Of all the ways for a soccer fan to support their club, draping a scarf over one’s shoulders and heading to the stadium or bar to cheer on their team might be the most practical.
Unlike, say, an authentic jersey, scarves are relatively cheap; unlike a worn-out T-shirt, they don’t draw any scorn – or emanate any odor – when worn repeatedly without washing; and unlike the vast majority of soccer merchandise, they even provide a measure of warmth for those supporting in MLS’s colder climates.
They’re a convenient, easy, functional way for fans to support their team, in any setting and in any weather.
If you wear one at a time.
For Philadelphia Union supporter Ryan Bross, scarves aren’t quite that simple. The 27-year-old wears approximately 70 scarves to most Union home matches, tying up the majority in a special “scarf skirt” he wears around his waist, latching others around a belt he fashions into a pair of suspenders and securing the rest around his arms.
It creates quite a spectacle in The River End at Talen Energy Stadium, with Bross – the director of tifo for the Sons of Ben supporters’ group two seasons running – looking like a blue-and-gold ball of yarn come to life. He’s not hard to pick out, often standing towards the front of the supporters’ section, waving a giant Union flag and Dooping along with the rest of the Sons of the Ben to everyone’s favorite German trance track whenever Philly scores.
“A lot of people that stand up front, they all have different personalities and there’s definitely a couple of people that stick out more than others,” says Sons of Ben president Kenny Hanson, who has served alongside Bross on the organization’s board since late 2013. “But when someone sees someone that has 70, 80 scarves on them, that person’s going to stick out a little bit more.
“I think if you ask a lot of people at Talen Energy Stadium, they might not know he’s Ryan Bross, but they’ll definitely know he’s the guy with the scarves. People will know that for sure.”
Bross has collected Union scarves since becoming a season-ticket holder ahead of the club’s debut season in 2010. It’s a hobby born out of his childhood, when he and his family would take road trips to baseball stadiums, national parks and amusement parks, buying pennants as souvenirs at each stop.
Like pennants, soccer scarves can serve a piece of living history. Peek at an old pennant and a collector can reminisce about a trip to Disneyland, Wrigley Field or Yosemite. Pull an old scarf out of the closet and a soccer fan can be reminded of a particular match, season, player or even a group of friends.
Bross set out to nab as many Union scarves as possible from the start. He bought officially licensed Philadelphia scarves from the team store, snagged Sons of Ben scarves, made a few with groups of friends and traded with other fans for scarves he couldn’t buy. It didn’t take long for him to build a massive collection, storing some at his apartment, some in his dad’s office and a few in the back of his car.
Those scarves – the ones thrown haphazardly in the back of his car – played a crucial role in creating the character Bross becomes on match day. Egged on by a few friends before the Union’s May 2012 US Open Cup contest against the Rochester Rhinos, Bross decided to take every scarf in his car and drape them off the back of his belt, emulating the style worn by many Sons of Ben.
Philadelphia went on to beat Rochester 3-0 for their first victory in more than a month. What started as a lark became a superstition: Bross started wearing more and more scarves, the Union started playing better, and – before anyone knew it – a tradition developed.
“I kept wearing [them] that season and I kept finding more,” Bross says. “[I’d find] a scarf that I forgot I had, or see one in my apartment, or one that I left in someone else’s car and so I kept adding on to it. Then it just kept building and building, and then people would be like, ‘Oh you don’t have this one, I’ll trade it to you so you have it.’ So now it’s probably upwards of 70 that I’ll wear at a time.”
Bross’s game day outfit is now much more structured. He keeps his scarves in a large suitcase in the Sons of Ben’s tifo storage area at Talen Energy Stadium (he’s on his third scarf suitcase; the collection outgrew each previous container), rooting through the bag before most games as he tries to find a match scarf from the Union’s 2012 friendly against English Premier League club Aston Villa. That scarf is the key to Bross’ entire uniform: tied to his belt buckle, he needs it to fasten the scarf skirt, essentially a belt with dozens of scarves pre-lashed.
After pinning on the scarf skirt, Bross drapes additional scarves over his shoulders, ties some to each arm and heads to The River End. Frequently stopped by fans wanting to pose for pictures – he's a particular hit with young supporters, who don’t have an official Union mascot to latch onto – Bross is often mistaken for a vendor, and asked for pricing.
Things usually go smoothly – as long as the weather stays dry. Rain soaks the scarves, adding about a pound of extra weight per scarf. He’s been in a downpour before, notably wearing 50 scarves – and carrying 50 extra pounds – during a Union-Montreal game last year.
Bross, who estimates that he owns about 100 scarves, also brings his show on the road. He’s worn the scarf skirt to Union matches at D.C. United and at the New York Red Bulls, even taking his setup with him on a preseason trip to Florida. That journey involved a few complications, as Bross’ checked bag – which had some of his other belongings in it – came in over weight on the flight to Orlando, forcing him to pull roughly 10 scarves, stuffing them into and tying them on his carry-on backpack.
Three years after beginning his scarf skirt sojourn, Bross has become a fixture at Talen Energy Stadium. Fans know him, players recognize him and he’s a familiar face for the TV cameras. It might not be the most practical ensemble, but Bross will keep on wearing the scarf skirt to matches, doing what he can in the stands to help inspire the Union on the field – even if he doesn’t quite know how much more his uniform can grow.
“Everyone always kinds of jokes with me, asking ‘What’s going to be the limit where you can’t keep adding more to it? How heavy can it get before it’s too much?’” he says. “I’m sure there’s a definite finite number that’s going to be the max, but I’m going to keep going until I find it.”
If you'd like to add to your own scarf collection, check out MLS's Kick Childhood Cancer and the social campaign Scarftember. Designer Sophia Chang has created a Kick Childhood Cancer scarf for every MLS team, with proceeds from their sales to benefit the Children's Oncology Group, one of the leading childhood cancer experts in the world and a partner of MLS Works.
In addition, you can also support by posting a photo of you with your favorite MLS scarf to Twitter or Instagram, using the hashtag #ScarvesUp and tagging @MLS. The league will donate $1 for each post.
