Houston Dynamo FC held their first Meet the Team event since the COVID-19 pandemic began and forced all events between fans and players to be cancelled. The event, which was open exclusively to Dynamo365 Members, took place Tuesday evening at the Houston Zoo and featured two Q&A sessions plus an opportunity for attendees to get autographs from their favorite Dynamo stars.
The annual event was put on hold last season due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. After more than a year of missing out on this event, its return was welcomed by players and fans alike. According to head coach Tab Ramos, the return of events such as Meet the Team is a great opportunity for the Dynamo.
“Obviously it’s been a difficult year and a half because of COVID. We haven’t had the opportunity to meet fans and go out into Houston and do these sorts of things,” Ramos said. “So, it’s very exciting to finally get that opportunity. We’re very happy to be here and we’re very excited about the support we’re getting from the fans.”
As much as the team may benefit from getting to connect with its biggest supporters, this event is most exciting for the Dynamo365 Members who were able to attend. Meet the Team offers these fans an opportunity to interact with and ask questions of every member of the Dynamo, whether they have started every game this year or if they have yet to see the pitch.
For fans such as David Frankford, who has been a member since 2007, events such as these are one of the many benefits of his Dynamo365 Membership.
“With COVID, being a member is the only way to really get up close to players and possibly talk to them,” Frankford said. “You’ve got these events, the equipment sale every year, you get discounts on season tickets, group tickets and you get somebody to talk to when you need anything else.”
From the perspective of the players, getting to meet the team’s most ardent supporters is of great importance, and something they missed out on when these events were on pause.
“This was the first time in almost two years that we saw the entire season ticket holders,” defender Zarek Valentin said. “I know for myself and my teammates it was really fortunate that we were able to do this. Thanks to the Houston Zoo, we’re out here and we got to do a Q&A, we got to sign some autographs and it’s been great to interact with the fans because that’s something we miss and something we genuinely value. It’s important for the fans and it’s important for myself and my teammates as well.”
For more information on how to become a Dynamo365 Member, visit https://www.houstondynamofc.com/tickets/members/dynamo365/.
