Happy Holloween From Boca Juniors Fans
To pious Americans Argentina’s most popular club, Boca Juniors, has got to be the freakiest of sports institutions. I’m not referring to their rabid, painted fans known the world over for their hooliganistic antics, especially vis a vis their arch-rivals, River Plate. Nor am I referring to their nickname Los Boteros (manure handlers in spanish) which they wear with pride. Indeed the crap-spewing brick factory which their stadium supplanted has recently given way to a more irreverent industrial imagery–coffin making. So, in the spirit of Holloween, let me exhume a ghoulish story that first circulated two and half years ago.
In May, 2006 BBC News published a story that has since been way underreported. The gist of it was that Boca Juniors fans were having coffins built for themselves designed with their club colors. For the basic order, solid blue or yellow; but for the more discriminating, a tailor made coffin with blue and yellow design and a matching silk lining on the inside. The more particular cost up to $800 and a few extra for the club logo on the front.
Comes with club logo for a few extra dollars
Let it be stated that Boca fans are not the first to produce club coffins. Many teams in Mexico have long had similar accomodations as do some in the Columbian city of Medellin. But none have the global profile of Boca, a club that claims 40% of Argentine fandom and equals AC Milan in international championships.
And now Europe has caught on to the trend. This year Hamburg SV has won the morbid distinction of being the first European club to have a cemetary for its fans. They are buried like military heroes with coffins draped and painted in the team colors. There is also the option of having their ashes buried in club urn.
So it seems these days, professing loyalty to a team “til you die” makes you a fair weather fan.
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