From events to anniversaries and more, this summer has been a busy one. It all began in June, when soccer fanatics all over the world came to the US, Mexico and Canada for one simple reason; to root for their favorite teams. This year, for the first time since 1994, the US was chosen as one of the hosts for the World Cup. One of these locations happened to be in Gillette Stadium, which brought an influx of soccer fans to Boston and the surrounding areas. Given RI’s ideal placement and accessibility to Foxborough, PVD and the surrounding areas became popular hubs for our visitors from overseas.
PVD had the pleasure of serving as an official watch party hub for the FIFA matches held in MA. The Fan Zone was free to attend and held from June 11 – July 19, serving as the one-stop for FIFA needs. Fans were able to kick back with some chairs and purchase drinks for the game at a giant projector in the middle of Providence. All over social media were videos and pictures of our friendly hooligans, bringing some of their own nations’ charms to spots around the US. From powerful synchronized rowing to traffic cones on statues, Providence was one of the main hubs for all the tomfoolery.
Due to the matches scheduled for Foxborough, RI was an ideal place for fans looking for cheaper lodging. Some of the most represented fans in RI hailed from Ghana, Norway, Cape Verde, and Scotland. Scotland became the most represented of all as Scotland’s dedicated soccer team fanbase, known as the Tartan Army, made RI their headquarters with help from the PVD Tartan Army sect. Over five thousand Scotland fans visited RI, bringing celebration and bag pipes to PVD. Locals even joined in on the fun, where RI’s very own Dawn the Duck made an appearance to serve as the Tartan Army’s unofficial mascot for the World Cup. Dawn even lead the parade as a figurehead for the glory of Scottish football.
Scottish fans had their own influences on RI as well. A popular social media trend emerged mid-June where Scottish fans were working together to top different statues all around Boston with traffic cones for fun. PVD got to join in on that new tradition too, when the city got involved, bringing an entire lift to finally crown the 1871 Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument with a tall orange and white traffic cone for a hat.
While technically a collective group of Scottish soccer fans, the Tartan Army has a long history of charity work. From the 1970s, the collective brought their good sportsmanship worldwide to the point where they even received awards for their good behavior and charity work. The PVD Tartan Army division served as important organizers during the World Cup, with the Army assisting with lodging and transportation for fans. Led by locals David Hood and Mike MacGregor, the PVD Tartan Army chartered buses for use in traveling to matches and boat parties for a fee.
Local businesses were also booming due to the Scottish takeover, with local bars and pubs running dry from the unprecedented demand for alcohol, way beyond what one would see during the SuperBowl. Venues were packed all around Providence during game nights. Between merch sales, fundraising and donations, the PVD Tartan Army raised over $10,000, all of which were donated to charitable causes in both the US and Scotland, including RI’s very own Hasbro Children’s Hospital, in an incredible community effort. Once again, the Tartan Army serves as a perfect reminder that when we all come together through the love of sport, anything can happen.
Thanks to communities like the Tartan Army, it’s clear just how far soccer culture has come from drunken hooliganism to touching the lives of locals through charity work and celebration. There’s a deep power within fandom culture that can connect fans from all around the world to make lasting change no matter how big or small. The World Cup might now be over, but the memories created from such an exciting event will last forever.