The Fan Embassy family just got a bit bigger.

Congrats to Nick and his lovely wife! Mother and twin girls are happy and healthy!

As mentioned in the last post, The Fan Embassy hit the road last weekend.  We took in two different fan experiences in Toronto.  Here is one of them.

As someone with a growing interest in English Premier League (EPL) soccer, I’ve been eager to take in a match at a pub or bar with a strong supporters’ presence.  My beloved hometown of Buffalo, NY doesn’t have much interest in Premier League (or soccer in general, though that is changing), so I knew a road trip to a more cosmopolitan city would be in order. Nick and myself had already been planning on heading up to Toronto last Sunday (30 Oct) to check out the latest installment of the controversial “Buffalo Bills in Toronto Series”, so I naturally researched EPL supporters groups in the city.  With only a single match that day between two clubs that were not very well-known to me (Tottenham Hotspur v. Queen’s Park Rangers), I thought that this plan might not work out, but as you’ll read, I was pleasantly surprised.

Through the magic of Google, I learned that there is an official Tottenham Hotspur club in Canada, with a chapter in Toronto.  After some emails back and forth with club members, I learned that they would be enjoying the match at Scallywags Bar (11 St. Clair Ave West, Toronto M4V 1K6, 416-922-3737), so that became our destination.

Scallywags is located off of Yonge St., just north of the downtown core. As you can see in the photo, the St. Clair streetcar runs right by the bar, and the St. Clair subway station is about 1 block away.  Additionally, there is metered street parking and several parking garages nearby. Due to border delays and traffic, we arrived during halftime, but still had a fine time and saw a strong supporters club doing the same.

Scallywags is a three-story establishment, with the main bar room on the ground floor, a private party space on the second, and a nice enclosed patio on the third.  The main room has the classic pub look, with a medium length bar, low ceilings and the quintessential dark finished wooden coolers. Beyond the front room, there is larger back area, with booths lining one wall and tables in the middle.  The tables were all pushed together in a line, in front of a large projector screen showing the match.  I think that the screen, the freedom to move the tables around and the fact that the game audio was on throughout the bar really shows the commitment of Scallywags to the Spurs supporters, and should be commended.

The bar is well-stocked with spirits and bottled beer, as well as an impressive 20+ beers on draft.  Additionally, they have a brunch menu with many tasty-sounding selections. Nick had eggs, bacon, home fries and toast, while I had the Monte Cristo sandwich, and we both enjoyed the food.  Many other patrons were having a bite to eat along with their football and beer, so it seems that the menu is well-received.  Personally, I think that beer, brunch and top-quality football is an excellent combination, and a great advantage to being 5 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time.

As expected, most everyone’s attention was on the multiple TVs throughout the bar, as well as the projector screen.  The fans, most decked out in Spurs white and navy blue, were knowledgeable, and vocally involved the whole time.  They roared in jubilation for the goals and even applauded some of the more subtle moments, such as substitutions and quality defensive plays.  This was impressive to me, as it showed how engaged and intense fans can be, even when far away from the team’s home. It turned out to be a good day for the Spurs,  as they beat QPR 3 – 1, leaving all the patrons in a jovial mood (well, except for the one guy cheering on the Hoops).  It’s one thing when a group can come to a bar and perhaps stake out a section near a TV.  It’s quite another when the group basically takes over and makes it their own.  Cheers to Scallywags and Spurs Canada for creating a great fan experience!

The Fan Embassy is hitting the road tomorrow to check out some passionate sports fan communities.  There’s a good chance we’ll see some football, and some football, if you catch our drift.

Where?  Which teams?  Stay tuned to find out.

Photo: murphguide.blogspot.com

New York City is well known as being the ultimate melting pot of America. In addition to being home to large ethnic communities from all over the world, you can also feel right at home in Gotham if you’re from a city that has an NFL team lucky enough to be playing in this weekends Divisional Playoff matchups. Check out this guide that AM New York published to help any football fan from Seattle, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Green Bay, Baltimore, New England or Atlanta cheer with fellow fans of their teams.  Some of these bars have great drink and food specials for the games such as Pittsburgh Steelers Bar Public House (140 E. 41st. St.) free Bud and Bud Light drafts a half hour before the game!  Or if you’re a Seahawks fan head over to Carlow East (1254 Lexington Ave.) for a free salad, wings, sausage and pasta buffet along with $3 Hawk-ikaze shots after Seattle scores a TD.  No matter who your team is these New York football mini home fields will help you enjoy the great weekend of football ahead!

On December 12th, three very passionate Buffalo Bills fans traveled from London, UK to Buffalo to watch the Bills host the Cleveland Browns at Ralph Wilson Stadium.  The Buffalo News has the story about these lovers of all things Bills who actually make the trip annually to Buffalo from the UK to catch a game.  The three also enjoy all of the fan pagentry that goes along with a game in Buffalo “Tailgating is absolutely fantastic”.

Nick Manning along with his dad John and friend Greg Zalka of London were accompanied by another friend from Toronto to take in the cold and rainy atmosphere that accompanied a rare Bills victory. Nick proudly serves as president of the UK Bills Backers club, a group that Nick estimates to be around 300 people strong-check out their Twitter feed here. These guys truly embody the word fanatic.  Nick hand stitched his custom Union Jack Bills logo flag, watches every Bills game online and even got engaged at the stadium.  Nick’s 7 year old daughter won’t be able to escape her father’s love for his favorite team, “She’s definitely going to be a Bills fan, it’s compulsory now in my family”.

