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Football clubs launch souvenir masks for fans
26/05/2020
IT WAS practically inevitable and would not have taken a genius in marketing to come up with the idea, but now it's started, it's bound to continue in every other field: Spain's top football teams have started selling protective masks bearing their colours and logo, with everyone from Barça and Atlético de Madrid through to Huesca FC now at it.
Nobody is quite sure which country, team or even sport the idea first occurred to, given that the United States' national basketball association, the NBA, is now selling souvenir masks for its various teams with the proceeds going to charity, whilst Bayern Munich has recycled club scarves to make nice warm masks in case the weather does not improve in the next few weeks or they still need to be worn in winter.
The latter had planned to give out its official scarves during the now-aborted match for the return of the Champions' League at the Allianz Arena against Chelsea FC, to celebrate the German club's 120th anniversary.
Instead, the scarves have become masks bearing the slogan, 'WeKickCorona'.
FC Barcelona is selling its own blue-and-maroon official souvenir masks at its Barça Store on the Passeig de Gràcia, the city's main shopping street, and also online via the Barça Store at the club's Camp Nou stadium.
They will roll out to future Barça Stores due to open over the next few weeks.
These masks are reusable and protection against Covid-19 transmission is guaranteed by the manufacturers for up to 40 washes, and for a maximum of eight hours between washes.
As well as the adult versions, masks designed to fit children aged three to six and also seven to 12 have been designed.
By law, everyone aged six or over is required to wear a mask in any enclosed space, on public transport, in private transport where one or more occupants is not from the same household as the driver, and in outside areas where social distancing – a minimum of two metres between people from different households – cannot be guaranteed.
The only exceptions are those with health problems which would make it dangerous or extremely uncomfortable to wear one – such as respiratory conditions – or when practising sports that would make it too difficult to breathe with a mask on, or in restaurants, cafés and bars where it is impossible to eat and drink with a face-covering.
It is highly recommended that children under six wear one, but not compulsory due to their limited availability in child sizes, and it is not recommended that babies under three wear them.
Real Sociedad has jumped on the wagon (see first picture), and actually has a waiting list for its souvenir masks.
Huesca FC has launched its own souvenir mask line, Atlético de Madrid's are about to hit the shelves in various models, and Deportivo La Coruña's are still under construction but, when they go on sale, will come in at as little as €5 to €7.
So far, the masks on sale are of the reusable variety, which works out cheaper and is also kinder to the environment, given that disposable masks are not normally made with material that can be recycled easily and, in fact, should not be set aside for recycling, since this poses a risk for plant workers when handling them.
Celta de Vigo has even given away its masks free: In a joint scheme with the Galicia regional government, it has distributed 11,000 child-sized versions of its own souvenir ones with its coat of arms and colours.
Charity mask projects are out there, too: The Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Cheste, near Valencia, used for two-wheeled motorsport – most famously, for the final MotoGP race of each season – is selling commemorative masks online with all proceeds going to Cáritas, the nationwide Catholic Church-run charity which provides food parcels and basic financial help to low-income and no-income households in Spain and abroad.
Sportswear and outdoorwear chain El Ganso's co-founder Álvaro Cebrián says: “The only difference is the colours and design – what's most important is that the masks comply with regulations covering hygiene in the material, filter and all other properties.
“Masks are accessories that, very unfortunately indeed [perhaps not unfortunately at all, for football fans] we are going to have to be wearing now for a minimum of several months.
“They offer the same value as buying protective gloves – it's a business idea, but one which offers added value.
“We use surgical fabric, but with specific colours, and they're hemmed before they're sewn together.
“The only part that changes is the outer material, to which we then add a logo, and a nose and mouth.”
El Ganso's masks (second picture) have facial features on them to avoid the 'clinical' appearance of straightforward hygiene or surgical masks, and are sold for charity.
It may not be long before other clothing designers start to release their own versions, which will be very welcome to non-football fans who want a change from the usual boring white or hospital-like pale blue or green, and perhaps children's masks with cartoon and film characters will also start to appear on the market soon.
