CHIVAS USA HAS NEW LOOK UPSTARTS GETTING WIDER FAN BASE.

Byline: IVAN OROZCO

Staff Writer

CARSON -- Some rode on the roof. Others waved flags out the windows of charter bus Thursday.

Members of Chivas USA's Legion 1908 fan club danced to drumbeats and chants inside the bus that made its way from the front gate of Home Depot Center to the VIP entrance.

That's the same entry celebrities used to come see David Beckham earlier in the season.

On the night of the fourth Chivas USA-Galaxy 'SuperClasico' of the season, the red carpet was reserved for the die-hard followers of the Chivas brand.

The drumming and singing continued halfway around the stadium to the stands behind the north goal.

There's no surprise the Legion's songs were sung in Spanish. After all, most are Mexican-born, Mexican-American or other fans with Latino roots.

But when Chivas USA opted for a new general manager in Shawn Hunter -- an executive with background in the NHL -- to replace Javier Leon last week, the club perhaps boosted its efforts to reach out to communities beyond the Latino market.

"I think the changes were needed," said Ricardo Escutia, a season ticket holder since 2005 from Palmdale. "I respect Mr. Hunter. He's a proven veteran and he could bring in a lot of good things for our team.

"His record and his reasons speak for him. He's done well with other franchises. The key here is that the same way they are bringing in the Latino community they are going to have to bring in the Anglo community to form a unity and real fan base."

Such fan groups such as the "San Patricios," a club of about 30 fans which Escutia said formed the group about a month ago. Escutia said the fan club is made up of mostly Anglo and non-Spanish-speaking Mexican-Americans and Caucasian Americans -- such as the Williams family of Newbury Park.

"Because they are diverse like that, it's American," said Glenn Williams about Chivas.

Williams, along and his wife, became followers of the red-and-white striped team after enlisting their daughter in the Chivas USA youth academy.

The Williams family is not affiliated with the "San Patricios," but that wasn't necessary for them to navigate toward wearing red-and-white.

"If it's only Chivas Guadalajara and they're only bringing in Mexicans then you're stuck with that population but if you're going to branch out and if they continue to have players from different races that will draw a more diverse crowd," Glenn Williams said before he was interrupted by his wife Stacy Williams.

"Look at us, we're obviously white and we're Chivas all the way," Stacy Williams said. "We had people honk at us all the way down here."

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