Will the Real Hockey Fan Please Stand Up?

Hockey is back…and so am I! It’s been over a month since my last post as there’s been a lot going on recently; some good, some less so. I’ve been spending some time this week thinking about the right story for my 2013 blogging comeback, and this is most definitely it.

Two fans were removed from Rogers Arena this week after spending the first period of the game against Minnesota Wild cheering, chanting and standing. The people in question were part of the infamous Southsiders group of Whitecaps FC supporters who are known for their loud enthusiasm during soccer matches. It seems that the behaviour that has turned them into Whitecaps FC legends at BC Place is not welcome at Rogers Arena, as they were approached by security during the first intermission and asked to stay seated for the remainder of the game. There was some backchat involved, one thing led to another and two of the group were asked to leave the stadium.

Me supporting the Canucks against the Minnesota Wild in 2011

Unsurprisingly, this news was reported with humour by media outlets and received with surprise by sports fans. Headlines included ‘Fans tossed out of Canucks game for cheering’ and ‘Southsiders stand firm on stadium behaviour’.  I took to Facebook and Twitter to mock my adopted country’s national sport and my British friends found the whole saga hilarious. Some Canadians buds had a slightly different view, instead pointing out the Canucks’ no-standing policy and general fan etiquette. So, who is right?