With MLS and commissioner Don Garber adamant about eliminating the persistent and profane “You suck a..hole” chants around the league, the Red Bulls front office reached out to its three supporter groups in the so-called South Ward, and one responded by essentially giving them the finger.
The Red Bulls front office took the unique approach of offering the Empire Supporters Club, Viking Army and Garden State Ultras $500 for every game the South Ward goes profanity-free, with the money dispersed in $2,000 increments. But the GSU summarily rejected the offer in brusque fashion.
“From this day forth GSU won’t accept a single penny from the [front office] or Redbull. This of course will result in a lot of friction between us and the [front office]. But we stand strong together. This is our club, our city, our family. We will not be censored, we will not be bought,’’ GSU spokesman Christopher Vidaic wrote in a statement.
“As we all know the FO is on the lookout for ‘inappropriate’ language and behavior. We say [forget] them! We will not be censored.’’
The offer was to each of the groups individually, so the Viking Army and ESC could work with the team on what appears to be a fait accompli, while the GSU would be subject to sanctions.
“I love our supporters. Of course, as a father I wouldn’t want to hear that. But as a player, whatever they yell, I respect and support them,’’ coach Mike Petke said.
The ESC’s five-member board hadn’t reached a decision but has stated its support of the efforts to stop the chant, hurled at opposing keepers during goalkicks.
Red Bulls general manager Jerome de Bontin suggested paying the South Ward, and used the term “a carrot or a stick” in an interview with The Post yesterday. ESC member Glenn Stampiglia replied by saying where de Bontin could shove his stick, while fellow ESC member Mike Vallo contended the blowback was so great not because of the chant but because of the perception of selling out.
“No one really cares about the chant. It’s the act of taking money to change our songbook and the extreme exaggeration of the negative consequences of a chant containing a word I’ve heard about 30 times today walking around the city,’’ said ESC member Mike Vallo, who suggested they alter the chant to “You Suck Garber” — referencing MLS commissioner Don Garber — and donate the money to charity.
As a non-board member, Brent Gamit doesn’t speak for the ESC, but as a former capo — standing atop a ladder and leading songs — he was at times literally the voice of the South Ward, screaming his voice raw.
Gamit said he would go with whatever the board votes, but defends the chant that “encompasses approximately two minutes’’ adding “creative people can laugh at silly things. Smart people are allowed guilty pleasures.’’ ESC member Jennifer Van Voorhis, a Manhattan attorney who has also served as capo, took the long view.
“I prefer carrots to sticks. RSL is talking about banning people from games. RB has been working with the supporter groups for years attempting to eradicate this chant. I’m glad that they are still trying to work with the groups rather than against them when the end result is inevitable,’’ said Van Voorhis, adding wryly, “The amount of journalist interest is a bit ridiculous though.’’
Red Bull midfielder Tim Cahill spent seven years at Millwall, whose Millwall Bushwackers hooligans are so violent they got their London stadium shut down five times. He praised the South Ward as well-behaved, but added, “I support what they’re doing because we’ve all got children, and you don’t want to go home and listen to your children say things like that.’’