Fan Club Spotlight: Roma Club Los Angeles

What can you tell the readers about yourself and your role with Roma Club Los Angeles?

Simone Giacometti: "I was born in Rome and grew up in the suburbs near Casal Palocco, where many players like Totti, Batistuta, Montella, Scarchilli and Dzeko have lived. I have called LA home for a little over 25 years. I went to high school and college here but I have been to Rome every summer and I have stayed in touch with my friends and cousins over the years.

"In fact, I still talk to my friend from kindergarten almost every day. He’s also a Romanista and every time I go back to Rome, I go to the Olimpico with him. I have fond memories of the Scudetto and the Circo Massimo celebration with him. I am currently the president of Roma Club Los Angeles."

Can you tell us when Roma Club Los Angeles was founded and what the was idea behind setting up the club?

"Roma is my connection back home, finding and meeting other Romanisti that shared the common passion was the main reason I decided to start the Roma Club LA in 2010. Although I've been in Los Angeles for many years, I never really met many Roma fans before then, which was strange. You see, LA County has about 10 million residents, the problem is we're all spread out in an area that is twice the size of Delaware.

"We have an Italian consulate here, an Italian American chamber of commerce, and even the Italian Culture Institute that organizes events for Italians. I've been to many of their events and met a lot of Italians but not that many Romans. There’s even a Facebook group for Italians in LA that has over 20,000 members. Once I created a Facebook group for Roma fans, I was surprised how many people quickly joined.

"I started organising watch parties, but it was difficult to get enough people to come given we are all spread out. We tried various pubs and restaurants over the years. Some games are at 6 AM given the time zone in LA, not many places are open at that time. Plus the games are often at the same time as NFL or Premier League matches, which made it difficult to find a good place that would give us space to see the games.

"Fast forward a few years and people started to get more active, the group started to get traction. Some members started to invite others to their homes for the 6 AM games. One of the members, Anthony, started hosting watch parties in the theatre room of his apartment building in downtown LA. Then thanks to accounts on Twitter such as Chiesa di Totti, we started connecting with more Romanisti in LA, which is when we met Kevin Vote, who posted he was starting Roma Club Southern California. He even had a logo designed.

"Kevin didn't know about us, so we met for beers, where I explained the difficulty in finding a good location and getting people to watch games. We decided to join efforts since we shared the same goals of meeting other Romanisti and promoting Roma. Our current logo is an evolution of what Kevin had for the So Cal club.

"Once Anthony moved, we lost the theatre room and started looking for a new home. We then finally found a good home for us that would open at 6 AM, and give us space regardless if NFL or Premier League was on - the Fox and Hounds in Studio City. Once we settled into our current home, Valeria, a Roma Club Los Angeles member designed a banner for us that is still hanging today."

What does a normal Roma matchday look like for members of Roma Club Los Angeles?

"Before matchday, we have an active discussion on our WhatsApp group, and try to get a headcount for the game. Some even get organized with carpooling. On matchday, we show up at the pub where a large Roma Club LA banner awaits us. Usually, we have the patio all to ourselves. Given that the more important matches are later, we’re usually meeting at 11:30 AM, which is perfect timing for either a coffee, brunch, or a cold beer, but some simply opt for or a cold San Pellegrino. Most order food at some point during the match. After the match some stay for more beers, some drive back home (most live 20-30 min away), and some drive to Fatamorgana to get a gelato (yes, it’s the same gelateria that is in Rome if you're wondering)."

Have you or any of your members been over to Rome for a match?

"Yes, most members, some of us met in Rome this past winter for at the Olimpico to see Roma vs. Juventus. There are a couple of members that have never been though, and when they finally do visit, it will be a dream come true."

Why should someone join Roma Club Los Angeles?

"Roma Club Los Angeles embodies the multicultural aspect of the city we live in yet we are very passionate about a team that plays over 6,000 miles away. Many members are not even Italian - we have American, Mexican, Armenian, Indonesian, South Korean, and Lebanese members, for example, some of which are more passionate Romanistas than many Romans I know. We have cooks, lawyers, paralegals, data scientists, software engineers, filmmakers, actors, writers, musicians, marketers, neurologists, Uber drivers and more.

"It doesn’t matter if you are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, gay, straight, liberal or conservative, once you walk into the pub you are a Romanista, we are all equals. We have zero-tolerance for xenophobia or bigotry, we all love and respect each other, in fact, thanks to the Roma Club Los Angeles, many are now close friends."

Can you describe the football culture in Los Angeles?

"Los Angeles loves football. It is home to two MLS teams, LAFC and LA Galaxy. However, if you go to a local pub there's a higher chance of running into someone that is more passionate for a team from London, Manchester, Barcelona, Madrid, Paris or Munich. I hope that Rome ranks in this list soon, perhaps thanks to the efforts of fan clubs like ours."

What is your favourite Roma moment since Roma Club Los Angeles was formed?

"Meeting Bruno Conti and Alessio Scarchilli in San Diego before the Roma Tottenham ICC tournament game was a great moment. Some members never met a former Roma player, let alone a legend, a World Cup winner like Bruno Conti. Watching others interact at that event was great.

"The recent match vs. Verona was also very special for me, as it was the first gathering we had since the COVID-19 lockdown. It was particularly special because a couple of members brought champagne to celebrate for various reasons. To be honest, I even got a little emotional while watching everyone toast and enjoy their time. I guess it reminded me how far this Roma Club Los Angeles has grown, how all these people met each other through the club, and how they are now good friends who respect each other. It made me proud."

What does it mean for Roma Club LA to be members of the Roma family?

"As I mentioned before, we live over 6,000 miles away from Roma. Many members are not Italian, have never been to Rome or the Olimpico. Being part of a fan club that is officially recognised by AS Roma brings them a bit closer, makes them proud, and gives them an additional reason to wear their Giallorosso pride while living their lives in the City of Angels.

"As Venditti says, 'Dimmi cos’e’ che ci fa sentire uniti anche se siamo lontani.'"

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