[D.C. Untied 2.6] New York Red Bulls vs D.C. United, April 15, 2017

Games at Red Bull Arena are the best away games. Everything is heightened--the hope of getting a win, the hatred of the opponent, the comradeship. It may have been Easter weekend but there was no way in hell I was missing the opening game of Atlantic Cup 2017.

My game day began early, on Friday afternoon, when I boarded the Greyhound bus out of Union Station. First stop, New York! Well, eventual stop, New York. Traffic delay upon traffic delay meant that I arrived nearly an hour after the scheduled arrival time. “Where is everybody going?!” I texted angrily. “I mean I know where I’m going but where is everybody else going and why can’t they stay home?!”

[D.C. United 2.5] D.C. United vs N.Y.C.F.C, April 8, 2017

One of my favorite Season Ticket Holder events last year was the Fan Forum, a town hall style question and answer session with some of the D.C. United staff. Last year we were able to go deep on questions about the new stadium, strategies for the upcoming season, and what all this change would mean for long time fans and supporters. It made me feel like our voices mattered. Unfortunately, that was not the case this year.

[D.C. Untied 2.4] D.C. United vs the Philadelphia Union, April 1, 2017

MLS marketing headquarters tried to push a rivalry with the Philadelphia Union on us last year but as far as I can tell everybody ignored it. A D.C. United’s fan real rivalry is--and has always been--with the Red Bulls, née the MetroStars. That doesn’t mean the Union are liked. They are not.

I admit to having a brief fling with the #DOOPers at the beginning of last season thanks to their acquisition of D.C. United’s beloved Chris “Party Boy” Pontius but any goodwill I had towards the team was lost the second I stepped foot in Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, PA, and was subjected to some of the worst crowd control and fan behavior I’ve experienced. Okay, yes, I have an authority problem but I can’t think of any good reason for the Union to pen up opposition fans about 10 feet away from the home supporters section except to deliberately flare tensions.