What to Look Forward to in 2021: FC Dallas Fan Edition

This year was meant to be another season full of support for our favorite Dallas soccer team, but an unprecedented event led to a difficult season that left many of us wanting more.

As we turn the page to a new year, let’s look forward to the 2021 regular season and see what the new year has in store.

Fans Back to the Stadium

Many circumstances of the start of the regular season are still in flux, none of which is helped by the disaster that is the Force Majeure Notice (we will cover that later on when we have more news about it).

From ESPN colleague Austin Lindberg…MLS informs #MLSPA that it will invoke force majeure clause to terminate CBA – source. https://t.co/qmwRgrOEOx
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) December 29, 2020

There are conflicting reports as to when the season will start. Most reports state that the season will start around the same time most previous seasons have begun, which is late February or early March. However, there are rumors that MLS might delay the start of the season by a month or two to increase the number of matches at full capacity. One thing’s for sure, though: the 2021 season will have the return of fans at 100% capacity at some point during the year.

This is exciting for several reasons. A return to normalcy through sports is one of the best ways for the nation to heal. Nothing should be rushed, but as has been shown throughout social media, sports has been a unifying aspect of society that has helped many people through this ordeal. Toyota Stadium being 100% full will be a gratifying feeling.

New Signings

Jose Martinez and Jader Obrian have been pretty big signings, both of whom will probably be starters. However, with the multiple rumors of players like Juan Dinneno, it looks like there is a massive shift in the types of signings this season. There have been rumors that Andre Zanotta has been given the reigns to make signings alongside Luchi and that Franco Jara was the last “Dan Hunt” Signing. This is just a rumor, but signings that are closer to that 24-28-year-old range have been rare in Frisco, and we have two already this season.

Now, signings could bust, and in FC Dallas history, they often do. However, these signings seem to have something different, and they speak to an aspect of urgency that exists among the FC Dallas fanbase. Hiring Zanotta was a big deal primarily because of what he represented: a serious desire to purchase good talent across the Americas. Thiago Santos was Zanotta’s first signing, and he turned out to be exceptional. It will be interesting to see how more of these “Zanotta Signings” fare in Frisco.

A New Look in Toyota Stadium

One major piece of news swept under the rug during the 2020 regular season was the news that the Supporter’s Group would be moved to the southwestern corner of the stadium in 2021, converting Section 112 and 113 into a safe standing section.

This is a major change to how the stadium will look next season. For one, the entire stage will now be empty unless a tent is placed there once again.

Furthermore, the area that was once known as the away team’s section will now be the supporters’ group section, a different feel stadium. It will be interesting to see if the section will be expanded because Section 112 and 113 are only around 400 seats, and DBG and El Matador have had some matches in the past exceed that number.

All in all, this is a good move for fans, but it needs to be followed with some development to the stage. The area being left alone would look bad on camera, and many options are possible that would keep the integrity of the sage for concerts. Nonetheless, this is a great moment for the SG’s, as they won’t have to deal with the dangers of jumping on bleachers anymore.