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Cauldron 411

 

So, maybe you’re new to soccer altogether, new to Sporting Kansas City, or just new to the Cauldron and you’re looking for some information. We’ll help you to connect, let you know when to stand (Rule #1: Always Stand, Never Sit), tell you where the secret bathroom is (if you know, you know), help you make new friends, provide some easy steps to tailgating, and provide other helpful information to help make your transition from casual fan to Cauldron Member easier.

By the end of this section, you will be a more knowledgeable Cauldron Member, be ready to chant for our boys in blue, and be ready to help us out-cheer the other supporters’ groups in MLS.

 

The Basics

Soccer

säkər [saa-kr] noun

A form of football played between two teams of 11 players, in which the ball may be advanced by kicking or by bouncing it off any part of the body but the arms and hands, except in the case of the goalkeepers, who may use their hands to catch, carry, throw, or stop the ball within the 18 yard box (the larger rectangle located around each goal). That’s the basic definition.

If you want to know more and impress (or possible annoy) your friends, use the buttons below to become and expert on MLS Rules and Regulations as well as the Laws of the Game, including the offside rule that baffles some casual observers.

 

MLS Competition Guidelines         MLS Roster Rules & Regulations         Laws of the Game

 

Cauldron Basics

Okay, so now that you know what you’re watching, let’s move onto the basics of being a member of The Cauldron.

First, let’s define The Cauldron. The name comes from the specific area of our home stadium, formerly Arrowhead Stadium (1996-2007), Community America Ballpark (2008-2010), and since 2011, Children’s Mercy Park. It is formally known as the Supporters Stand, and informally called The Cauldron. The Cauldron is also the name of the main supporters’ group for Sporting KC. Think of the Cauldron as a big umbrella, and all the other supporters’ groups that you may have heard of (King City Yardbirds, Drainage Pond, LaBarra KC, etc.) fall in, under the main umbrella of The Cauldron. The Cauldron at its heart, is a group of people that have a passion for soccer and encompass the whole game. We tailgate, we make banners, we chant (often & loudly), we party afterward, we travel to away matches to cheer for our team (this is known as The Roaddron), and some play pick-up games with friends, new and old.

The only way to have a great supporters’ group like The Cauldron is to have active members that plug into the world of soccer and into their community. So, Rule #2 is to be connected. Cauldron members love soccer, food, and drink. You can connect with other Cauldron members through tailgates, tifo painting, watch parties, or just hanging out and talking about the team or soccer in general. You can also connect with us via this website, Facebook, Twitter, and our email list. The links to Facebook and Twitter are in the header and footer of this page. The signup form for the email list is located at the bottom of this page.  Follow, like, comment, subscribe, or do whatever you can to be involved. The best Cauldron activities come from passionate fans like you.

Match Day

Match day is a performance for The Cauldron, just like it is for the players. Supporters’ groups were made for match days. This is The Cauldron’s day to come out in full-force, show the world what we’re made of and support the team on the pitch.

The first thing to know about Match Day is tailgating. This is our pregame preparatory routine. Every home match, there is a Cauldron tailgate. We meet at the east end of the White Lot before the match. Parking lot gates open three (3) hours before kick off. Sometimes we cook out and eat, we definitely drink, we kick the ball around, and we socialize. More on that (including a map) in The Tailgate section below.

After the tailgate, we make our way into Children’s Mercy Park (CMP). The Cauldron’s main area is the Supporters’ Stand (Sections S1 through S9). We stand on the NE side of the stadium. There are other supporters’ groups spread throughout CMP, so go where your ticket says to go. If you enter through the Brewhouse, there is an express lane for Cauldron Members, have your Cauldron Membership Card out and ready to go.

During the game we will chant, we will sing, and when the confetti cannons go off, we will go crazy. Hugs, high fives, yelling, dancing and chest bumping are all encouraged as ways of celebration. Leave most of your clothes on, and please don’t try to get on the field. Other rules can be found in the Fan Code of Conduct section below.

