Jillian Fisher: Why Supporters Sections Work in the NHL How we express our fandom is done so in large part by cultural values. Supporters sections have long been associated with European football, but there is an appeal for this style of support to carry over to the NHL.

Absolutely think this would be a great idea. The only time I witnesses anything like this at a hockey game was at the World Championships in Halifax a while back. I went to a Germany-Norway game and both sides had a small fan group all painted and dressed up with Drums and having a blast. It really made it a much more enjoyable experience to a neutral fan like myself.

I saw it first-hand when I went to a World Junior game here in Ottawa. I think it was Latvia and Sweden, and there was an entire section of amazing Latvian fans just pounding on these massive drums. I think Sweden won 8 or 9 to 1, but the stadium was louder on that one Latvian goal than any of the Swedish ones. It was pretty awesome. Everyone in the stadium could feel their energy, and fans of neither team were really pulling for Latvia because of those fans.

It would be a great idea if they could make it work in the NHL.

The Southsiders for the VAncouver Whitecaps were told to quiet down and stop standing up during their one and only visit to Rogers Arena. Just another reason why visiting teams aren't intimidated one bit when playing in Vancity.

NHL?

Don't you mean NIHL?

This wasn’t a mid-season Flyers vs. Oilers game. This was playoff hockey!

In this regard, hockey is closer to European football than most other American sports in terms of the what is important to win.

- Jillian Fisher

Thank you, Jillian.

- The supporters group is usually in communication with the front office. This gives the average fan a voice with the front office.

- Jillian Fisher

I'm not really sure that the front office wants to give the average fan a voice. Have you ever heard Vito from Woodbridge call into the FAN590 after a Leafs game to give his thoughts? Hint: they aren't particularly useful.

With social media today, the front office has plenty of avenues to engage with fans already.

- Supporters groups’ message tend to include an emphasis on community involvement and charity work - both items which NHL teams love to promote.

- Jillian Fisher

If by "community involvement" you mean throwing up and urinating in the neighbourhood adjacent to the football stadiums in Europe, I'll agree with you.

If not, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree...

Call me crazy, but I go to a hockey game to watch a hockey game. I hate the PECO Power Play. I hate the Jumbotron trivia. I hate the kiss-cam. And while I understand management's desire to monetize every second of a game and every nook and cranny of an arena, it doesn't mean I have to like the distractions.

To add onto these distractions, at least to me, just takes further away from the actual game.

Then again, I'm a Leafs season ticket holder - home of the golf fans at hockey games.

If by "community involvement" you mean throwing up and urinating in the neighbourhood adjacent to the football stadiums in Europe, I'll agree with you.

If not, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree...
- Atomic Wedgie

What I am referring to are things like Gorilla FC raising over $125,000 for local charities, or Viking Army raising over $50,000 for local charities, or fun events like the River Cup hosted by the Sons of Ben and the Philadelphia Union's front office to raise money for charity.

Call me crazy, but I go to a hockey game to watch a hockey game. I hate the PECO Power Play. I hate the Jumbotron trivia. I hate the kiss-cam. And while I understand management's desire to monetize every second of a game and every nook and cranny of an arena, it doesn't mean I have to like the distractions.

To add onto these distractions, at least to me, just takes further away from the actual game.

Then again, I'm a Leafs season ticket holder - home of the golf fans at hockey games.
- Atomic Wedgie

This is in no means crazy - It definitely isn't for everyone.

Also, I even call it ice hockey when talking sometimes. It is a habit I formed back when my older brothers all played ice hockey, but my parents were not ready to invest in all the equipment for me yet, so I played roller hockey which meant we had to distinguish between roller hockey and ice hockey. It has stuck with me ever since

To add onto these distractions, at least to me, just takes further away from the actual game.

Then again, I'm a Leafs season ticket holder - home of the golf fans at hockey games.
- Atomic Wedgie

I've never seen a game in Toronto (yet), but if it's anything like Montreal, there probably isn't as big of a need for a supporters section, because the entire city is basically a supporters section already.

Some other places (cough NJ cough), do need that to make the game environment a bit more energetic. There is nothing worse imho that walking into a dead arena. We've all seen pictures of the Panthers old arena which made games look more like practices- this type of thing could give them a shot in the arm.

That said, they definitely do bring out either the best or the worst in people, but I think lots of them have gotten away from the hooliganism that plagued soccer across the pond.

I'm totally okay with you bringing athletic supporters to my games.