Miami Fan Festival Brings USA Foxes Supporters Together On South Beach!

Five hours behind the United Kingdom, supporters started arriving at the campus as early as 6am Eastern Time, before sunrise, to secure the best vantage point. 

Premier League Mornings Live events have quickly become a regular feature of English football's busy annual schedule and are designed to take top-flight action around the globe.

The American audience is among the most vibrant and engaged, with soccer becoming a hugely popular sport in the country of basketball, baseball and American football. 

A vast fan park awaited those who travelled to Miami, some of whom embarked on journeys of over 3,000 miles, with club legends and mascots planned to take part in the festivities.

Gerry Taggart, a League Cup winner with Leicester City in 2000, was in attendance on behalf of the Club, alongside Filbert Fox, who has previously visited Washington, Los Angeles and New York City.

City's 17th fixture of the 2019/20 season - which has paid witness to their best-ever start to a Premier League campaign - was one of the major attractions of the day, attracting huge crowds.

Gallery 14 Dec 2019

Foxes Fans In Their Hundreds Enjoy Premier League Mornings Live In Miami!

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Thousands gathered around a large screen, alongside a live broadcast of the other three 3pm GMT (or 10am ET) kick-offs, as well as several activations laid on by the Premier League's official partners.

Often an overload of the senses, with Santa Claus at one point arriving atop of an American fire engine, sirens blazing, or palm trees decorated with neon lights, it proved to be an unforgettable occasion for all. 

"It’s been absolutely brilliant!" Taggart told LCFC TV, in between the events taking place a stone's throw away from the iconic South Beach, instantly recognisable to people all around the world. 

"We’re in the middle of December, but you wouldn’t think so with this weather – and behind me is a faithful crowd of Leicester City fans who have now been brought into the Leicester City family.

"These guys, along with myself, are having an absolutely great time! It’s quite incredible, it really is. You’d never have thought that so many people would turn up to support Leicester City over here.

"So, they deserve a big round of applause and a lot of credit for their support. They're willing to come from all over America to meet up, to watch the game and support the team, so fair play to them!"

For the supporters, meanwhile, it proved to be an opportunity to meet up with friends made over the years spent cheering the Foxes on to Premier League title success and European adventures.

With the help of USA-based fan groups like New York Foxes, who the Club met up with last year in Manhattan, City's American fans have grown into a real community of likeminded individuals.

"Today, we came probably about 1,500 hundred miles, we came from Boston," explained Keith Burbage, who travelled with his wife, Andrea. "We flew in last night, got in around 10pm.

"I think there is [a family ethos] about the Club and that follows the team itself. I think that the team has a big family orientation as well, with the owners, and it’s great to be a part of that family.

"Soccer is growing a huge amount in the US. I think especially women’s soccer. Women’s soccer is growing a lot, the women’s national team consistently does very well.

"In the town we live in, there’s a lot of soccer played by kids. The Premier League, with it being live on the TV here, has got a huge following.

"It’s early in the mornings, in the winter, there’s nothing going on, so it’s a great place to follow Leicester City."

Miami-local Rafael Torras, on the other hand, was thrilled to see Foxes favourite Taggart and Filbert make the trip across the pond to spend quality time with fellow fans in his home city.

"It was amazing!" he said. "I knew it was going to be interesting, I knew I was going to interact and have a blast, but whatever my expectations, it was way above anything!

"You all have done an amazing, amazing job and it’s amazing how you just share everything with everyone and you’re all like one mind, one Fox!

"It was an honour to meet Gerry. I was so humble to meet him. It’s fantastic.

"He’s so down to earth, we got a great conversation going, and with everyone, your entire staff, everyone was just so welcoming. It was a wonderful job, it was a great thrill."