Like many Bills fans Nick has strong opinions about why his team has lacked success on the field in recent years.  ”My big complaint with the Bills is that they didn’t make enough of a change in the front office, talent evaluation has been poor for a decade”.   Nick’s rabid devotion to his team and annual trip across the pond for games are a good example of why the Bills Backer network of wordwide fans is one of the largest, proudest and well organized in pro sports today, cheers Nick.

For the full story, check out the article in TheBuffalo News

Photo: The Buffalo News

Recently, Coloradoconnection.com posted some of Colorado Springs’ most popular bars, including a map of NFL team backer bars that host groups of fans of NFL teams on game day.  Frequently ranked as one of America’s best places to live, Colorado Springs is a haven for transplants of all kinds. From Military personnel (both the Army and the Air Force have bases here) to people seeking employment in the city’s high-tech companies, thousands move here each year who want to catch their NFL team’s game with fellow fans.  A few bars listed include The Overtime that hosts Pittsburgh Steeler nation, Oscar’s Pub caters to Green Bay Packer Cheeseheads, and Indigo Joe’s where you can catch a San Diego Charger game.   Enjoy!

Hey Pats backers!  Where do you plan on watching your favorite team this year?

Here are some options, via boston.com:

Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub 713 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia 703-548-1717 http://www.murphyspub.com

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B.D. Riley’s Irish Pub 204 East 6th Street, Austin, Texas 512-494-1335 http://www.bdrileys.com

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Shannan’s Pubin Guaynabo 98 Calle Acuarela,

Guaynabo, Puerto Rico 787-287-8466 http://www.shannanspub.com

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The Village Grille and The Village Pump 4404 El Mar Drive, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida 954-776-5840 http://www.villagegrille.com

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RT’s Longboard Grill 1466 Garnet Avenue, San Diego 858-270-4030 http://www.longboardgrill.com

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Some dudes house (!) Saskatoon, Saskatchewan http://www.patriots.com/fanzone/public

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Check out this scrappy community of Buffalo Bills fans, via mpnnow.com:

[John] Franklin has felt the effect on living on the outskirts of Buffalo Bills nation in recent years. Too often, Franklin was watching games with fans of other NFL teams.

Franklin laid the ground work last year to unite local Bills fans by forming the Finger Lakes Chapter of the Bills Backers. Bills Backers is the official fan club of the team with chapters all over the country.

Read the rest here: bit.ly/9gUvQa

This post may seem a bit long-winded for a blog entry, but I think it’s an interesting question, and one that gets to the heart of what has inspired The Fan Embassy community. Comments are welcome, or you can email your feedback to brien@thefanembassy.com.

The main idea that gave rise to this site can be summed up quite simply – sports fans away from home. They are found at Buffalo Bills bars in Ft. Lauderdale and Pittsburgh. They have been seen in a Manchester United-themed bar in southwest China, and watching the Super Bowl steps from the beach in Thailand. People seem to be loyal to “their” team, no matter where they are. Why?

One of the most obvious answers is time investment. If a person is born and raised in a particular place, they are mostly exposed to the local fans there. Thus, when that person starts to take an interest in sports, they would likely choose to support the local team(s). If that person does not move to another location until they are an adult, then it amounts to ten or more years of following and supporting the team. It wouldn’t make sense to switch allegiances after that amount of time. But what is built over the course of this decade or more? What is it that makes these bonds so strong? Read on.

This writer has observed that a sense of culture tends to build around a team. This culture is revealed, as fans take figurative ownership of the team. The current or historical success of the team fosters a shared sense of pride. Any failures create an opportunity to commiserate and reflect on what could have been. These experiences stir very strong emotions in fans, and this shared knowledge of team history is like a cultural mythos, with the athletes as legendary heroes. The team becomes to the fans what the pantheon of gods was to the Greeks and Romans, or what the Founding Fathers and Revolutionary War heroes are to patriotic Americans.

This strong identification with the team is taken with the fan when they relocate. Once in their new home, they seek out other fans to share it with. Fans want and need strength in numbers. Most anyone who has been to a large-scale sporting event has seen the away team’s fans treated harshly. By attending the event with a large group of other away fans, a sense of “us versus them” is enjoyed. Additionally, even when they are not at the stadium, away fans can get together to share the cost of TV sports packages, parties, group trips and other events.

In these times, when the vast riches of wall street disappear in the blink of an eye; when the heritage and resources of an entire region are fouled, perhaps permanently, all while the guilty party writes the history; when the line between war and peace no longer exists, because we will be there forever; in this modern word, where meaning is in short supply, the fans have found meaning. Maybe they have made their own meaning. Perhaps meaning is being sold to them. No matter the source, it is a deep meaning and it resonates. It enlivens the senses, it boils the blood, it is real.

What does being a fan of your team mean to you?

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We’re looking for aspiring writers, bloggers, or anyone who thinks they have what it takes to write well thought out and comprehensive reviews of sports bars, or other places where fans gather to watch a specific team, of any sport.  These will not be your typical reviews of restaurants or bars!  Our angle is fan experiences, and the review guidelines will be exiting, fresh and different from anything else out there today!

Compensation:

What’s in it for you?  Well we are a new business, so initially, writing for us would be strictly volunteer.  But, if you enjoy going to sports bars and watching sports with groups of fun fans and making new friends anyways, why not put your fanaticism to work for us! Writing for us also gets your name out there, building your resume and showcasing your writing for a growing website and brand with designs on rapid growth.  As we grow we will do what we can to market your name and link you to our site to push traffic your way.

Contact us today for more information:  admin@thefanembassy.com
Thank You.