CONCACAF Cup PHOTOS: Shared, not split, allegiances among Mexican-American tailgaiting fans

One more group of US and Mexico fans at CONCACAF Cup, October 10, 2015

If anyone's trying to depict tonight’s CONCACAF Cup showdown as geopolitical theater – a case of the United States or Mexico, as concepts more than teams, coming out "on top" – many young fans weren’t feeling that.


Instead, at the end of the Rose Bowl parking lot mostly populated by Mexico fans, a demographic shift was clear: plenty of fans came to the game with happily shared allegiances.


Sure, some repped solely for Mexico (and Mexican culture):

CONCACAF Cup PHOTOS: Shared, not split, allegiances among Mexican-American tailgaiting fans - https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/images/IMG_3090.jpg

But at plenty of tailgate parties, Mexican and American flags flew side-by-side, with West Coast rap and funk blaring for fans in both teams’ jerseys.

CONCACAF Cup PHOTOS: Shared, not split, allegiances among Mexican-American tailgaiting fans - https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/images/IMG_3086.jpg

Many overwhelmingly Mexico-leaning groups put up with at least one buddy in the Red, White and Blue:

CONCACAF Cup PHOTOS: Shared, not split, allegiances among Mexican-American tailgaiting fans - https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/images/IMG_3084.jpg
CONCACAF Cup PHOTOS: Shared, not split, allegiances among Mexican-American tailgaiting fans - https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/images/IMG_3089.jpg

“Man, I have to listen to these guys talk [smack] almost every day,” said Brian Hidalgo (third from right above), of his friends. “I was born here, so this is my team.”

CONCACAF Cup PHOTOS: Shared, not split, allegiances among Mexican-American tailgaiting fans - https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/images/IMG_3103.jpg

“I’m here to support the United States, but I didn’t forget my Mexican roots,” said Juan Rodriguez (second from right). “I was born here, and this country has given me a lot, so I want to give it my full support.”