Fire’s “Meet the Players” Shows Enduring Goodwill From Fans
On Sunday, August 4, the Fire hosted their annual Meet the Players event for season ticket holders and fans at Fire Pitch. Despite the heat – not aided by the artificial turf surface – a crowd that appeared to be around 2,000 fans turned out to enjoy games, food and drink, and most importantly for many, to get autographs.
Despite the fact that the team had been eliminated in the group stage of the Leagues Cup three days prior, the crowd was amicable. The longest line was to see Designated Player Xherdan Shaqiri, with many fans – particularly the younger ones in attendance – excited to get a picture or autograph with the Swiss star, despite the fact that the midfielder hasn’t appeared in a Fire uniform since mid-May. The second-longest line was for local product Brian Gutiérrez, a fan-favorite whose entrance to matches from the bench is always accompanied by audible cheers from the home crowd.
The event also allowed for netminder Chris Brady to clear up something that happened in the Fire’s previous game against Toluca at SeatGeek Stadium. With the team down a goal at halftime, Brady was warming up wearing his jersey, causing some in the press box – this reporter included – to believe that the team’s normal starter would come be substituted in to replace Spencer Richey, who was given his second start of the tournament. In the end, Brady explained the move as an “accident,” saying “I warmed up in my warm-up top, so I already gave it away, and so all I had to wear was my jersey, then I realized what I did.”
It wasn’t just the team’s stars that were big draws on the day: Jonathan Dean, whose hard-nosed play has earned him active and enthusiastic fans on social media, was also popular, and one of his most fervent online supporters got to meet the player in person, asking for photos and an autograph. Coaches, in addition to players, were present, with Head Coach Frank Klopas seen playing foosball and shaking the hands of attendees.
The positive atmosphere and warm reception of players and coaches alike from fans shows the continuing goodwill towards a team that hasn’t made the postseason in six years, one year shy of tying a league record, and which has stayed out of a spot that would see the team through to the postseason. The Fire, currently in 14th place in the Eastern Conference yet only three points behind 9th place Atlanta for the final postseason spot, resume their MLS regular season campaign August 24th at New York City FC.
