The Away Match Experience

By Matt Warman

Don’t forget your scarf, I said to myself before leaving. I was going on a trip which was business and pleasure. My wife and I were driving to Indy to catch a flight with our fellow supporters to see the Seattle game. I was so excited, I moved and (temporarily lost) my driver’s license. It put a damper on my enthusiasm, but only until I got through the gate. Walking to the gate I saw 20 to 30 people clad in Orange and Blue, all as excited as me. After a nice cross-country trip and an extraordinarily long walk to the train, 10 of us found our AirBnb. We quickly dropped off our extra gear and headed out for bite and a pint. It was a great time to make new friends and unwind from the trip. Everyone was up early to explore Seattle and meet our fellow travelers. We didn’t have time to change, so we ran around town in our gear, talking to Seattle fans from time to time. Everyone was very nice! Walking through Pike Place market, I had Portland and Vancouver fans cheering for us to beat their rivals! The best part was meeting for the march. Have a pint, get fired up,and then we go! Compared to home marches, it’s small. Because of that, you feel your job more intensely because it’s literally you versus the world! The march to your seats is typically a long one, but it just gives you more time to get into it. Every chant and movement mean more because you are trying to have people watching from home hear you through the home crowd and their TV. Win or lose, the game is fun, and you come away with a stronger bond with your fellow supporters.