The Roots Republic Derby
For the first time ever with the the USL Cup and the Roots in serious playoff form, the Roots are poised to play Sacramento Republic upwards of 3-4 times this season. If you told a Barcelona fan that there would be that many classicos in a season, or told a St Pauli fan there would be that many Hamburg derby games that season, they would lose their minds and it would probably be regarded as one of the best seasons in club history despite the rest of the season.
In 5 days we will have our first of these matchups on a Saturday night. And in a season where Roots are the best they have probably ever been, coming off 2 very strong and entertaining home wins, against their longtime rival, you would think that this is poised to be a loud, rowdy, Oakland night at the Coliseum. But unfortunately I’m guessing there will be sub 5000 attendance (and that’s with Sacramento fans who travel very well to Oakland). It’s also slightly disappointing that all the Roots have had to say to market their biggest game of the year is “this one matters most” and the 😤 emoji.
It’s mostly disappointing because this is a sports market that’s no stranger to big flashy rowdy rivalry games (see A’s/Giants or 9ers/Raiders). And with the fan run Hella Cup, there’s more on the line than ever. And it’s not an indictment of the fans because whenever we go to Sacramento the place is packed and the vibes are electric. It’s just how the club treats its rivals and rivalry games.
All I can hope for is everyone goes to game and is as loud as possible. And hopefully the Roots do something fun for the next meetup in August where we go away to Sacramento. Maybe setup some kind of event either at the Coliseum or Raimondi where fans who can’t travel can go for a night out on the field (lawn chairs, blankets, etc) and they will play the game on the screens for a giant watch party while the traveling fans make lots of noise in Sacramento.
Idk just a thought