Here’s the weird thing about female fans: they enjoy football, and also have other interests.
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Recently, the good folks in Tampa Bay’s front office launched “RED: The Buccaneers Women’s Movement,” which, according to the team’s website, is “a movement that will be led by the women of Tamp Bay, alongside the Buccaneers, to become innovators and leaders in changing the way football is enjoyed by women”. The first “RED football term” introduced as a vocabulary lesson is “play clock” – for some fans, this is the kind of help the program hopes to deliver; for others, it’s insulting their intelligence.
“RED is a groundbreaking women’s movement designed to recognize and celebrate our female fan base”, Glazer Family Foundation Co-President Darcie Glazer Kassewitz said in a statement released by the team.
RED will re-invent the female fan experience by providing insight into topics such as: what goes on behind the scenes on gamedays at Raymond James Stadium; how to maximize their gameday experience; how to blend personal Buccaneer pride with the latest NFL fashions; as well as tips on sharing their experiences and ideas via social media platforms such as Pinterest.
There are any number of reasons why this is a disgusting idea.
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When we reached out to the Buccaneers, the team declined to comment. Most diehard fans spent their entire lives, and particularly their formative years, watching football. With the “major” sports, a common theme seems to be, “How can we get more women involved/interested?” You’re really, REALLY going to need it. I understand this was a desperate play from a desperate franchise to gain some much-needed fans, but somehow the team found yet another way to be a laughingstock.
