The Rose City Riveters will support the Portland Thorns from afar. This is not unprecedented. We are used to supporting the Portland Thorns on the road. What we are not used to is a season without in-person support.

We will work to find new ways to support our club during the pandemic.

Our primary concern is safety for all those involved with the NWSL tournament in Utah. We appreciate that the NWSL Players Association has been engaged with the League regarding the safety and player logistics around the tournament.

Regardless of the format or location, the Riveters remain committed to supporting the Thorns in a genuine way that connects supporters to the players. What does Riveters’ support look like when we can’t be there in person? We exist to support the Thorns, not to look good on streams or TV broadcasts, not to create a gameday environment for other spectators. Over the last 7 seasons we have worked tirelessly to make Providence Park a fortress. We do not think this can or should be bottled and applied to another location without us.

The Riveters oppose any artificial “gameday” experience with music or chants played over the stadium PA system or added to the broadcast for home viewers or anything that is not in person. We are the organic supporter response to what is happening in the match. Until supporters can safely attend matches we will not be providing any tifo or large displays for matches we cannot safely attend and execute ourselves.

We look forward to being back in Providence Park, complete with drums, horns, flags and banners and most of all, our voices. We look forward to raising our voices together in support of our team. Until then, we will remain safely at a distance.