FC Cincinnati didn't just invite fans back to watch the club play a competitive match for the first time since the 2019 season.
The invitation the club extended to a fortunate few season ticket holders was to watch FCC play before a reduced-capacity crowd in its glittering, $250 million home.
The fans obliged, chanting and banging drums from the Bailey supporters section. The chants and claps were amplified by TQL Stadium's canopy roof.
Before kickoff, the familiar sight of pyrotechnic smoke devices filled the stadium, too.
"That's been beautiful," FCC head coach Jaap Stam said of the fan support. "Everybody's looking forward to the first home game, again, in the new stadium, so the atmosphere was fantastic. I think the fans were great as well... They keep on cheering. They keep on making noise. They keep on helping the team and I think that's a very important thing to do because it helps the players. They feel more comfortable. They feel the excitement from the fans as well that they're pushing them forward. You can see that today."
