Loyal fans or soccer maniacs?

by Amaya Marichal 

Something really strange is happening right now. It seems like everybody has caught the World Cup fever. My husband, for instance, suffers from socceritis. He just can’t help it and I really don’t know what to do with all this crazy addiction.

Something really strange is happening right now. It seems like everybody has caught the World Cup fever. My husband, for instance, suffers from socceritis. He just can’t help it and I really don’t know what to do with all this crazy addiction.

But this is a disease that not only affects my husband. Every four years, all the guys I know (and many girls too) become soccer maniacs.

They start buying all kind of soccer paraphernalia: t-shirts, balls, glasses, flags, jerseys, scarfs, towels, wristbands, backpacks, memorabilia, you name it. They totally forget about their lives (and wives) and their agendas depend on the match schedule. And trust me, setting the alarm clock for 6 am to watch World Cup games from South Africa is not funny.

Some soccer fans even make up excuses or fake sickness to leave work early so they can watch the next match and when they finally sit in front of a TV, they really feel that they are part of something bigger. That’s where the strongest loyalty lies.

These days, soccer seems to be the lead topic all over the world. Fans are going out in soccer jerseys. They sing their national anthems in every match and they are proud of doing so. They talk about players, coaches, strategies, and referees. They want Cristiano Ronaldo hair style. And of course they participate in every single contest in order to get a free ticket to South Africa.

As you most likely are aware, companies have been analyzing this behavior for a long time and they have realized that they can take advantage of the infectious passion of soccer not only to sell their products but also to launch the most creative advertising.

Television companies, for example, are making most of the opportunity. There isn’t a better occasion than the World Cup to buy a TV set, is it? Company owners are happy to see that everything is flying off the shelves of their stores.

There’s no doubt, business is bright thanks to the loyalty of fans. Visa has announced that Mexican fans who are in South Africa have spent about 3 million dollars from June 1st to date. Even Joseph Blatter looked surprised when he confirmed that Mexico is one of the top five businesses of FIFA.

It is a shame that the erratic effect of Jabulani, the disappointment caused by some soccer stars, the lack of goals, and the mistakes committed by some referees since the start of the tournament are demeaning the quality of the World Cup and damaging the intensity of fan loyalty.

One thing is certain: World Cup fever and fan loyalty are swelling coffers.