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Benefits of Homegrown Players


A nation or cities identity can be shaped by so many different factors. But one factor that is unmistakably important to the identity of a culture is their sports team. When a jersey is sometimes more identifiable than a nation’s flag how could it not be? Walking on the streets of Barcelona if you ask someone who Lionel Messi is it’s very likely that every reply would relate to FC Barcelona. If you ask someone who Carles Puigemont is I’m not sure how many people would rattle off his title as President of the Generalitat of Catalonia. It seems that FC Barcelona and Catalonia could be synonyms in the dictionary.

So, what does it mean that a sports team is so much a part of a city’s identity that their flag is worn on the team’s jersey? It means that this team has the unwavering support of the city’s people, the fans.  The value of the fans is unmeasurable. The club could not be a club without the fans devotion and, let’s be honest, their money. How is it that FC Barcelona continues to keep the bond between the city and the club so strong?


Barça’s current squad has 11 Spanish players. That is 45 percent of the entire squad that is Spanish, just like most of the fans that cheer on FCB. To say that the number of homegrown players on the team doesn’t strengthen the bond between the squad and its fan would be an injustice. There is no price tag on creating relatability between the fans and their team. FCB continues to acknowledge that fact by scouting players from all over Spain. There are currently 4 La Masia graduates on the FCB squad. La Masia is an asset to Barcelona because it continues to produce homegrown players with loyalty to Spain. There is no price tag on relatability from fans to their team. The more that fans see themselves in their favorite player, the more they want that player to win.

info from: www.fcbarcelona.com 

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 19, 2017 at 12:58 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. AnonymousOctober 19, 2017 at 12:59 AM

    found this blog to be intriguing and relevant when talking about FC Barcelona's identity and how it attracts such a dedicated and prideful fan base. The Catalonian pride, Spanish culture, and obviously the teams outstanding local talent are extremely important factors towards FC Barcelona's success. The Fútbol Club Barcelona represents much more than just a soccer team, as it is an iconic symbol worldwide, but specifically for the people of Barcelona. The team is so well recognized as it can be viewed as part of the cities identity, as the flag is imprinted on their jerseys and is flaunted all throughout the city whether hanging from apartment balconies or being worn on ones body. Also said in the blog, the fact that half of the players on FC Barcelona are Spanish only builds a stronger connection between the fans and the club and everything it represents. The dire commitment and devotion of the fans are the driving force behind the clubs fame and tradition.
    - Will De Grood

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 23, 2017 at 2:45 AM

    Thanks for pointing out the highlights of this Blog post Robert! I agree with you completely!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Controversies in European SportsNovember 1, 2017 at 10:50 AM

    I like the point you made about the fans having a connection with the players. For anyone who has grown up playing sports, it's always the dream to play for your local professional sports team that you grew up watching. I think its easy to try and see yourself in someone else's shoes when they have actually gone on to do that. It's almost a personal connection with the player because you've grown up in a similar environment to them and you share many common cultural components. It ultimately just makes you that much closer to the team.
    -Erik

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 6, 2017 at 7:17 AM

      Erik,
      You have perfectly explained an awesome marketing strategy by FCB to make their players very relatable. I think they do this so much better than a lot of sports teams because they use La Masia to bring in players that are just like you and me.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  5. AnonymousNovember 5, 2017 at 7:34 AM

    I think that having homegrown players on your team is a major asset. While growing up every athlete has a dream of making it to the pros. Additionally, most athletes grow up cheering for their hometown team and would want nothing more than to one day put on the jersey of their cities team. I think professional athletes that end up playing for their hometown team have a greater passion and drive to win a championship. They have been a loyal fan of the team growing up would love to bring a championship home to their city. Additionally, like you said fans have a greater connection with the players. They have seen the player growing up and have rooted for him or her to make it to the pros. Fans enjoy seeing a player develop and will even root for their hometown player to do well if he or she ends up playing for a different professional sports team because of the connection they have with the player. However, when their hometown player ends up playing for their favorite team they become even more of a fan. - Brendan Feehan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 6, 2017 at 7:20 AM

      Brendan,
      Thanks for pointing out another way that La Masia pays for itself. Homegrown players are a major source of income for the club and they do capitalize on this.
      Thanks!

      Delete

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