truthfully, only because Everton had the info on all us Yanks who played in Royal Blue. i didn't know Preki from Adam.
Everton USA - Network of EFC Supporters clubs across the USA
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truthfully, only because Everton had the info on all us Yanks who played in Royal Blue. i didn't know Preki from Adam.
Nice shirt from the lads that meet up at AJ Hudsons:
Interview With Everton USA Supporters Group
Everton struck gold at the World Cup this summer. With the United States encapsulated by the performances of their national team in Brazil, the country tuned in for the second round clash with Belgium. It was in this game that Toffees goalkeeper Tim Howard produced one of the iconic World Cup displays, thrusting Everton to front-and-center of the world stage.
American audiences had bought into the hype of the Brazil World Cup and soccer in general, especially with Howard’s display causing plenty of stir. So it was no surprise that in the immediate aftermath of that second round contest, the Official Everton Twitter account posted a link, pointing supporters in the direction of where they could buy themselves a Howard No. 24 jersey.
While this was—and subsequently has been—a wonderful chance for Everton to tap into the American market, the links between the Merseyside outfit and the States have actually been longstanding and well established. Something that was emphasized in earnest when speaking with David Kurtz of EvertonUSA.
“Everton has a long history of being USMNT-friendly,” said David. And it’s easy to see why. Not only have Howard and more recently Landon Donovan donned the famous and white, but men like Marcus Hahnemann, Joe-Max Moore, Preki and Brian McBride too. The chants of “U-S-A” have consequently long rung out from the Gwladys Street end.
Subsequently, Everton have always been a lingering presence stateside, and naturally one of the most well known and most popular Premier League teams. But after Howard’s displays in Brazil, Everton USA has noticed a major upturn in interest in the Toffees.
“Tim Howard has simply been the lightning rod for US fans finding the Club and the minute the USA-Belgium game ended we saw massive signups on our Facebook and Twitter feeds which now rival and/or surpass the ‘Big 4’.”
But Howard wasn’t the only one shining out in Brazil. The club’s manager Roberto Martinez was a pundit for ESPN, and his effervescent, insightful opinions impressed all during World Cup 2010 and 2014. David told me that if Everton are to continue making waves stateside then their manager will continue to play a critical role.
“Roberto has also attracted some big talent to the Club. Watching Samuel Eto’o score goals in an Everton kit during a European game is a dream most Evertonians could never have thought would happen. Between Roberto and Tim Howard, it’s easy to argue that Everton were big winners of the US market this World Cup.”
The significance of making an impression across the pond is something the Toffees seem to be acutely aware of, and therefore, it’s little surprise that Everton USA is now an official partner of the club. That tag allows the organization to sell tickets to games, retail official merchandise and launch bespoke schemes for their members.
“I think they find our success hard to believe but once we proved that there is demand for the Everton brand in the US, they jumped on-board with both feet,” David explains. “We interact with them weekly if not daily actually and they roll out the red carpet when we come to town. EvertonUSA would be far less special without the Club’s active participation and unwavering support.”
And it truly is a special organisation. Everton USA now boast a whopping 35,000—nearly enough to fill Goodison Park on their own—who are divided into more than 60 different regional branches. The dedication and commitment of these supporters—the are no “kind-sorta” Evertonians David tells me—becomes obviously apparent too, as the various match day routines of Everton USA members are revealed.
“For the Merseyside Derby, 25 of us met up at the Ye Olde King’s Head Tavern in Santa Monica, one block from the beach at 4:30 am. At the end of the game, we all took a group picture at sunrise at the Pacific; half of the folks had been up all night, the other half snuck out without waking the kids.
”My father is a NYC Evertonian where they have a dedicated pub, Mr. Dennehy’s in the East Village that fills up for every game at 10 am for brunch with Chang beer and Crabbie’s (both EFC sponsors) flowing freely until they close, the next morning”
But for David and his members, the ultimate is getting people to Goodison Park for a Premier League game, and after a successful trip last season for a couple of league games, Everton USA has even bigger plans for the current campaign.
“This year we’re headed over for the Merseyside Derby at Goodison and an away game at Chelsea”, explained David. “We have access to tickets to every game and decided to abuse the privilege and do the trip of our dreams!”
And when quizzing David about why those new to the game should consider picking Everton as their team to support, he explains that when it comes to the Toffees, things aren’t quite that simple:
“You don’t consider Everton, you either are or are not Everton! So if it’s in your blood, we just help you realize your birthright. Everton is a family and from the pubs of Liverpool’s County Road to the bars of LA to the beaches of Sydney, if you wear the shield, you always have new friends waiting to meet you wherever you go.
