HAMTRAMCK, Mich. — When Boun Inthavong saw the news, he scurried to his computer and clicked “purchase” with no second thoughts. The Ottawa, Ontario, native wasn’t going to get any closer anytime soon than the nine-hour drive it would take for him to see his favorite soccer club, FC St. Pauli, a German-based team in the second division of the famed Bundesliga, play on North American soil for the first time in its 108-year history.



“I didn’t hesitate,” he said. “I looked up Detroit, and I was like, ‘We have to go see this.’ No hesitation.”



Inthavong’s fandom, however, is still in its infancy. He discovered FC St. Pauli two years ago while doing research on the history of “hooliganism” in European soccer. The term can be traced back to the 14th century and describes the phenomenon of violent or destructive behavior that occurs during matches.



Going down that...