In just two full seasons, an LAFC matchday has quickly become one of the best experiences in Los Angeles sports. It is hard to articulate the full feeling in mere words. The various sights, sounds and smells that start to gather in Exposition Park in the wee hours of the morning continue throughout the day, and usually culminate late into the night with raucous post-game celebrations.
Whether young or old, newbie or football aficionado, the shared experience and authentic connection that is an LAFC matchday has made a trip to Banc of California Stadium a must for all sports fans.
“This thing is fabulous and I’m speechless, and usually that’s not a problem for me,” ESPN SportsCenter anchor Neil Everett said after his first trip to an LAFC match. “I mean the game hadn’t even started yet and it was already in the ‘Top 10.’”
So now that LAFC is preparing to host the Galaxy on Aug. 22 for its first MLS match at the Banc since March 8, and the team will be playing with no fans in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic – what does a matchday for LAFC look and sound like now?
The effort to figure out how to cultivate this experience and still keep some of it alive has not been lost though. From the top down, the connection between Club and its community has always been paramount. Beginning this weekend, it is up to LAFC’s Director of Match Day Presentation Al Raitt to keep that connection intact.
“We are trying to deliver everything we do on matchday to our fans remotely,” Raitt said. “Whether that is partner features, hype videos, we are trying to replicate as much of the matchday experience for fans at home.”
To do this, Raitt and LAFC will lean heavily on some new technology that debuted during the MLS Is Back Tournament.
“We are using the XEO platform [virtual tailgate platform in the LAFC app] and trying to deliver as much of a matchday experience as possible,” Raitt said. “You’ll get [LAFC Lead Broadcaster] Max Bretos doing trivia, Keys to the Match, and our mainstays of an LAFC produced matchday, while bringing in some interactive elements for fans to keep engaged and entertained throughout.”
From his perch in the control room high atop the Banc, Raitt usually directs everything fans see during their visit - from the pregame falcon flight to the dynamic imagery on LED boards throughout the stadium.
In his mind, the gameday connection isn’t just between the Club and its fans, but also between the players, coaches and fans. The players feel it too, and know how much of a boost their home field advantage gives them.
“Our fans play such a big part,” LAFC defender Tristan Blackmon said. “For every team I think it gives them an extra man, going into matches.”
Raitt is hoping that the redesigned virtual matchday experience will still give LAFC a homefield advantage.
“We trying to deliver a matchday experience for the fans at home, but also for the players that are going to here in an empty stadium,” Raitt said. “We’ve been working with the supporter groups on incorporating their chants and reactions into the live in-stadium show. As much as we can, we’re going to have audio of the 3252 inside the stadium for the players during the match. Whether that’s their chants, reactions, any kind of moment that there might be a rise or fall in noise level, we’re going to try and replicate that.”
Raitt gave a little sneak peek as to what the players could expect as he continues to work closely with fans throughout the week to make sure this abnormal game day situation feels just a little more “normal”.
“You will see our traditions too,” Raitt said. “Like our call and response for the starting lineups. We’re working to have multiple rooms of Zoom calls with fans that are going to say the starting lineups that are going to be there for scarves up. Our fans are going to be there for goal announcements and reactions. We are planning on integrating them into the live show in the stadium so that players can feel and experience all of that even as people are sitting at home.”
The authentic connection between the Club, the players and its fans has been one of the winning formulas for LAFC, and in this time of uncertainty where health and safety trumps the ability for fans to be in the stadium, LAFC continues to forge ahead and figure out ways to stay connected to its community.