Our main purpose once inside the walls of Children’s Mercy Park is to be the voice of SKC. We often hear from many players that the chants and support from the Cauldron and other fans is what gives them extra motivation. We will chant encouragement to our players, we will disagree with the referees, and we will demotivate the other teams (especially opposing goalkeepers).

Our chants are lead by fearless, selfless, tireless, capos that watch the game with a beer in one hand, a megaphone or trombone in the other, and with their backs to the field.

Warning: The language that the Cauldron uses in our chants may not be suitable for younger soccer fans.

The first thing we do after the National Anthem (Rule #3: Please don’t say, “Home of the Chiefs” during the National Anthem) could possibly be a large tifo display. The word tifo is Italian and it literally, it refers to the typhus “fever,” which can cause an outbreak of delirium in those who suffer it. Supporters who form a tifo are known as tifosi, which is the Italian word for “those infected with typhus.” More germain to futbol (or soccer) it means any choreographed display by fans.

If The Cauldron has created a tifo for a match, you will be instructed on what to do prior to actually being asked to do it. If you spent too much time at the tailgate or simply don’t know what to do, just do exactly what the person next to you is doing. After the tifo display, the  match kicks off and game time begins. Don’t sit down (except for a few minutes at half time — remember Rule #1?)! Stand, sing and support SKC for the full 90+ minutes!

We will hand out a chant sheet to help you follow along. There will always be flags in section S1 through S9 that are meant to be used during the game, especially after a goal. Rules with the flags: 1) No, you can’t take it home 2) Yes, you should stop other people from taking them home and 3) Put the flag down during regular game play (unless you’re in S9, Rows 8-12.) People need to see what’s happening on the field. As soon as that ball smashes into the opponents net, you wave that flag like you’ve never waved a flag before.

After the match is over, win or lose, we will continue the party in the Brewhouse. Drums will beat, music will blare, and we will sing. Then, when it’s all said and done, you will drive home (or have someone else drive you home) and you will get ready to do it all again in a week or two.

The Tailgate

We meet at the East end of the White Lot before the match. Parking lot gates open three (3) hours before kick off.

Your Cauldron Membership gets you free beverages (beer, seltzers, ciders, sodas, sports drinks, and of course, bottled water). Please remember to hydrate—you’ll be working hard for 90+ minutes supporting at the match.  Just remember to check in at the desk and get your wristband before helping yourself to the beverages. You brought guests with you? No problem, they can pay for a single tailgate and get a wristband too! Or they can join the Cauldron right then and there, using their mobile phone to sign up for a Cauldron Membership.

Sometimes the tailgate has a theme for a special occasion and other times it’s just for the hell of it. If we have food, there is a usually a cost, so make sure you either pay at the desk when you get your wristband for beverages or directly at a food truck, etc.

When tailgating, it’s appropriate to begin the trash talk, to start making bets on who will score the first goal, and to spend some time getting to know other people there. The great thing is that if you start off as strangers, by the end of the night, win or lose, you will leave with some new friends.

 

Tailgate Map

Fan Etiquette

In all stadiums around the MLS Supporters Groups are being reminded that we need to follow the MLS Fan Code of Conduct and have good sportsmanship before, during, and after the match.

WE DO NOT:

  • Throw anything on the field
  • Engage in any graffiti, placing stickers throughout the stadium, or other vandalism
  • Use the “F*** You Ref” chant or anything similarly obscene, offensive, abusive, derogatory, or hateful

 

Let’s remember that the mission of The Cauldron is, and always will be, to support Sporting KC.

Please click on the buttons below to review the MLS Fan Code of Conduct and the KC Cauldron Code of Conduct.

 

MLS Fan Code of Conduct

Cauldron Code of Conduct

 

 

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest information about additional Cauldron activities between matches or watch parties. Don’t for get to get a little rest, because being a member of The Cauldron is tough, especially for those of us who are “experienced.” However, the friendships, the fun, and the beautiful game, make it all worthwhile.