Fans will arrive at the lush Rose Bowl grounds Tuesday evening ready for a Fourth of July rivalry match (10:30 pm ET | Apple TV - Free) between Los Angeles’ two MLS teams:
Many of those fans will fire up the grill for the carne asada, dress their beers with a michelada mix or sip palomas, the cocktail made with grapefruit soda and tequila (or mezcal).
There will be tailgating, a few live bands and a boisterous atmosphere before they file into the stadium and become part of the expected largest-ever crowd to attend a standalone MLS match.
Angelenos, neighbors, united in most things and fiercely divided by one: Which team they support. Because fans in LA, including the 3.64 million people who are Mexican or Mexican-American according to 2021 Census estimates, have a choice to make.
It's from within those supporters' communities that one of North America’s richest and most exciting soccer cities has sprung to life. But that doesn't mean fandom for the beautiful game in LA is any less divided than it is for the city's other multi-franchise sports: basketball and football.
So what is it about each club that draws their supporters in?
Superstar connection
Javier Servin grew up in LA watching soccer with his dad, who supported Liga MX's Cruz Azul. After the 1994 World Cup, Servin was thrilled to see the colorful-kit-wearing Mexico goalkeeper, Jorge Campos, sign on with the Galaxy. He followed the Galaxy from their inaugural season in 1996, listening to radio broadcasts, watching on TV and reading reports in the LA Times or La Opinión.
It wasn’t until decades later he’d actually be able to attend a match in person, an experience that pushed him into the supporters’ group culture.
“I’m a big history nerd. They are one of the original teams in MLS, that helped get the league going,” said Servin, who hosts a California history web series under the moniker Foo Howser, a play on legendary LA public broadcasting host Huell Howser.
That historical connection is key for many Galaxy fans, and the club has tried to emphasize its history with its “Since '96” merch line launch in 2021.
There also is a long line of star names who have played with the Galaxy. Even before David Beckham arrived, fans showed up to cheer Jorge Campos, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Luis “El Matador” Hernandez, Cobi Jones and other international standouts. Since Beckham, LA brought in Mexico national team legends Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, the Dos Santos brothers and international superstar, Zlatan Ibrahimović.
After missing the period from 1996-2002 when the Galaxy played at the Rose Bowl and were led by players like Hernandez and Cienfuegos, Servin is thrilled to head to the stadium this week with his wife and brother for a throwback experience against a cross-town rival.
“I think the rivalry is great for the game. It’s great for the league. At the end of the day, we’re all Angelenos, we all live and work with each other,” Servin said.
Aside from simply a spirit of civility, Servin says he gives credit to LAFC for pushing the soccer scene forward but that he's never wavered in his support for the team.
“A line in the sand was drawn with a lot of people. Obviously, they were very successful in marketing and pulling in new fans, even people that were Galaxy fans switched over, but to me, it was always staying loyal to your first love,” he said. “The Galaxy was that first love for me.”
The pulse of the city
While the Galaxy like to mention the five MLS Cups in their trophy case, more than any other team in the league, LAFC fans can boast of modern success.
Despite the club's young age, or maybe because of it, the Black & Gold can also boast about their cultural relevance in the city’s core. With its stadium located downtown, LAFC have drawn a new crowd, converting fans of other sports into soccer fans and capturing fans looking for the international experience of hopping on public transit and taking the train to and from the game.
LAFC also have played up their connection to the glamor of the city, putting a spotlight before each match on the celebrities in attendance and working to create cross-cultural moments like when breakout corrido singer Peso Pluma met Dr. Dre before the Concacaf Champions League final.
Community-first, on both sides
Jose Yepez knew a new team was on the rise when he felt drawn to the Galaxy. He knew he had just missed the Beckham years. Yet, he felt the draw to become a Galaxy season-ticket holder and didn’t fight the urge.
“I decided I’m just going to jump the gun, get my tickets and enjoy the team because I love the connection they have with the city. I started going to all the games, then started going to some away games,” Yepez said.
He was able to celebrate an MLS Cup run in 2014 but, since then, has only seen bitter rivals LAFC lift silverware. Yepez said the supporters’ togetherness, even as on-field results have fallen short of expectations, has been part of the reason he still looks forward to Galaxy matches – and is enjoying the team’s recent five-match undefeated run all the more.
“It’s really the community and the friends you make, right?” Yepez said. “I got to know a lot of folks through the club and even through social media. We all banded together. For me, it’s just a community of healing. We’re all suffering together through the thick and thin. That’s what made me continue to be connected to the team, is we all share that nice bond together.
“It’s kind of an extension of your family in that sense. We all care deeply about the team.”
Maybe it won’t feel like it Tuesday night, or maybe it will, but fans of LA's neighbor MLS clubs have more in common than it may appear: A love of the game, of good food and good times with friends, and a feeling of family, of acceptance and of bonding over a shared love of the Galaxy or LAFC.
