Football: Believe it or Not

Brochure for sponsor partners

football: believe it or not football as a way of living and believing International tRAveling exhibition

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Football: Believe It or Not “Football is a religion”, or “My religion is football.” People often make statements like that at football’s cathedrals: the stadiums. Many of the slogans on scarves and T-shirts and the provocative banners that fans unfurl during the game are combined with religious symbols. For certain African teams, magic plays a major role in games, for the fans and for the players too. Football heroes of the past are being adored and honoured as Christian saints. Football fans use symbols, colours and songs to identify themselves as a follower and believer of a football club or a national football team. For many of its more fanatic followers, football seems to have taken the place of religion, and the camaraderie with other fans offers the same sense of connection and belonging as a religious community. There seems to be a strong similarity between football and religion as a social phenomenon and a way of living and believing.

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The exhibition Football: Believe It or Not examines these ostensibly diverse social phenomena and presents them in an exciting and attractive format as an international travelling exhibition. Combining objects with multimedia, the presentation reveals the multiple layers in which society, religion and the world of football interconnect. The show approaches the subject from an international comparative perspective, split into twelve themes that apply to football and religion. Sometimes the connection is very strong, other times they are linked in a more playful manner.

The exhibition is designed as a multimedia presentation, in which (historical) photos, video and audio recordings, interviews and commentary, memorabilia, sports paraphernalia, art and installations offer a broad, exciting and open look at this major, topical, social theme appealing to all the senses.

The exhibition story is partly based on an international online research programme to study the importance of football and religion in different countries. The research program is developed and executed by the Amsterdam Museum and Basel Historical Museum in cooperation with the University of Amsterdam and the University of Basel. Different social groups are invited to participate in the research program.

By means of crowdsourcing personal stories and pictures connected to (football) rituals, superstition, heroes, places of worship, rivalry and symbols are collected and presented next to the objective research results.

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Suitable for all ages, this interesting exhibition provides a fascinating insight into football as a way of living and believing in modern society:

Teaches the social significance of football in an amusing way

Identifies the unexpected and unknown side of football, its rites, rituals and symbols Explores the strong similarity between football and religion Encourages visitors to learn and participate through hands-on interaction

Presents the results of an international research about football as a social phenomenon

Connects (online) audiences to the exhibition themes and each other

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Exhibition Content: twelve themes The exhibition approaches the subject from an international comparative perspective, split into twelve themes that apply to football and religion. Sometimes the comparison will be evident, other times football and religion are linked in a more playful manner.

Help from Above Who could forget Maradonna’s hand of God? Despite the rules and tactics, football results are almost always unpredictable. Fans and players often appeal for help from a higher power. That might be God, Allah, Jesus, magic - like Juju objects or even club personalities, players or supporters who have passed on.

Place of Pilgrimage The main focus of the adoring fans is the stadium, where the religion of football is practised. In some countries there are chapels at the stadium, like the famous chapel at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona.

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Saints and Idols Football has a host of saints, great and small.

At the highest level, the panoply includes all the greatest footballers of the past: Pele, Cruijf, Eusebio, Maradonna and Zidane. And contemporary stars too, such as Messi and Ronaldo, who attract just as much adulation, even if they have yet to acquire the legendary status of yesterday’s footballers.

Social Hierarchy and Diversity Although fans ostensibly have in common that they support the same team, they differ from seat to seat and from terrace to terrace. The businessman in his sky box sees football from a totally different perspective to the hardcore supporters in the terraces.

Superstition Superstitions express a personal connection to a higher power through a specific ritual or action.

A player who kisses the keeper’s bald head or fans who always wears the same worn old T-shirt to a game; football lives on superstitions.

Rituals Everything relating to the stadium and getting to the stadium can be ritualised.

For many fans, the journey to the stadium once a week or fortnight is like a sacred rite.

Much of what happens at the stadium is done according to a set pattern, like a religious liturgy. Songs and chants begin at specific times and places in the game.

Using Sound Songs and chants play a special role in the stadium.

Some songs have been around for decades. They are a key element in binding the group and club identity and form part of the club’s cultural heritage. Although new songs may emerge, and old songs disappear, a certain stability remains.

