The community around the two top-flight soccer teams of Portland, Oregon -- the Timbers of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) -- can feel more like a big family. Supporters of these clubs have gotten married in the stands before matches or on the pitch, they sport permanent tattoos for the teams and some even plan their vacation time around attending away games together.
Before the pandemic, the two predominant supporters groups -- the Timbers Army and the Rose City Riveters -- had around 6,000 dues-paying members, helping create a matchday atmosphere widely considered one of the best in North America.