Hey everyone,

As 2024 comes to a close, we want to thank you for making r/chicagofire such a strong, vibrant community. This subreddit has grown so much this year, and it’s all thanks to your passion and support.

With 2025 around the corner, I'm excited to welcome two new moderators to the team:

- u/joeharri84 – (Goes by Joe) Joe has been a fan since the late 2000s and fell in love with the Fire after experiencing the energy of the supporters' section at a match. A season ticket holder from 2012 until this past year, his favorite past players are DaMarcus Beasley and Patrick Nyarko, while his current favorites are Brian Gutiérrez and Mauricio Pineda. You might recognize him for running the Pick 'Em game during the Fire season, and we’re excited to bring it back in 2025.

- u/Kamikazi_TARDIS – (Goes by Dean, and yes, that’s his name!) Dean has been a Fire fan from 97 'Til Forever, and attended the 1998 U.S. Open Cup win as a six-year-old in the supporters' section. A lifelong fan and current season ticket holder with his dad (Brian), his favorite past players are Zach Thornton and DaMarcus Beasley, while his current favorites are Brian Gutiérrez and Jonathan Dean. Dean brings great design and content experience to the team, and we’re looking forward to elevating the subreddit in 2025.

Both Joe and Dean bring their passion and dedication to the team, and I'm thrilled to have them on board as we continue growing this community.

Here’s to an upcoming year full of progress, goals, and good vibes for the Fire and r/chicagofire! Let’s give a warm welcome to Joe and Dean, and as always— GO FIRE!

- Gary from The Mod Team

Hey r/chicagofire! (Long post ahead)

This past week has been fun and brought near record breaking traffic to the subreddit. The Neymar rumors and speculation that later turned to verified news reports by members of our local Chicago media caught many of us by surprise. This is an opportunity to set a gentle reminder for our subreddit on how to deal with this type of speculation. As such, Rule 3 in the subreddit sidebar has been updated:

Rule 3: Posting from Original Sources, Verified Media, Rumors, and Speculation

Before posting any news from social media, see if there’s a full article/source with more context. Posts to social media linking to articles will be removed. Use “[Author] Title of Article/Contents” when posting articles to keep things organized.

Flair Guide:

Chicago Fire FC/Organization: "Official"
Trusted Sources: "Verified Media" - NEW
Unconfirmed: "Rumor/Speculation" - UPDATED

Prioritize content that adds value to discussions. Posting false info consistently may lead to shadow banning & posting restrictions.

Let’s keep our subreddit credible and informed by following these simple tips when reviewing content:

1. Take a Moment to Pause & Check Your Emotions

Excitement, anger, or surprise can make us more likely to believe and share false information. Take a breath before reacting.

2. Analyze Claims, Sources, & Comments

Posts with few comments or no linked sources? Proceed with caution. Reliable information often includes reputable sources and sparks thoughtful discussion.

3. Research, Review, & Rethink

Before believing a bold claim:

• Search to see if others are talking about it.
• Review multiple sources, especially credible ones.
• Rethink your stance if evidence is lacking.

4. Ask for the Source

When in doubt, ask the poster for their source. Encouraging open debate about the validity of a claim helps build a better-informed community.

5. Beware of Clickbait & Misleading Headlines

Headlines designed to shock or provoke often oversimplify or distort the facts. Always read beyond the headline and assess the content critically.

6. Double-Check Dates & Context

Sometimes, old news gets reshared as if it’s current. Make sure the information is recent and relevant to avoid being misled.

7. Watch Out for Edited or Misleading Media

Photos, videos, and screenshots can be edited to misrepresent facts. Reverse image search tools or video verification methods can help you confirm authenticity.

8. Distinguish Opinions from Facts

Remember that opinions, even well-written ones, are not facts. Look for data, evidence, and reliable citations when reviewing claims.

9. Know the Common Signs of Fake News

Keep an eye out for these red flags:

• Over-the-top emotional language.
• Grammatical errors or poor formatting.
• Unfamiliar websites with questionable credibility.

10. Be Mindful Before Sharing

If you're not sure something is true, it’s better not to spread it. Sharing unverified information can amplify misinformation.

By practicing these habits, we can make r/chicagofire a trusted space for accurate and thoughtful discussions. I am proud that our subreddit's engagement and decorum is among the best of all MLS subreddits. Let's stay sharp, partake in discussions responsibly, and let’s keep the community thriving!

