Another factor is the decline of religion amongst most younger people in Ireland (both North and South) and Scotland. The sectarian stuff doesn't cut it any more. I speak as a first generation Irish Mancunian with a huge extended Irish family.Agree but I think we need to be more precise about what meaning bigger is, without just saying "we are bigger" as it is open to interpretation and is ambiguous.
If we go back over the past 60 years, Celtic are the bigger club. Trophies galore (yes in a 2 horse race mainly, a 3 horse race when Aberdeen had their Fergie time and a one horse race when Rangers went bust) but a Euro Cup winner and a Euro Cup finalist in 3 years late 60's put them on the map.
But since the last 15 years despite still being the dominant side in the country, the club (and the league as a whole) have been going backwards both on the pitch and financially off the field, failing to make the CL qualifying rounds year after year.
And this is where City have become a bigger club. Both on and off the pitch. Matching Celtic's European Cup / Champions League record of being a winner and being runners up over a 3 year period, reaching the knockout stages for 11 years running on the pitch and going off the scales financially into a new stratosphere off the pitch.
Added to that, the rate of which City's world wide support has grown where as Celtic's will always remain as it is with Irish expats keeping the faith (literally) in all 4 corners of the world and that is why City have over taken Celtic in every aspect of the Football club
West Ham and Palace are playing at the Tampa Bucs stadium which holds 60 odd thousand. Can't wait to see the crowd for that one!there was 15.641 at chelsea v wrexham ,, last night and13.000 at arsenal v b'mouth last night , lots off empty seats at both grounds .. think they have got the pricing wrong for these games in the usa
There are 2.4 million people in the metro area. It's plenty big. I don't think some college students being home for the summer had any effect at all.Tickets for the 4 games are costing between $110 - $125 to City supporters clubs when they went on sale.
Chapel Hill is a one horse town, not in a densely built up area / corridor like Washington6 DC / Baltimore / Philly.
It is a student town - and guess what? The students have all returned home for the summer.
It looked a very good venue but the isolation of the town (and North Carolina as a whole) made it a very strange choice to play a game
At least 75% City.I watched the game on YouTube and was surprised at how poor the Celtic support looked.
Looked far more City than Celtic.
I'm sure that was all about liability. They didn't want to be responsible.Yep, I was there with my fam and the security folk were telling everyone they had to leave the stadium due to severe weather approaching. Apparently they deemed it safer for us all to venture out to our cars (20 min. walk for us) than stay under the COVERED concourse section of the stadium. I politely told one security guy, you're gonna have to forcibly make me leave...I'm staying sheltered here if there's lightning out. Bunch of other peeps held firm too. Literally a few moments after he fucked off, they announced over the PA system that the game was back on and we could go back to our seats. Like you say though, tons of people had already left the stadium and had to go through reentry with their tickets and everything. Fucking shambles. I just don't understand the mindset of, hey...there's severe lightning, so run out to your deaths everyone rather than stay in this covered stadium. Insanity!
That's being generous, I'd wager more like 90-95% city fans.At least 75% City.
As I keep telling my wife, it’s not as good as if the big dogs were involved, but it’s better than nothingI think the US based city fans are being cheated, given the European championships, there was no way they were going to see the real City team, they are being short changed and ripped off.
And most of the Celtics fans were only there to catch a glimpse of Joe Mazzulla’s bestie PepThat's being generous, I'd wager more like 90-95% city fans.
When we have squad full of top internationals that have just played in 2 major international tournaments that's understandable as they need a rest.I think the US based city fans are being cheated, given the European championships, there was no way they were going to see the real City team, they are being short changed and ripped off.