Fandom can be a very personal place. Living the highs and lows collectively from the stands or around the table in the local bar is great social interaction but these days it’s as often being glued to your mobile waiting for team news or reading player posts on Facebook.
There has been a fair amount of coverage in the last few days from journalists in mainstream media bemoaning the fan obsession with taking images, sharing that they were there and grabbing selfies with players rather than being ‘in the moment’ at games.
Most came across to young people I spoke to as being the ramblings of grumpy old men (sorry Malachy Clerkin in particular) whose piece on it in the Irish Times can be read here.
Quite what Malachy will make of the latest campaign from Leinster Rugby and Canterbury is anyones guess but mine is that it will involve substantial shaking of the head and maybe a few eyes thrown up to heaven.
The campaign message starts off well, evoking the spirit of the true fan:
“You were there in the early days. Born into the blue of the jersey, a badge, an identity and a family. You’ve shared the epic highs and shouldered the agonising lows and felt the hits as if you were on the pitch. Leinster supporters are the life blood of the team and Canterbury, official apparel supplier to Leinster Rugby, want to capture the highs, the lows, the passion and the pain and what it means to be a true Leinster supporter.”
“Whether it’s reliving an encounter with a Leinster legend, first setting eyes on your partner in the Anglesea Stand or pulling on the jersey for a full moon party in Thailand, the best Leinster story will win…”
And that’s where it gets a bit personal because the prize is a one of a kind chair ‘decorated’ with cuttings of the Leinster Home, Away and European match jerseys.
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It’s a one off and it may be that family members, even those who enjoy the rugby, join partners at the RDS and wear the jersey themselves will draw the line at their living room being home to this ‘one-of-a-kind chair delivered straight to their living room.’
Isa nicewa’s face can be read a hundred ways in the picture below but one of those could be to say ‘Woah, really’.
The idea of sharing the tales is a great one and the best will feature in front of the crowd at three games on January 17th, December 31st and January 14th. There will be social media sharing as well which while it may annoy Malachy, will produce some great moments and make Canterbury closer to the fans relationship to the team. That’s a winner.
It’s just the prize, or maybe I’m just a grumpy old man as well… I’d better check with the young people on this.
Read our Interview with Leinster’s Paul Dermody on engagement and the future for fans
Jump into the custom built hot seat and share your Leinster tale at Aviva Stadium on match day on December 17th when Leinster clash with the Northampton Saints. There will be further opportunities to tell your tale at the RDS Arena at Leinster v Ulster on December 31st and Leinster v Montpellier on the weekend of January 14th.
Stay tuned to @CanterburyNZ and @LeinsterRugby to relive these tales on social media.