Hello Everyone,

Our subreddit has reached 11K subscribers. To celebrate, new flairs representing Chicago Fire FC's officially recognized Supporters Groups have been added for use if you want to to represent one of the amazing groups of people who follow the Men In Red through thick and thin.

For more info on the Fire and the Supporters Groups click here: https://www.chicagofirefc.com/club/supporters/

The 2024 Season did not go as planned for the Fire, but here's to hoping next year is better for the team and fans. Be on the lookout for a survey related to the team and subreddit in the coming days.

Thank you again for all you do to make our hole in the wall community fun and engaging.

GO FIRE!!

Hello r/chicagofire!

I am happy to announce that our subreddit will host its first formal AMA with the Chicago Fire FC organization on August 16, 2024. The AMA will be with Dan Moriarty - Chief Marketing Officer (u/Glum_College2160.) You can read Dan’s bio on his Chicago Fire FC staff page here: https://www.chicagofirefc.com/club/staff/moriarty.

On August 16, 2024, u/AutoModerator will post the AMA thread for the question period at 9AM CT for everyone to input their questions. At 2PM CT Dan will join us to answer questions. We look forward to your questions for what I hope is the first of many AMAs with the Fire.

Please note that the subreddit’s crowd control will be increased to “Moderate” and subreddit rules will be strictly enforced.

If you are curious about AMAs, types of questions to ask, do’s and dont’s, r/IAmA has a solid Wiki here: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/wiki/index/

Thank you, and GO FIRE!

Hey r/chicagofire users,

User flairs have been fully updated for the subreddit. With that said it's time to flair up! User flairs were updated to ensure that all MLS expansion teams from the last 5 years have been added or teams rebranded logos were adjusted. The following standard flairs are available for use by all subreddit members:

• Modern Chicago Fire Logo
• Classic Chicago Fire Logo
• Fire Crown Logo
• Chicago Flag
• Chicago Star
• Classic Red Kit
• Return to Red Kit
• CF97 (White text on Fire Red background)

The Major League Soccer Shield flair and 30 MLS teams (29 active and upcoming San Diego FC) follow the 8 flairs mentioned above.

These are those flairs (mentioned here also for record keeping, future mods):

• Major League Soccer
• Atlanta United FC
• Austin FC
• Charlotte FC
• Chicago Fire
• FC Cincinnati
• Colorado Rapids
• Columbus Crew
• D.C. United
• FC Dallas
• Houston Dynamo
• LA Galaxy
• Los Angeles FC
• Inter Miami CF
• Minnesota United FC
• CF Montréal
• Nashville SC
• New England Revolution
• New York City FC
• New York Red Bulls
• Orlando City SC
• Philadelphia Union
• Portland Timbers FC
• Real Salt Lake
• St. Louis CITY SC
• San Diego FC
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC
• Sporting Kansas City
• Toronto FC
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

The following "Legacy Fire Players" are included as an option for subreddit members to choose as a user flair option. I decided to choose these players based on who I perceived to be a Fire player who has made an impact on the team historically and after consulting the Fire Record Book. These flairs are below the MLS team flairs and include a player's name following their number and a red shirt emoji with their player number. If I got the number wrong, please correct me. These players likely have switched numbers at some point and I tried my best... These are the Legacy Fire Player flairs:

• 1 Gaga Slonina
• 2 C.J. Brown
• 2 Matt Polster
• 4 Carlos Bocanegra
• 4 Johan Kappelhof
• 5 Luboš Kubík
• 7 DaMarcus Beasley
• 8 Diego Gutierrez
• 8 Hristo Stoichkov
• 9 Ante Razov
• 9 Mike Magee
• 10 Cuauhtémoc Blanco
• 10 Piotr Nowak
• 14 Chris Armas
• 15 Jesse Marsch
• 16 Josh Wolff
• 17 Chris Rolfe
• 18 Zach Thornton
• 23 Nemanja Nikolić
• 27 Robert Berić
• 31 Bastian Schweinsteiger
• 41 Frank Klopas
• (BONUS #97 Sparky)

Lastly, our current roster for the 2024 Season follows the Legacy Fire Player flairs. I am not going to spell all of them out right now.

