WASHINGTON — Tailgating is as much a part of sports tradition as the game itself for many fans. But for those who love to tailgate in D.C., the pregame activities at RFK before D.C. United games are the only remaining option within the District limits.
Sure, the Redskins still have an active tailgating culture, if you鈥檙e willing to travel to Landover, Maryland. But ever since on the last vestige of grilling out before baseball games, United has stood as the last bastion of such a social gathering in D.C. It鈥檚 one of the aspects of the game day experience that has differentiated United games from the rest of the sporting scene, the one that gives it a sense of community above the rest.
Every weekend home game, the supporters clubs arrive several hours early, set up shop, and begin to mingle in Lot 8, through the tunnel under Independence Avenue to the south of the stadium, hugging the banks of the Anacostia. They have their different sections — Barra Brava, the Screaming Eagles, the newer District Ultras and La Norte — but it’s no matter whether you are affiliated with any individual group or just freelancing,
The experience is as much a part of the game day culture as the cheering, chanting and singing that will occupy the march to the stadium, the full 90 minutes of play, halftime in the bowels of the concrete bowl, and after the game.
鈥淔or me and the supporters groups, it鈥檚 a good time before the game for everybody to get together, have a good time,鈥� says Jeff Fasceski, a member of Screaming Eagles, who helps organize the tailgates. 鈥淲e eat, we drink, we talk soccer, and we kind of get ramped up for the game. We have a unified front, we go in, we鈥檙e all yelling, we鈥檙e singing, we鈥檙e cheering the whole game, good, bad or indifferent.鈥�
But the tailgate also serves as the primary method of recruiting new fans to become part of the legion of a supporters group, and potentially a new season-ticket holder. Fasceski himself first showed up during the 1999 season and was hooked. He鈥檚 been a season-ticket holder ever since.
鈥淭he tailgate, for us, is a key part,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t exposes people that aren鈥檛 familiar with soccer, aren鈥檛 familiar with the team, aren鈥檛 familiar with the league, to get them interested to come out again. That鈥檚 one of the driving forces, too, for our membership. We鈥檝e, luckily, seen growing members year after year, even if the team isn鈥檛 doing that well.鈥�
On this spotless mid-May afternoon, even when pitted against a Wizards home playoff game and a 4:05 p.m. start at Nationals Park against the rival Braves, the crowd is filling in nicely in Lot 8 in the hours before the 7 p.m. kick. D.C. United COO Tom Hunt says that despite a leaguewide attendance bump of about 3聽percent, the club has enjoyed a close to 20 percent rise in ticket sales this season, coming off a first place finish in 2014. He fully recognizes the importance of strong supporters groups in driving those numbers.
鈥淎bsolutely, the supporters are so critical to our success,鈥� Hunt says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e standing, chanting, singing for 90 minutes. It鈥檚 unlike anything else in sports you can find.鈥�
Hunt would know. He鈥檚 worked for each of the other major sporting leagues in one capacity or another, between both coasts. Having seen firsthand how important the tailgate culture is at a place like the Oakland Coliseum, he recognizes how hand-in-hand it exists at RFK.
鈥淚 think at RFK it鈥檚 critical to the experience, not having all the same amenities as a place like Nationals Park,鈥� Hunt says. 鈥淧eople can engage, have the connections that they have. It鈥檚 part of the community that makes up the heart and soul of the team.鈥�
And even while there are multiple groups, each one exists for ultimately the same purpose — to grow the supporter base for the club. Fasceski recognizes that whatever differences they may appear to have, they are all working toward the same goal.
鈥淚n the past few years, a few of them have actually started to coordinate, work well together,鈥� he says. 鈥淎t the end of the day, we just want to support the team.鈥�
And while the team and supporters clubs alike are thrilled at the prospect of the new stadium at Buzzard Point coming to fruition in 2017, the new facility opens as-of-yet unanswered questions about the future of the tailgate culture. Without the massive open spaces that Lot 8 provides, both sides are actively looking, even in this early stage of the process, of how to ensure that this tradition isn鈥檛 lost in the move.
鈥淚 was involved in some talks last year before everything was officially announced to get the legislation through, and their plan,鈥� says Fasceski. 鈥淚t was good that the team talked with the supporter鈥檚 groups to kind of give them a heads up of what鈥檚 going on, what the next one-year, two-year, three-year plan is, and get feedback of what they want.鈥�
Of course, that doesn鈥檛 mean things will be exactly the same.
鈥淯nfortunately, we were told, worst-case scenario, that we wouldn鈥檛 have an area to do our tailgates like we鈥檙e doing now,鈥� says Fasceski.
There are still final hoops to jump through with the city before substantive discussions can really even take place on such issues. But this particular one is front and center for team management.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really early on in terms of talking about how do we replicate the experience,鈥� says Hunt. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 a very high priority, high on our radar. All of that will be critical to having an incredible game day experience.鈥�
The Buzzard Point neighborhood offers opportunities for new spaces as well, in addition to the land on which the new stadium will sit.
鈥淎t this point, we believe it鈥檚 wide open space,鈥� Hunt says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got 14 acres, so there are unique things we鈥檒l be able to do. We just have to figure out what we can do with it.鈥�
Whether it鈥檚 closer to what they currently enjoy, or some combination of team-provided space along with partnerships with local establishments, Fasceski says he鈥檒l make the best of the circumstances as they evolve.
鈥淗opefully we can get everything we want,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut whatever we can get, we鈥檒l gladly take. And we鈥檒l work with it. Because at the end of the day, we鈥檙e here to support the team and make sure our members have a good time.鈥�
