The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in an attempt to attract more female viewers, have introduced a Women’s Movement Day.
RED — a brand new women’s movement that will re-invent the female fan experience — is supposed to be a bold, new movement, aimed at the way female Bucs fans interact with their team.
“RED is a groundbreaking women’s movement designed to recognize and celebrate our female fan base,” said Glazer Family Foundation Co-President Darcie Glazer Kassewitz. “Through exclusive offerings and experiences, our female fans will have the opportunity to not only add to their knowledge of the game they love, but also to help create a community through RED and own the way they enjoy football.”
The initiative may turn out to be a disaster.
Many critics of the movement feel the Bucs are attempting to “mansplain” football to female fans, while the unveiling of a swimsuit calender didn’t help either.
We can give the Bucs credit for trying to educate women on the game of football, and the Buccaneers organization, but did they lose momentum by telling women that they’d help with team pride, game day fashion and Pinterest tips?
The responses were as expected.
@gangrey Exclusive tour of the Buccaneers' laundry room. How much Gain to get out all the sweat and grass stains?
— Nicholas Murray (@NJEMurray) August 6, 2015
The @TBBuccaneers, everyone: Patronizing women. A football tradition like no other. http://t.co/1lEGTmwl7J pic.twitter.com/MoOpVqCeng
— Cory Collins (@CoCoCoryCollins) August 6, 2015
Props to the Tampa Bay Bucs for helping ladies understand football. I can see this going over really, really well. http://t.co/ZT9v8o9bo3
— Ben Montgomery (@gangrey) August 6, 2015
The Buccaneers may have been better served focusing on enhancing the total fan experience all around, but coming up with a movement to help the female fan be her best, may not have been the best idea.