To “get ’em while they are young”, Italian Serie A side Bologna FC is playing the long game in a move that’s less transfer window drama and more heartwarming community hug; the club is gifting every newborn in Bologna an official club kit.
“Sin Dall’inizio Forza Bologna” (“From the Beginning, Forza Bologna”) isn’t just a slogan; it’s a promise and even since the start of this year, every teeny weeny Bolognese baby will be inducted into the footballing fraternity regardless of their family’s allegiance and swaddled in club colours, thanks to a collaboration between Bologna FC and the city council.
Each mini replica of the official iconic blue and red stripes is presented in a keepsake box, and parents are directed to local hospitals and city offices to collect it. Turning the moment that bleary-eyed new mums and dads head into town to register the birth into early recruitment of future potential season ticket holders as the mid-table team builds a legacy, one tiny fan at a time.
A brilliant, if brash, way of building a fan base, this one speaks to the Italians’ deep-seated love of the beautiful game in something that quite literally weaves the love of the club into the fabric of the city.
And further proof (if any more were needed) that Alan Hansen was wrong when he said, “You can’t win anything with kids.”
