Orange Legionnaire

The Supporters Meeting previously scheduled for April 17th on Saturday at noon will be rescheduled to April 18th at 1 p.m. due to the Beavercreek Sugar Maple Festival and Parade. The meeting will be at The Pub at the Greene in Beavercreek, Ohio as originally scheduled, the only change is that the meeting will be moved back a day to the 18th and back a hour on that day to 1 p.m.

I apoligize as I didn't want to change the times again. However, most of the Dutch Lions players will be at the Beavercreek Festival on the 17th and will also be taking part in the parade starting at 11:30 a.m. Further, some staff for the team will also be selling/giving away merchandise and spreading the word about the club as well during the festival on Saturday. So, my hands are sort of tied, as I want to get some players out to the meeting and possibly some front office staff as well. As it's important to get that dialogue going between supporter and team so that the team can start to understand what the supporters need and want from their club to develop a top notch supporters group.

Further, it is likely we can get more supporters out to the meeting since Sunday isn't as busy of a day at the festival.

So log this in your calendar as I promise it will not change again and consider it part of your festival week,

Where: April 18th at 1 p.m. at The Pub in Beavercreek, Ohio
Who: Likely Dutch Players Bas Ent and Johan Wigger, likely a few other American players and maybe another Dutch player or two.
Prizes: Signed shirt giveaway
Discussion: Location in the stadium for The Orange Legion supporters, chant ideas, banner ideas and locations to make them, and other supporter logistics.

I just got off the phone with the manager of the Pub, I confirmed a place at that location for 30 to 40 people for April 17th at Noon for the meeting. Of course if there are more people we can stand around the tables and etc. as I do not think it's too busy on a Saturday morning except for those watching the EPL. He said I could also call back and bump up the reservation number if I need a lot more seats. But, that all depends on how many fans are interested in being at the meeting.

I tried to work out some sort of beer deal. He said that usually those wearing a soccer jersey get money off beer on Saturday mornings and etc., but didn't say anything outright on that. I'll take another run at maybe getting a cheap beer or two for the meeting when I'm back in Dayton. Also, I'll work on confirming some players to come out to the meeting and maybe some owners or at least front office types so the supporters can be on the same page from the get go with the front office.

Anyways, let me know if you can make it in the Supporters Meeting Issues thread. So I know if we need a lot more seats or not. Also, start pulling together ideas on chants and banners because we need to have some down before the first game on April 30th.

Cheers.

By the way, I'll throw up some directions on the place later today if any supporters do not know the location.

Evan Schwartz (far left) celebrating a victory with teammates for Icelandic club Bredablik last season. The Orange Legionnaire will have a discussion with the Dayton Dutch Lion right back on his thoughts on the upcoming season at 2 p.m. tomorrow.

** I'm working on getting together a second podcast, this interview will be with Dayton Dutch Lion right back Evan Schwartz. I'm going to talk to Evan around 2 p.m. tomorrow, so that podcast should be up early tomorrow night around 5 p.m. Evan has quite an interesting story as he played in Iceland last year and also played with some of the top American players at the well-regarded American IMG Academy. Therefore, should be worth a listen.

** I'm finally pooling together contacts of some of the supporters who are really interested in being a part of the Orange Legion supporters section this season. I'm hopefully going to get mostly everything settled on the Supporters Meeting by the end of this week. I should have a date and time for The Supporters Meeting soon. I'm calling the Pub tomorrow about what date would be best and still working on specials for the meeting. The Supporters Meeting will likely be pushed back to either April 10th or the 17th at noon or 1 p.m., both are on Saturday's. I'm trying to get a few players to make an appearance and maybe have them give away a signed shirt or something. Because I wanted to try to involve some players, I had to push things back since most are not in town until the 12th or a little before that. Also, I haven't been able to lock everything down as I'm getting everything situated to move to Dayton permanently myself. So, once I get back in the beginning of April I can try to get together some players to come out for the meeting and maybe an owner. Anyways, hopefully when I get back in town that should be enough time to spread the word out to all Dutch Lion fans interested in attending. That's why I'm leaning towards the 17th, just to make sure the meeting is productive as possible with as many supporters as possible, I promise it will be no later. Then at this meeting we can look to schedule monthly meetings, just with Orange Legion supporters (not the players and etc.) so we can continue to pull together ideas.

I'm looking for this meeting to be a way for those interested in being a part of the Orange Legion to introduce themselves to each other. At the meeting we can start to share ideas about chants and where we could possibly create some banners for the April 30th game. If someone has a warehouse or a nice-sized garage where we can get together and make some banner displays for the section that would be great. Also, we'll talk about our stadium location and other topics.

**HELP WELCOME ON THE ORANGE LEGIONNAIRE- If any other fans want to write about the team on here there more than welcome to, as long as you can keep it civil on here your more than welcome to write.

Also, if anyone has any photography skills. It would be pretty clutch to have an Orange Legion fan that could take pictures of the supporters section and the action, so that we could throw it up on here afterwards.

I'm going to throw up a thread in the Orange Legionnaire Forum, so if you want to help in either endeavor click here.

Upcoming either between the 25th and 28th or 2nd through the 4th. To discuss where to make banners and how to (like above), chants, a supporters bar, possibly scarves, and other ideas and concerns.

I'm thinking that the best time for a supporters meeting will be the weekend of the 25th to the 28th or the weekend of the 2nd to 4th of April. I'm leaning more towards the 2nd to the 4th since Crew vs. Toronto FC is the 27th and I know a lot of our fans are Crew fans as well and that is a pretty intense rivalry game. Either way, either weekend gives us all about a month to prepare for the first game with banners and chants and etc. At this meeting we will discuss some ideas for chants, where we can meet up to make banners, different bars for the supporters to congregate, and other logistics and possible ticket and other deals with the supporters.

Just wanted to let everyone know that there will be a Supporters Meeting upcoming, so keep checking this website through the end of the week to get an exact date.

As well as being a supporter, I'm working with the team as an intern for my Sport Management grad degree, and I know the team is working out a deal to have the players come to The Pub after games. I'm going to contact The Pub about having some deals or possibly a free beer or something for the supporters meeting. We'll likely do that meeting there in the afternoon or early evening when the location is not that crowded. This does not mean The Pub will be the supporter group location before every game, instead we can discuss where we all want to hangout before games at this meeting and vote on it, be it The Pub or somewhere else.

Also, I know that a couple of Dutch players such as Bas Ent and Johan Wigger will be in town by next Monday, maybe I can get a few of the players out for a beer on the weekend as well for the supporters group meeting.

So, take your banner, chant, and other ideas, as well as other issues you want discussed at this meeting to The Orange Legionnaire Forum.