Walking into America First Field, home of Utah’s Major League Soccer club, Real Salt Lake, one may notice the atmosphere of the parking lot and stands more acutely than what happens on the pitch.
As fans gather before each match, the streets of Sandy are flooded with a parade of red and gold jerseys, and the scent of grilled food and Domino’s Pizza begins to hover above the tailgating lot. A palpable buzz ensues as kickoff draws nearer, with chants and shouts rising in unison to rupture the town’s typical suburban quiet.
“IF YOU BELIEVE THEN JUST STAND UP ON YOUR FEET AND SHOUT IT LOUD REAL! HERE AT THE RIOT, THE BATTLE HYMN’S BEGUN. WE’RE HERE FOR RSL!”
Popular chants like this one are accompanied by the rhythmic pounding of drums played by members of La Barra Real, a prominent RSL supporter group. Trumpets also join the cacophony as they belt out Latin music that echoes throughout the stadium all the way up to kickoff.
There is a purpose behind such passion. For fans of soccer in Utah, especially those with Hispanic ancestry, the game is not just a game – it is a symphony of identity and belonging. It’s Real Salt Lake.
The RSL fanbase
Guadalupe Martinez, a 22-year-old Salt Lake City resident, said she was inspired to be an avid RSL fan because she watched her father support the team while she was growing up. Martinez explained that she now regularly attends RSL matches to connect with her family and roots.
“My dad used to take me to RSL games when I was a kid,” Martinez said. “It’s where I learned about the game and felt a deep connection to our team.”
The culture surrounding “RSL Nation” breeds connection; expressed through chants and game day rituals known only to true fans and the donning of matching colors. As young fans like Martinez immerse themselves in this vast culture, they experience a profound sense of unity and shared purpose, further driving their unwavering support and devotion.
The team’s fandom is also composed of several supporter groups, each united by their love for RSL and a shared heritage and language.
La Barra Real, a predominantly Hispanic supporter group in the RSL fanbase, has been a cultural staple for Salt Lake City’s diverse Latinx community in recent years. The group has worked diligently to promote a message of inclusivity to locally underrepresented communities.
Pepe Perretta, a 45-year-old RSL fan, has been a member of La Barra Real since 2014. Perretta explained how one’s heritage can translate into fandom on and off the pitch.
“Every team has its own passion and colors,” Perretta said. “The passion starts off with one’s own roots, usually passed down through generations. [It then becomes], if you’re not with our colors, you are not with us.”
For fans like Perretta and Martinez, supporting RSL is more than just cheering for a team. It’s a way of life. Such intense commitment can be understood more clearly through the lens of identity fusion theory, an area of study in psychology championed by prominent anthropologist Dr. Martha Newson.
Identity fusion
Anthropologist Dr. Martha Newson, of the University of Oxford, offered valuable insights into the psychology of fandom in her research on identity fusion theory, where she explores the deep connection between fans and their teams.
Newson’s theory suggests that fans’ strong sense of belonging stems from their fusion within a group, which eventually becomes an important part of their self-identity.
Daniel Flores, a 20-year-old resident of Salt Lake City and RSL “super-fan,” is a passionate member of both La Barra Real and RioT, an umbrella RSL supporter group that proposes to combine all of the independent supporter groups. Flores described his dedication to RSL as unwavering, and said he is always ready to stand by his team, through thick and thin.
“Being part of the RioT and La Barra Real is like being part of a family,” Flores said. “We support each other and our team no matter what. Having [this] sense of family without any actual blood relation is kind of wild … these [other members] have become my brothers to the end.”
For fans like Flores, the identity that RSL fandom offers works as a means of healing a fractured, nationality-based identity.
Many Hispanic residents of Salt Lake City, including RSL fans, have a family that is split between their native countries and the U.S. Because of groups like La Barra Real, Flores has been able to develop a sense of identity that is fused with a like-minded group made up of people who share a similar background.
“Ultras” versus unity
Unfortunately, there can be downsides to such a strong sense of identification with a group, especially that of a sports team, where there is almost always a winner and a loser in each match.
According to Newson’s research, those experiencing identity fusion tend to display extreme pro-group endorsement, as well as self-sacrificial behavior. Newson suggests this is partially because fans become so strongly fused to their group that they experience increased feelings of agency, invulnerability, and kinship.
As reported by GOAL, “ultras” are the most extreme and passionate supporters in European football club fanbases. Most of these “ultra” groups consist of thousands of members. They are highly organized and display their pride through choreography, chants, flags and, occasionally, violence in the form of all-out brawls with fans of opposing teams.
Ultras in European football represent a more militant and intense form of fandom. Small congruencies may be observed in RSL supporter groups in terms of their approach to and mentality about fandom, but, in general, RSL fans are more concerned with promoting unity, family and inclusivity.
Rather than intimidation tactics, RSL fans prioritize connection, community and safety, fostering an environment where everyone is welcomed and valued.