Related Topics
IT WAS practically inevitable and would not have taken a genius in marketing to come up with the idea, but now it's started, it's bound to continue in every other field: Spain's top football teams have started selling protective masks bearing their colours and logo, with everyone from Barça and Atlético de Madrid through to Huesca FC now at it.
Nobody is quite sure which country, team or even sport the idea first occurred to, given that the United States' national basketball association, the NBA, is now selling souvenir masks for its various teams with the proceeds going to charity, whilst Bayern Munich has recycled club scarves to make nice warm masks in case the weather does not improve in the next few weeks or they still need to be worn in winter.
The latter had planned to give out its official scarves during the now-aborted match for the return of the Champions' League at the Allianz Arena against Chelsea FC, to celebrate the German club's 120th anniversary.
Instead, the scarves have become masks bearing the slogan, 'WeKickCorona'.
FC Barcelona is selling its own blue-and-maroon official souvenir masks at its Barça Store on the Passeig de Gràcia, the city's main shopping street, and also online via the Barça Store at the club's Camp Nou stadium.
They will roll out to future Barça Stores due to open over the next few weeks.
These masks are reusable and protection against Covid-19 transmission is guaranteed by the manufacturers for up to 40 washes, and for a maximum of eight hours between washes.
As well as the adult versions, masks designed to fit children aged three to six and also seven to 12 have been designed.
By law, everyone aged six or over is required to wear a mask in any enclosed space, on public transport, in private transport where one or more occupants is not from the same household as the driver, and in outside areas where social distancing – a minimum of two metres between people from different households – cannot be guaranteed.
The only exceptions are those with health problems which would make it dangerous or extremely uncomfortable to wear one – such as respiratory conditions – or when practising sports that would make it too difficult to breathe with a mask on, or in restaurants, cafés and bars where it is impossible to eat and drink with a face-covering.
It is highly recommended that children under six wear one, but not compulsory due to their limited availability in child sizes, and it is not recommended that babies under three wear them.
Real Sociedad has jumped on the wagon (see first picture), and actually has a waiting list for its souvenir masks.
Huesca FC has launched its own souvenir mask line, Atlético de Madrid's are about to hit the shelves in various models, and Deportivo La Coruña's are still under construction but, when they go on sale, will come in at as little as €5 to €7.
So far, the masks on sale are of the reusable variety, which works out cheaper and is also kinder to the environment, given that disposable masks are not normally made with material that can be recycled easily and, in fact, should not be set aside for recycling, since this poses a risk for plant workers when handling them.
Celta de Vigo has even given away its masks free: In a joint scheme with the Galicia regional government, it has distributed 11,000 child-sized versions of its own souvenir ones with its coat of arms and colours.
Charity mask projects are out there, too: The Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Cheste, near Valencia, used for two-wheeled motorsport – most famously, for the final MotoGP race of each season – is selling commemorative masks online with all proceeds going to Cáritas, the nationwide Catholic Church-run charity which provides food parcels and basic financial help to low-income and no-income households in Spain and abroad.
Sportswear and outdoorwear chain El Ganso's co-founder Álvaro Cebrián says: “The only difference is the colours and design – what's most important is that the masks comply with regulations covering hygiene in the material, filter and all other properties.
“Masks are accessories that, very unfortunately indeed [perhaps not unfortunately at all, for football fans] we are going to have to be wearing now for a minimum of several months.
“They offer the same value as buying protective gloves – it's a business idea, but one which offers added value.
“We use surgical fabric, but with specific colours, and they're hemmed before they're sewn together.
“The only part that changes is the outer material, to which we then add a logo, and a nose and mouth.”
El Ganso's masks (second picture) have facial features on them to avoid the 'clinical' appearance of straightforward hygiene or surgical masks, and are sold for charity.
It may not be long before other clothing designers start to release their own versions, which will be very welcome to non-football fans who want a change from the usual boring white or hospital-like pale blue or green, and perhaps children's masks with cartoon and film characters will also start to appear on the market soon.
Related Topics
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