you, we'll do this, and we'll take care of it,’” Arroyo said.
Want a bull wrestling an eagle for New York Red Bulls vs. D.C. United? No problem. A replica of a Barbie Doll house to call Inter Miami ‘plastic’? Consider it done. Sometimes, of course, there are too many ideas. And some flat out don’t work. That’s when personalities need to be managed.
“It’s very hard to have a number of people with very different ideas, or design aesthetics in a group chat trying to decide on one idea,” Tucker said. “And then when you say no to a certain idea, it hurts designer egos. And it's hard then to get them to come back and design another one.”
For the most part, these are collaborative creative processes, with most fans on the same page as to who, exactly, they want to target.
Andrew Tucker'We've had some big things to give them sh*t for'
And that’s where the real fun is. Friendly rivalries don’t really exist in soccer these days. It’s a bit of an all-or-nothing concept. Your team either hates someone or has a total sense of apathy. These things are subject to change – competition becoming more or less relevant over time.
But artistic expression can sometimes keep them ticking along. In the early days of the Hudson River Derby, it’s how the New York Red Bulls made fun of transplants NYCFC.
“We did one for NYCFC when they first came in with Frank Lampard and David Villa, walking around with crutches. They were like 50 years old, trying to bring in a team,” Arroyo said.
Of course, NYCFC hit back the next year. These days, they are eager to constantly remind their rivals that they play across the Hudson River in New Jersey – and have yet to win MLS Cup.
“We've had some big things to give them sh*t for – obviously winning MLS Cup before them, them getting to the finals of MLS Cup and then not winning yet again,” Tucker said.
The same goes for other clubs. Portland and Seattle engage in visual battle every year. Likewise for Cincinnati and Columbus for the “Hell is Real” rivalry – which has yielded some of the league’s finest tifos over the years.
And there’s plenty of material there, too.
“The owners of the Cleveland Browns bought Columbus a few years ago, and they've kind of been hinting that they might be playing more games or even possibly moving the club to Cleveland,” Shelton said. “So we just keep making fun of them for that.”
James Shelton'It was a firestorm in discord'
Cincinnati probably shouldn’t have lost to Columbus this year. First of all, it was a hit to the team’s Supporters Shield hopes. Second, their fans had taken a shot at their rivals before the game, making a tifo inspired by tarot cards, a giant lion accompanied by the inscription “your fate is inevitable.”
The next time the two teams faced off, the Crew had a laugh with their visuals, taking the same design but replacing the lion with a cat holding three cards, each one with an MLS Cup.
The supporters lost it online.
“It was a firestorm in discord,” Shelton said. “And we immediately started to figure out how to respond.”
It’s those kinds of moments that keep supporters coming back for more. And there are some common targets, too. Miami are most clubs’ favorite team to make fun of. It’s not hard to see why. The club were a struggling entity before Lionel Messi arrived, and have since catapulted to one of the best in the league. There is a widespread resentment towards them and their ownership – with some rival fans claiming that they test the limit of what should be legal within MLS rules.
It has led to some remarkable displays of art, but it has also helped breed some resentment. The view from Miami fans is a bit mixed.
“I think it's a fair game, to be honest,” said Nico Abad, member of The Siege supporters’ group. “It does kind of annoy me sometimes, because it's just like ‘No, pink and black lives in your head rent free.’”
Sometimes, Abad says, it’s just plain jealousy from rivals.
“It must be so frustrating for the outsiders that all of a sudden their stadium of, like, blue and black or red and blue – all of a sudden there's pink everywhere,” Abad said with a laugh.