Neal: A decade in, Minnesota United won’t spend big, and it’s holding Loons back

It’s one of the best rituals in Minnesota sports. After every Loons home victory at Allianz Field, Oasis’ hit song “Wonderwall” plays over the sound system. Fans and Loons players sing while rocking from side to side. The volume is turned down for the chorus as everyone continues singing. Considering the Loons went 5-5-7 at home this season, there weren’t many opportunities for a full-throated celebration of victories. And there’s a bigger problem as Minnesota United ended its 10th year in MLS: Fans want to sing Wonderwall at an MLS Cup final. That would require winning a championship, which the Loons have been unable to achieve and really haven’t even gotten close much. This year, their chances of making the playoffs were slim. They nearly pulled it off, winning their final three games to finish 11-12-11, but they needed Seattle to give up one more goal Saturday night and the Sounders didn’t. Advertisement “Overall, I think we’ve made some really great strides,” said Loons fan Alicia Pedersen, who is also the vice president of the Dark Clouds supporters club. “I had hoped that we would have brought home some kind of hardware by now and would be playing at a slightly higher level.” The capacity of Allianz Field is 19,600. The Loons averaged 19,308 at home this season, or 98.5% of capacity. According to figures supplied by the Loons, they have operated at 99% capacity since moving into the stadium in 2019. This is a fanbase whose loyalty is being tested. The Loons must do more for the folks who come to the Midway, pack the beer hall, bang drums, chant and sing. When you have a packed house every game, you’ve got to give ‘em a good show. And the Loons struggled to do so this season, missing the playoffs after reaching the Western Conference semifinals in 2024 and ’25. And they have not done it for most of their 10 seasons.