Rain, cold and the fear of another Atlanta sports team failing at the finish line could not deter tens of thousands of Atlanta United fans from completely losing themselves in the experience of the final.

Down in “The Gulch,” the tailgates started 8+ hours before kickoff. Much has been said about the fervent culture that seemingly popped up overnight in ATL, but the MLS Cup Final was the crown jewel of both the team and its fan base.

Drummers lead the singing down in the Gulch.

The all-day affair started with good luck wishes and local brews and liquor being passed around. Sure, the rain sprinkling into one’s beer wasn’t preferable, but people were hardly noticing after the first few, er, several cans.

Whether it was alcohol or belief in the Five Stripes, the general conversation around the camps were positive. United had rarely struggled over the course of the playoffs, and there was a sincere belief that this team was different. There was no “curse,” there were no bad intuitions. The Five Stripes had their own history to make.

As the day progressed, the bad weather persisted and so did Atlanta’s faithful. The Gulch only grew more crowded over the course of the day. As the sun went down, the party turned up.

Flares lit every few minutes, the singing and drumming only grew louder under the overpass.

WE ARE THE “A”

FROM WAY DOWN SOUTH

AND WE ARE HERE

ROWDY AND PROUD

Before long, 6 p.m. had arrived. It was time to march. The drummers took their place, the flagbearers directly behind them, and the remaining fans followed suit.

Flares lit, feet stomping.

Marching and singing through the rain was an immersive experience. For a moment, it was easy to forget that this match was in Atlanta, Georgia. This was the type of scene that many American soccer fans had talked about enviously for decades.

And the kicker is that this was the weekly norm for United’s diehards. This was not a single showing of strength, this was the culmination of a few years of dedication, investment and faith.