And if that doesn’t move you, we have the greatest soccer player ever born on US soil, Tim Howard! Like our EvertonUSA crest says, Everton is “The American People’s Club,” just join and you’ll see.”
Read other interviews with Premier League supporters clubs in the United States including One United USA and Arsenal America. If you’d like your supporters group to be interviewed by World Soccer Talk, please email web@worldsoccertalk.com with your contact details.
For more information on Everton USA, check out their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter.
Read more at http://worldsoccertalk.com/2014/10/...ton-usa-supporters-group/#xiUoU5XkixH7LZgQ.99
allezlesbleus
Player Valuation: £35m
That is boss. Can anyone buy one?
I'm sure if you reach out to Chicago Evertonians they'll let you know
https://twitter.com/EvertonChicago
https://www.facebook.com/groups/chicagoevertonians/
allezlesbleus
Player Valuation: £35m
Thanks mate.
the logos Yanks have developed mixing traditional Everton imagery with the local fan base are pretty clever... pretty funny, though to see some really stodgy types overreact to them.
Depending on when you're in town, @the esk, check out @MemphisToffees (https://twitter.com/MemphisToffees)
The Esk
Player Valuation: £70m
Thanks a lot - I have a really tight schedule, but if any blues are around for an hour or two, that would be great.
The Esk
Player Valuation: £70m
@SerenityNigh thread re-opened sir!
Bleacher Report on Everton USA today
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ted-us-fans-on-the-their-passion-for-the-club
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ted-us-fans-on-the-their-passion-for-the-club
Everton's Devoted US Fans on the Their Passion for the Club
By Alex Dimond, UK Lead Writer Feb 3, 2015
Everton
It is "Inside Everton Week" all this week on Bleacher Report, and on Wednesday we take a look at the clubs famously passionate support—in particular how the Toffees have developed a fervent and knowledgeable American fanbase.
Everton may be known as "The People's Club" and have a reputation for strong links with the local community, but to a certain extent these days every Premier League club is owned by the world as well. Games are watched, debated and analysed in all corners of the globe, with fans thousands of miles away every bit as passionate about the team they support as those fortunate to live close enough to buy a season ticket.
Many of those overseas fans, quite naturally, support the biggest and most visible clubs, the Manchester Uniteds and Chelseas of this world who have many of their games beamed to vast audiences. But Everton more than punch above their weight in that regard, thanks not only to the quality of the football they produce but the ethos the club projects and the way they engage with their new fans.
"The last few pre-seasons it has hit us how many fans we do have out there," club legend Graeme Sharp told Bleacher Report. "We might not be in the Manchester Uniteds of this world but in America, because we've had so many players, and Thailand—where we went [on tour] last summer, where so many fans came to see us, ex-players—it is amazing.
"The fanbase is out there, and it's important to reach out and connect with them."
In the United States in particular, the club has a thriving fanbase, built in great part on the strong history the Toffees have with American players—from current goalkeeper Tim Howard ("the Secretary of Defense") through to previous players Landon Donovan, Brian McBride and Joe-Max Moore. The club has embraced that community—helping members of the 60 different supporters' clubs book advance tickets for games, as well as licensing them to produce their own club merchandise—and has reaped the rewards, with supporter numbers rivalling larger clubs and their passion arguably leading the way.
"Tim Howard has been the most important in helping our club reach all the newly minted U.S. fans looking for an EPL club," said Marshall Lamm of EvertonUSA, now the team's official supporters' group in the States. "There are many stories of Landon stopping fans wearing Everton kits at MLS games and talking Everton with them. Joe-Max Moore will always be an Everton fan favourite.
"When EvertonUSA heads to Liverpool, as we're doing for the derby and Chelsea games this year, all our Merseyside friends come out, show us a good time and marvel at the Americans who vacation in Liverpool!
"The authenticity of the fans, the club and all their grassroots efforts to spread the Everton brand in positive ways are well-received by Americans. Everton is a real community of like-minded people who are fanatical about their club, and every EPL fan wants to experience that part of English football."
U.S.-based Toffees fans regularly rise early to meet up with like-minded fans to watch and enjoy Everton's league games, and they discuss them extensively on Internet forums and social media.
Bleacher Report spoke to a selection of Everton's American fans, to discover what attracted them to the club and how they follow their team. What follows is in their own words.
Credit: Marshall Lamm
Marshall Lamm and David Kurtz, EvertonUSA
From chairman Bill Kenwright to every Scouser we come into contact with, Evertonians have supported their American following with nothing but enthusiasm and acceptance.
