My Seawolves journey began as both an investor and a fan. On April 22, 2018, I was at Starfire for the Seawolves’ first game ever. Although I was a complete newbie to rugby, the 39-23 victory over the San Diego Legion that night hooked me. I was awed by the power and size of Riekert Hattingh. Mat Turner’s speed made me laugh out loud. The Seawolves Scrum immediately became my favorite part of the game.
Stacked on top of all that, what really blew me away was the enthusiasm of the crowd. I was fascinated by the collection of accents floating through the stadium. I knew that I was now part of something that would hold a special place in my life going forward. So, let me say “thank you” to those of you fans that have been with the Seawolves since the beginning. Thank you for welcoming me to your sport. Thank you for answering my questions. Thank you for telling me your rugby stories.
Fast forward to 2024….This season, I’m proud to serve as the President of the Seawolves, working alongside CEO Brian Jones and our committed Seawolves front office and Rugby Operations staff. I’m still a huge fan at heart, now with a deeper appreciation for the business side of sports. Yet, at the Seawolves, we never begin a conversation about our success talking in business terms. When we contemplate our success, the discussions are not led by balance sheets, profit and loss schedules, or any other document found in an Econ 101 textbook.
Our discussions about success are filled with emotion. We wish that we could measure the passion and excitement we feel exploding from Starfire. We wish we had a decibel meter for the roar following a powerful Riekert Hattingh try. We wish for an accounting of the smiles that cross our fans’ faces – this, ideally, like the weekly ping my cell phone sends telling me how much time I spent staring at it). Our success is gauged on delivering an unforgettable experience to our fans.
Clarkie and the squad give their all from their bodies and spirits, playing with intensity to thrill and inspire the fans. The team digs deep in the scrum to punish opponents and inspire the roar of our supporters. Victory is always, first and foremost, FOR our fan base. Sending 3,000 rowdy Starfire attendees home with excited buzz makes the bumps, bruises, blood, and sweat worth it.
The Seawolves front office staff don’t get as banged up doing our jobs. Still, it is no less important to us that the same 3,000 Starfire attendees go home feeling valued and entertained. After every game, we check in on every component we can think of. Are fans’ questions getting answered? Is the merchandise “cool” enough? Was halftime fun? Could everyone safely move around? Did we surprise enough people with the pyrotechnics? Did we introduce ourselves to fans and thank them? Were the lines manageable? Did we represent the Seawolves proudly?
Why do the squad and front office staff take all this so seriously? It’s simply that we truly appreciate our fans and their commitment to supporting what we do. We know that there are countless options for spending one’s time in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. We know it’s a gift every time a supporter makes the trip out to Starfire. So, thank you so much….
March 2nd will feature the COASTAL CLASH against the San Diego Legion – an epic kick off to the season and to enjoy Seawolves Fan Appreciation night at Starfire Stadium! Come and relish in giveaways, discounts, and recognition.
But most importantly, we at the Seawolves want to say a hearty “THANK YOU” to our supporters. We know we could never say it loud or often enough. But, on March 2nd, we’re going to try!
WE APPRECIATE YOU.
– Tom Barden
President and COO, Seawolves Rugby
#TogetherWeHunt
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