The Houston Dynamo and the club’s Supporters Groups have joined together to take a stand against the use of a frequently-used offensive chant used by a small segment of the fans during games, the club and its Supporters announced today. The “cheer” in question involves the usage of a Spanish term which is considered a derogatory slur.
Dynamo legend Brian Ching led the dialogue with the club’s Supporters Groups – El Batallon, Texian Army and Brickwall Firm – to help root out the usage of the term and replace it with something more positive and inclusive.
“This chant has no place in our stadium, our city or, frankly, our game,” Ching said. “Our Supporters Groups have worked with us over the last several years to stop its use among their members, and now we are joining together to ask all of our fans to stop using it.”
After working with the Dynamo organization to identify a solution, the Supporters will make a point to loudly yell “Ohhhh…HOUSTON!” every time a visiting team’s goalkeeper takes a goal kick. Fans throughout the stadium are encouraged to join in.
“We want our fans to be vocal and make life difficult on the visiting teams at BBVA Compass Stadium, but I want to be clear that vulgar and offensive language will not be tolerated by our club,” said Dynamo president Chris Canetti. “One of the greatest strengths of the Dynamo fan base is its diversity, and we take great pride as an organization in that. That type of language runs counter to our organizational values and we’re taking a stand against it.”
Prior to Saturday evening’s Dynamo home match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the Dynamo will show a video featuring players, Supporters and coaches asking fans to stop using the cheer and instead use the more affirmative “Ohhhh…HOUSTON!” cheer created by the Supporters Groups. Dynamo and Whitecaps will also enter the field wearing t-shirts bearing Major League Soccer’s “Don’t Cross the Line” campaign against offensive and vulgar language.
“The Texian Army has long had a history of diversity in its membership,” said James Hromadka, president of Texian Army. “The ‘Ohhhh...HOUSTON!’ chant is the best way to show passion on opposing goal kicks in a manner that does not divide the Houston Dynamo fan base.”
Guest services representatives throughout BBVA Compass Stadium will be handing out yellow warning cards to individuals who are heard using vulgar or offensive cheers. Repeated warnings will result in removal from the stadium. Fans in the stadium may anonymously report offensive language by texting “BBVA” and the issue to 69050.
