One fan and Atlanta native, Tom Thornton, flew 30 hours all the way from Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands to be at the match. After intently following the Eastern Conference Finals against New York Red Bulls, Thornton realized there was no way he was going to miss MLS Cup. And as he watched the team lift the Eastern Conference trophy from a local restaurant in Saipan, his immediate next move was to speak with his boss as the date of December 8th stood as the single thing on his mind.
“I told myself if we win, we tie, if aggregate moves us on, I have to go home,” Thornton said.