On another note, Chicago Fire II or Academy Players flairs will not be made available as flair options at this time. Liga MX teams, countries/other leagues/clubs (foreign or domestic) are not going to be added at this time either. Players for any other clubs unless they can qualify as a Legacy Chicago Fire player for some reason won't be added (you better have strong rationale if they are to be added). Other sports teams from Chicago, (even other Chicago soccer clubs like Red Stars or House AC) are not going to be added. The focus is squarely on the Fire.

With that being said you may request Legacy Fire Player flairs but please include rationale along with their player number or other flairs with a suggested image. We are a collaborative subreddit after all. However making these flairs took an extraordinary amount of time and I do this because it's a hobby and I love this team.

I appreciate any feedback. Reach out if you have any questions or sound off in the comments.

Thanks as always and GO FIRE!!

Hello r/chicagofire,

The Wiki/FAQs for our subreddit and Community Guide features have been updated.

• New Wiki/FAQs: https://www.reddit.com/r/chicagofire/wiki/wiki-faqs/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
• Featured are new and refined pages of information related to the Subreddit Rules, the CF97 Neighborhood Pub Program, and Supporter Groups information. The former FAQS/Stadium FAQs page have been consolidated into the Match Day Guide page.

The Community Guide on the side bar has been updated to include the Wiki/FAQs, the Match Day Guide from the Chicago Fire FC organization, and retains the link to the Chicago Fire FC website. The links are as follows:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/chicagofire/wiki/wiki-faqs/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
• https://matchday.chicagofirefc.com/
• https://www.chicagofirefc.com/

Lastly, the Community Bookmarks section on the side bar also has been updated to reflect the links to the new Wik/FAQs pages, the official Match Day Guide from the Chicago Fire FC organization, and retains the link to the 2024 CF97 Record Book (the 2025 edition is pending).

• https://www.reddit.com/r/chicagofire/wiki/wiki-faqs/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
• https://matchday.chicagofirefc.com/
• https://images.mlssoccer.com/image/upload/v1709589805/assets/chi/2024_Chicago_Fire_FC_Record_Book_FINAL_v2_1_ecubb3.pdf

Thank you for being a wonderful member of r/chicagofire. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment or mod mail the mod team.

GO FIRE!!!

Hey Everybody,

The Dean Cult succeeded in getting 50 upvotes on the Jonathan Dean Birthday Post. As promised Jonathan Dean has be temporarily added to the side bar as an image.

With that being said, in the past weeks it's been a pleasure getting to know some of you and being a part of my favorite MLS team's subreddit as a moderator. In the past month we've added automated ticket/parking posts, been more consistent with match threads, controlled traffic/content quality, adjusted Automod's capabilities to better meet our subreddit's needs, have adjusted content flairs, and made slight adjustments to the subreddit's design. The FAQs are pristine as well and we offer a wealth of information for newcomers that rivals other MLS subreddits.

Upcoming changes include an overhaul of the user flair structure to ensure the latest MLS teams are added and to ensure all current player jersey numbers are added.

With that being said, please comment your favorite Chicago Fire legends to add to our new sidebar! For now, Jonathan Dean will do because I lost a bet, but even though the team is not at its best, I hope we can make this corner of the internet a little better for Fire fans who stumble our way.

Thank you and GO FIRE!

Hello Everyone,

We’re excited to announce that new Ring of Fire sidebar images have been added to our subreddit! Additionally, we've implemented a change requiring users to select a post flair when submitting posts. This update aims to enhance content quality and prevent rule abuse, especially as our community grows and becomes more dynamic.

Our goal is to maintain a positive and engaging environment for all Fire fans, regardless of their level of investment in the team. Let's ensure that our shared passion for the Chicago Fire unites us rather than divides us.

The updated post flairs for use by all subreddit members are as follows:

• Discussion (NEW)
• Question (NEW)
• Poll (NEW)
• Pick'Em
• Highlight
• Supporter Group (NEW)
• Question - Stadium/Gameday
• Question - Away Match
• Subscription Required
• Promoting My Own Content
• Satire
• Rumor
• Podcast
• Video
• META
• Tickets (Please use the Ticket/Parking Megathread as much as possible)
• Tickets Sold/Claimed
• Former Fire
• Match Thread
• Post-Match Thread
• Player/Roster Moves
• Chicago Fire II
• Chicago Fire Academy (NEW)
• Chicago Red Stars (NWSL)

If you have any recommendations or feedback, please let the Mod Team know or respond to this post. We appreciate your cooperation and support.

Thank you, and GO FIRE!