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.