Overall, we think there are some key reasons why Americans love Everton:
1. Tim Howard is arguably the greatest football player the U.S. has ever produced, and there is no one more dedicated to spreading the love of Everton worldwide than the "Secretary of Defense." EvertonUSA created Tim Howard Appreciation Day on August 16, raising money for Everton in the Community.
2. "If you know your history..."—Everton is one of the most celebrated clubs in the history of European football, and when you scratch the surface of our history, you can't help but fall in love.
3. We have the most engaged fans in the world! Everton has no casual fans. Every Evertonian is fully engaged and knows the team thoroughly. If you see someone wearing an Everton kit in the U.S., it means they know football and they live Everton. Everton's support is notoriously the most fervent and the most friendly, and the combination is just intoxicating.
4. Everton is "the People's Club," and they operate with that motto at the forefront. For over 100 years, Everton has been focused on making their community a better place. The club listens to us and we listen to them. And we don't merely support Everton; WE ARE EVERTON!
Joanna Hayes, Everton New York City Supporters' Club
First and foremost, many of our members feel that the club picked us, not the other way around. After all, Evertonians are born, not manufactured.
There's also something in the fact that the port cities of Liverpool and New York City share many commonalities. We have the Hudson River and Liverpool has the Mersey. Frederick Law Olmsted designed Central Park after visiting Birkenhead Park in 1850. And we both have rich and diverse urban populations and culture, and play host to some of the nation's biggest sports teams.
Many of us have been lucky enough to visit Liverpool, and we all feel right at home among the people, especially the Blues. It's a special city, and Everton is a special club.
Keven Chavez, Chairman, Southern California Everton
Everyone's journey to becoming an Everton supporter in America is unique.
There are many ex-pats who were born and raised Blue and have kept that spirit alive in the U.S. cities they call home. Many fans were likely drawn by the American players, past and present, who wore the Everton shirt with pride. For others, it's Everton's unique, appealing history.
Credit: Marshall Lamm
Joe-Max Moore signing a banner.
That tradition of American players certainly makes a big difference. But those players are simply a bridge for fans to really get to know the club—what really makes us Evertonians is getting to know the history and tradition of Everton, which is second to none.
Also, the tireless work of Everton supporters' groups, under the leadership of EvertonUSA, is inspiring, and every visitor to every club across the U.S. should know there are Evertonians here to make you feel at home and with whom you can enjoy watching a match any time.
Andrew Hall, Memphis Toffees
Everton doesn't shy away from us Yankees, and that helps Everton stay relevant in our media.
There have also been a number of American players who have played for Everton, and all have raved about their experience and how they have utterly and completely fallen in love with the club.
Also, Everton brought the world the Holy Trinity, Dixie Dean and much, much more besides.
Credit: Marshall Lamm
EvertonUSA fans at Goodison.
Cameron Jones, Carolina Supporters' Club
I can hold my head high and take pleasure in knowing I support a genuine football club driven by its community and supporters rather than simply by money.
An example is the way Everton and its fans always stood by the side of their greatest rivals, Liverpool, during the darkest days of the Hillsborough tragedy.
The first time I saw a game at Goodison, even on television, the passion from the fans stood out. I remember watching an interview with Landon Donovan on his first game there and how the fans alerted him that he had a man closing in on him from behind and how remarkable that was for him.
As a soccer lover from the States, that passion is something that we strive for and admire.
For more information about all of Everton's supporters' clubs and how to contact them, please visit evertonfc.com/supportersclubs.
The Esk
Player Valuation: £70m
SN other US based Blues, and @GrandOldTeam how do we expand the reach of GOT to US based Evertonians?
Seems like this place is the perfect virtual meeting point for US blues to mix with native (and other) Evertonians.
Maybe partner up with Everton USA on Facebook and twitter? Everton USA is about the local supporters' groups; some areas are quite busy and others (like mine) have no group and we can probably count the supporters on hands, even including the young blues still wearing diapers. Getting together with some of the larger groups may be a start. Everton NYC has a very large group, and SoCal seems to be strong on social media. Everton USA is at Goodison this week and Stamford Bridge next week, so any attempt to reach out to traveling blues will likely be well received.
Hah. Thieves!
The first two lines from the Carolina group were totally mine.
I think this makes me a published author.
Get in.
Sad they left out my bits about mutant kopites though.
The first two lines from the Carolina group were totally mine.
I think this makes me a published author.
Get in.
Sad they left out my bits about mutant kopites though.
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