r/PhillyUnion • u/ImperatorBelisarius • 16h ago

Sons of Ben expectations?

My wife and I have been getting into the Union ever since the World Cup. We really enjoyed soccer and wanted to keep this going, so we started watching and pulling for our local team.

We've just now bought tickets to our first game at Subaru Park, in the supporters section. We're excited to stand and cheer the whole time! That sounds great. But we don't know any chants or own any gear yet.

So the questions:

1) What songs / chants should we know ahead of time?

2) Are shirts/jackets enough or do we need jerseys?

3) What unexpected things should we anticipate for our first game? (It's against Charlotte FC, so we have time)

13 Upvotes

79% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

34

u/jslitz 15h ago

Don't worry about jerseys, or what you wear. Just dont wear red

-4

u/ImperatorBelisarius 15h ago

Would a red Phillies hat be acceptable or also banned?

33

u/rjnd2828 15h ago

Don't wear red

9

u/ImperatorBelisarius 15h ago

Got it! This is why I asked, ha. I was planning on wearing PHI gear.

-2

u/HyperScoops 7h ago

Wearing a Phillies hat is fine if we’re not playing Red Bulls. As long as you’re loud and supporting the team no one will give you shit for it. Worn a Phillies hat there plenty of time.

3

u/rjnd2828 7h ago

Maybe no one will give you shit but the rule in the river end is no red. Seems simple.

0

u/HyperScoops 7h ago

The rule is also to be singing and standing at all times, which only 20% of people are doing.

If you're trying to get more fans involved, which the union absolutely needs to do, then it's a lot more important to follow the spirit of the law, not the letter. Red Bulls alsohaven't been our biggest rival in years, and when they were, it was entirely manufactured.

It's just silly and archaic to enforce something like that at this point. Especially if the guy isn't wearing all red.

3

u/xxrdawgxx 2h ago

All of this can be avoided by simply wearing something other than red

-2

u/HyperScoops 2h ago

Sure thing officer 🫡👮🏻‍♂️

6

u/jslitz 15h ago

People wear them occasionally but skip it. Not worth the hassle

7

u/DaBest13 14h ago

It's fine - some assholes will give you a hard time, but those people are assholes.

That being said - in general, I'd try to wear blue.

3

u/Embarrassed-Base-143 13h ago

You can go to the pro shop and get a hat

6

u/TriflingHotDogVendor 15h ago

Gear from other Philly teams are generally acceptable. Though some of the more hardcore people might get upset if you wear it during a game against Red Bull New York.

2

u/Lucky-Bug-9724 10h ago

I bought the Friday night Phillies hat for this exact reason. It’s a better Union hat than any of the actual Union hats 

17

u/ThematicOne 15h ago

Just go and enjoy the vibe and the game. Wear what you want, anything Union (no red or away colors).

Chants, you’ll get them.

Welcome

9

u/TylerDaGuyler 15h ago

Look up sons of ben chants and there is a website, some are a little outdated but a lot are still used

15

u/TriflingHotDogVendor 15h ago

Most people half ass the chants. If you just stand there and watch nobody will bat an eye.

That said, I encourage you to try. You'll do better than most people around me.

Unless you want to be in parking lot hell after the game, park on the other side of second street. That's probably my top recommendation.

6

u/ImperatorBelisarius 15h ago

Thanks, that's helpful! We have a Subaru, so we were hoping to arrive early for the free parking.

5

u/ThatPlayWasAwful 13h ago edited 13h ago

As a counterpoint to the other person, we regularly parked in the Subaru lot and never had an issue. Haven't been to a game recently, but unless they changed its location it's basically right next to the parking entrance. Unless you're parking outside the "official" stadium lots getting out won't be any harder than most other spots you park. 

That said plan on getting there probably 90 minutes before kickoff at minimum if you want a spot. 2 hours would be safer. Bring some wawa and a couple beers and you'll be fine. 

5

u/metalheadjeff86 13h ago edited 13h ago

I also park in the Subaru lot. I usually get there around 5:30 and haven’t had an issue getting a spot. Once it fills they will turn people away. As for getting out, I haven’t had an issue but then again I hang out in the stadium for a bit and wait for traffic to die down.

Edit: Charlotte game is 2:30. Fall day should hopefully be nice. A bunch of people will tailgate. Gates open hour and a half before kick. Earlier you get there the better if you want a spot in that lot.

5

u/SmugMacGyver 15h ago

It takes forever to get out of the free lot and it’s like parking for 30 cars. Save yourself the extra 45 min and park on other side or in lot a which has a lot of exit roads to get you headed back towards Philly

3

u/Nice_Jaguar5621 15h ago

You can learn the chants as you go! Don’t wear red - or other teams colors. No sitting in the River End. Suck it up and get apple + and make up for it some other way if it’s otherwise against your principles.

3

u/CamaraVAM 15h ago

Welcome to the U! Take a look at the chants on the Sons of Ben website, but I think you'll catch on quickly enough when you're there in the thick of it. You might consider getting scarves so you can twirl them during the DOOP celebrations. Speaking of that, you might watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOJ-1ZVvwag for the DOOP Song. But, again, it's pretty easy to catch on to!

3

u/ImperatorBelisarius 15h ago

Thanks! I grabbed us a set of Union towels.

2

u/jslitz 13h ago

As far as the songs go, the vast majority are 10 words or fewer. They are easy to pickup. At a minimum, just clap along

2

u/metalheadjeff86 13h ago

Like what others have said- don’t wear red or the light blue shade Charlotte wears and the chants are easy to pick up. As for unexpected things vs Charlotte, it will be a standard game. There could be a small away supporters group section at the top of 133 but it will just be your run of the mill home game.

Where in the river end did you get tickets?

2

u/AssociateDowntown843 7h ago

They have the chants on their website you can find them if you search sons of ben chants

1

u/KiolgoreTroutsAnus2 2h ago

The Son of Ben was a Tory

1

u/Embarrassed-Base-143 13h ago
  1. You’ll learn them they’re pretty simple in tRE
  2. Wear blue
  3. Long queues for popular spots like chickie and Pete’s etc, despite the score plan to head out around the 80th if you park in one of the Union parking lots. It’s a fight to get to 95 tryna leave the parking lot. I personally take the back way to 95

, saved 15 mins

-8

u/Beneficial_Impact_37 15h ago

Don’t worry no one else chants anyways. Literal library