Syracuse Gooners are a ‘built-in friend group’

The crimson doors of Wolff’s Biergarten stand tall on Syracuse’s Montgomery Street, and inside the bar, crowds wearing red cheer while they watch Premier League soccer over the bar counter. With the room’s brimming energy, you wouldn’t be crazy to think you’re in a soccer hub like England, Spain or Germany. It’s this passion that defines life for many Syracuse Gooners. “We base the happiness of our week, the joy and happiness of our lives, around this club,” Austin Smith, the president of Syracuse Gooners, said. “You can argue whether that’s insanity or not.” Arsenal — one of the Premier League’s marquee clubs — has a dedicated fan base in Syracuse called the Syracuse Gooners. Arsenal has been in the top division of English football since 1919 and has been consistently successful since then. After a weak season in 2021, where the club failed to qualify for European competition for the first time in 25 years, the club has fired back to success and the Syracuse Gooners with them.