skip navigation

1868 FC Fan Brings the Noise on the Road

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 08/01/17, 1:17PM EDT

Share

Battle Born Brigade’s Racis following team through Midwest


Photo courtesy Reno 1868 FC

OKLAHOMA CITY – OKC Energy FC supporters groups The Grid and La Furia Verde will provide a colorful backdrop on Wednesday night at Taft Stadium for the USL Game of the Week on ESPN3 between the host Energy FC and Western Conference foe Reno 1868 FC.

If you listen closely, though, you may hear fervent support for the visitors coming from the Battle Born Brigade’s DJ Racis drifting through the stadium.

Racis certainly stood out in the crowd on Sunday when Reno began its three-game trip through the Midwest with a 4-1 win against the Swope Park Rangers. Armed with his drum and a barrel-load of chants that originated at Greater Nevada Field, Racis is following the expansion club on its three-game trip while on vacation this week.

“When it came to deciding how I wanted to spend my vacation, I couldn’t have thought of a better way to spend it than with this team,” Racis told Reno1868FC.com’s Aldo Amato. “We’re family here.”

Racis definitely drew attention at Children’s Mercy Victory Field, and even managed to catch up with Rangers mascot Hat Trick Harry among others who welcomed him to Kansas City. For the team, seeing support in the crowd a long way from the Biggest Little City in the World was a sign of how far the club has come in a short space of time.

“We heard him the entire way,” Reno 1868 FC Head Coach Ian Russell told Amato. “For him to come all this way to cheer us on in the Midwest means a lot.

“It shows what type of fanbase we’ve built in Reno, and DJ is just a shining example of that.”

Reno is currently in fourth place in the Western Conference standings, meaning Racis and his Battle Born Brigade cohorts have had plenty to cheer in the club’s first season. With games on Wednesday night against Energy FC, then on Saturday against Tulsa Roughnecks FC, the trip is an arduous one, but one that could prove fruitful for the side as it looks to close the gap on the top three in the conference.

With Racis on board, though, the journey is proving a fun one for everyone in 1868 FC’s camp.

“Seeing DJ up there on the screen and hearing his chants all game makes you feel proud as both a team executive and a fan,” Reno GM Andy Smith told Amato. “I’ve come to know DJ and the Battle Born Brigade this year and there is absolutely nothing that beats their dedication.

Follow the USL Championship

Most Recent News

Most Read News

Latest Videos