Beyond the Goal: How Nashville SC Super Fans Build Community at GEODIS Park

Jeff Adkins

“Goal!” is a scream often heard echoing through Geodis Park, as Nashville Soccer Club (NSC) continues its rise to the top tier of Major League Soccer. Fans and what some refer to as super fans are leading that roar.

NSC has several official supporter groups. These avid lovers of Nashville’s Boys in Gold are there for every match, home or away, and provide the soundtrack. Banners, drums, horns, songs, chants and general cheering that sometimes borders on hysteria make the fans at the standing-only end of the field impossible to miss.

La Brigada De Oro: Bringing Latino Culture to Nashville Soccer

“As we go, the rest of the crowd goes,” says Abel Acosta, president of the group La Brigada De Oro. “Supporter groups set the tempo and the energy for the game, and the players know it and appreciate it.”

Acosta was born and raised in New Jersey and became a soccer lover at a young age. Today, he and his wife, Maria, share a passion for the game.

They founded La Brigada De Oro in 2020 to bring a Latino flavor to the NSC community of supporters.

The Official NSC Supporter Groups

Diverse in membership, La Brigada is just one of the seven official NSC supporter groups that gather in sections 106-110 at Geodis Park each game, following tailgating and a noisy procession to the stadium. Other groups include:

• FUBAR, a veteran-led group that supports military veterans and active-duty military.
• The Roadies, which helps children who can’t participate in organized soccer and soccer camps.
• Music City Heaters, which welcomes new and experienced soccer fans.
• The Mixtape 615, which celebrates the contributions of Black people to Music City and the diversity of soccer culture.
• The Assembly, which includes new and old fans of the game, stresses a come-as-you-are ambiance and member individuality.
• Eastern Front, which aims to enhance the NSC experience.

Jeff Adkins

Beyond the Pitch: Supporters Groups Serving the Community

What draws these super fans of the beautiful game, as it is known, is more than just a love of the sport, Acosta says.

“Soccer is a global culture,” he says. “It brings people together. You look at the field and see players from many countries and many cultures all working together.”

That unity and passion for the game, among a wide variety of people, is what NSC supporter groups provide on game day and beyond, Acosta says.

“Soccer is a unique sport in that it embodies what is so great in the world,” he says. “It’s a wonderful way to meet with friends, meet people from so many different countries and cultures. It exposes you to the world and lets you know people you never thought you’d know.”