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Is this our heritage?

02/16/2022 4:15 PM | 107ist Admin (Administrator)

The following is a post from Fernando Machicado.

I’ve been a season ticket holder for over 15 years, and I have gone through many changes with the Timbers front office. Other supporters and I have suffered through terrible owners, managers, and players. Some of these things are normal in the lifecycle of being a supporter.

What we have witnessed in the past three years, however, is not normal. It is heartbreaking. These are events that should not happen. The managers and owners of the Timbers/Thorns are supposed to protect players and their community. Everything that has come to light shows that the management has failed in every aspect of this — and failed so far that their responses seemed filled with nothing but arrogance and greed.

I ask myself:
At what point do we stop supporting them?
Do I cancel my season tickets?
Do I stop going to matches?
How I still show support to the players and the badge?

Instead of celebrating trophies for the Thorns and the Timbers MLS cup appearances, we again have to hold our FO accountable. We are struggling with how to continue to witness the failures of the organization.

The Riveters and the Timbers Army have long been excellent stewards of the community that supports the team, and each person should be able to support on how they feel; to do what is right for them.

Speaking for me, I am going to go to matches. I am going to show my distaste in their actions. I will confront them in our church, the grounds that all of us built. I am not going to let them take that from me. I am going to hold them accountable as much as I can. I am going to support my fellow supporters any way I can and help the organizations do the right things in our community.

At the same time, I respect everyone else’s process on how to deal with this, and I hope that we can all come to the same conclusion.

The only answer right now is for the management to fire the top of their leadership and sell the team. 

Comments

  • 02/16/2022 6:16 PM | Andrew Wicker
    Thank you Fernando. I've felt the same way for the last two years but I have to admit the Polo news—and more directly the FO response/lack of action—have begun to shake that resolve. Like you, I intend to make them face pubic response to their behavior and not just walk away. Like you, I respect the decisions others make in how they feel is the best response.
    Link  •  Reply
  • 02/16/2022 6:41 PM | Anonymous
    I canceled my ticket on principle. I may go to games, when I can do so without giving this FO one red cent. And I respect everyone’s decision and hope we can each find a way to make our statements. However, many folks are saying that canceling tickets and not attending games will just leave room for those that don’t care as much, or those that don’t know or aren’t troubled by what we’ve seen. Maybe… But if you are going to keep your ticket and go to games using this reasoning, what are you doing while there to show your displeasure? Many folks are talking about using their voice from within, but what does that look like, on a larger scale?
    Link  •  Reply
    • 02/17/2022 5:20 PM | Nicholas Garner
      I'm with you. I canceled my season tickets on principle because I didn't want to pay the FO up front and it seemed like one of the few things I could do to protest in accordance with my principles. That said, I'll likely attend every match, buying a ticket from my network of fellow supporters. Like Fernando, I don't begrudge other supporters handling this in the way that feels right to them. I look forward to joining him and others in the stands to protest and be disruptive while still supporting team, town, and TA.
      Link  •  Reply
    • 03/11/2022 7:21 AM | Steve Kuenzi
      Read the comments on this thread.

      When is the TA going to raise a serious stink.
      Link  •  Reply


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