Remembering Some clubs and stadiums have also been hit by tragedies. Major tragedies, such as a player’s sudden death or disasters such as the Munich air crash in 1958 and the Hillsborough disaster of 1989 have a huge impact on a club and its fans and may come to form an essential aspect of the club’s identity.

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Football symbols Many fans consider it a sacred duty to wear their team colours at games - the supply of scarves, sweaters, hats and other clothes in fan shops is practically inexhaustible.

Badges commemorating competitions serve the same function as the insignia worn by pilgrims returning from their pilgrimage.

Power of Faith Watching a game at a stadium surrounded by thousands of fans gives an overwhelming sense of connection and for many it is an emotional experience.

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Rivalries For those who identify closely with a team, the supporters of other teams inevitably become enemies.

This often leads to open insults and provocations and sometimes even worse.

Manipulating Football Football plays such an important role in some people’s lives that others cannot resist the temptation to manipulate that enthusiasm. Politicians attend crucial games and like to be seen with popular players. Football symbols appear on products from mugs with club emblems, to bedroom furnishings for teenagers including a green grass pitch carpet and a host of other items.

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International traveling exhibition: the locations The exhibition Football: Believe It or Not will travel through Europe from September 2014. The show will be displayed in at least six different European countries and will therefore reach a large and diverse international audience.

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The time scheme can be shown as follows: Amsterdam Museum

09/14 - 01/15 2015 2017 10/16 - 03/17

National Art and History Museum of Luxemburg

Basel Historical Museum

03/15 - 09/15

City History Museum Barcelona

History Museum Lyon

10/15 - 02/16

03/16 - 07/16

2015 2018 04/18 - 09/18

Museum of the history of Moskou

In the coming year we expect more international venues to join this exhibition project and therefore broaden the audience reach of the exhibition in and outside Europe.

For a current overview, please contact us.

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Sponsor partnership:

international exposure & attractive sponsorship Package The Amsterdam Museum and Basel Historical Museum are looking for commercial parties that believe in the attractiveness and spectacle of the exhibition and want to support its development and travel throughout Europe. We believe that support should be rewarded. We understand that an attractive sponsorship package is the way to create value for the commercial party in return.

In order to create a valuable partnership for our financial supporters, we would like to further discuss the various options for a sponsorship package. The following list gives an impression of the diverse elements a customized sponsor package can consist of:

International association with the exhibition The company name is (clearly) stated

• in the (international) exhibition

• in all (promotional) communication

• in the exhibition magazine

• in all press releases

• on the international website A communication toolkit for the sponsors corporate communication and press releases Private events and receptions during the exhibition For shareholders, board of directors, employees and/ or other stakeholders If desired with a lecture by the museum director or curator If desired with a tour of the exhibition If desired with customized activities (for example kids’ activities in case of a family event) Participation in the official opening of the exhibition in the cities mentioned (customized) Gifts for business partners The magazine and other merchandize of the exhibition are available for the sponsor at cost The name and logo of the exhibition may be used royalty-free by the sponsor for his own purposes (such as business gifts) An attractive and personal way to communicate the sponsorship to stakeholders National and international sponsorship start from € 20.000,The degree of the support determines the extensity of the sponsor package.

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Development team Amsterdam Museum Amsterdam Museum brings the history of the city to life and shows its relevance to modern-day life through exhibitions, educational programmes and other activities. The museum works in (long-term) joint projects with Dutch and international artists, cultural institutions, governments and commercial organisations. Amsterdam Museum combines Amsterdam’s creative history with contemporary creative projects and industries.

Historisches Museum Basel Basel Historical Museum makes the city’s history accessible to people today and preserves it for future generations.

It focuses primarily on the Upper Rhine region, but also seeks to place the city and its people in an international context reflecting its location in the center of Europe and connecting the local story to the stories of humans worldwide.

Basel Historical Museum is committed to serving audiences of all ages with educational exhibitions and programs that are both thought provoking and entertaining.

Contact us If you would like more information or you are interested in our various possibilities for sponsoring this exhibition, please contact us.

Amsterdam Museum Denise de Boer head of fundraising & sponsorships Postbus 3302 1001 AC Amsterdam The Netherlands www.amsterdammuseum.nl + 31 20 5231 721 d.deboer@amsterdammuseum.nl

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