During the 2019 Major League Soccer season – the first in the Cincinnati League – the pre-game march at the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium caught national attention and became an integral part of the FCC fan experience.
Even before that, the march was a key factor in boosting the atmosphere in the stadium, which prompted Cincinnati FC to offer an MLS expansion offer.
At TQL Stadium, the march will continue to be a must and must-attend game, albeit in a completely different form, when the team moves to their new home in the West End.
In the past, the march was typical of Cincinnati FC fans hoisting banners, signs and flags, using smoking devices, and loud singing and chanting that reverberated for blocks around Nippert. Eventually, many of these fans piled up in The Bailey’s support section, which served as the drumline and noise amplifier for the entire stadium.
Many of these features will remain in place even after the novel coronavirus pandemic resulted in some additional regulations, including reduced capacity in the TQL stadium.
Support groups have also put in place rules to show respect for the neighborhoods they will be marching through.
While the march is largely organized and populated by the Cincinnati FC support groups, anyone can participate. And there will be ample opportunity to participate as the march through the Rhine leads to the West End.
“The goal is to keep everyone safe, keep the energy positive, and be good neighbors to everyone involved,” said Matt Broo, vice president of The Pride Support Group. “We may make adjustments as needed based on how it works the first few cases.”
Cincinnati FC, its support groups and local authorities have worked out the details of the new route that will end on the grand staircase of the TQL Stadium in front of the First Financial Bank gate.
The details of the march were revealed on Tuesday by the so-called Incline Collective, a unified messaging platform for the support groups of FC Cincinnati. Here you have landed:
- Support groups will meet at Findlay Market on Pleasant Street and travel around the area on foot from their various pre-game meeting points. For the Inter Miami game, the groups are expected to meet in the market at 2:40 p.m.
- From Findlay Market, fans march south to the north end of Washington Park at around 2:50 p.m.
- The march turns west as fans join andFans make their way from Washington Park via Central Parkway via 14th Street to the stadium and up the grand stairs at 3:10 p.m. with the goal of getting all Bailey ticket holders into the section by 3:30 p.m.
“Our goal is to bring the energy and passion we have had at Nippert into the new West End Stadium, but in a way that keeps people safe and ensures that we are good neighbors for everyone in our new home are, “the leader of the support group said via The Incline Collective Twitter account. “We hope you are as excited as we are to get started this Sunday.”
Support groups also issued the following provisions for the march. The rules for the new route include the requirement for a special permit for smoke, torches and arsonists.
Of the Incline Collective website::
• The drummers lead March. Please don’t step in front of them. They work to make us all sing and they don’t have to evade you either.
• Absolutely no alcohol is allowed in March. No exceptions. We go to the stadium and not crawl into the bar (plus, it’s illegal and makes us all look bad).
• Stay on the sidewalks and keep up with the group. Do not block vehicle traffic or trams.
• Absolutely no smoke, torches, or other arsonists unless you have special approval from one of the SGs (this is a Cincinnati Fire Code issue and we want to respect their wishes to keep people safe) .
• Follow all instructions from the Capos & SG leaders.
• Have fun! Sing out loud and show your enthusiasm for Cincinnati FC!
The ongoing pandemic will change the appearance of the march slightly for the foreseeable future. The group leaders of supporters ask march participants to mask themselves while marching and maintain 3 to 6 feet of social distance.
The support groups also chose not to march in the stadium, which was one of the hallmarks of the Nippert stadium experience. The improved logistics of the Bailey support department at the TQL stadium reduced the need for a march in the stadium.
.jpeg?format=1500w "Keys for a Hoosier Upset of No. Eight Cincinnati — Hoosier Huddle")
