46 BCBUSINESS FEBRUARY 2017
game," he adds, noting that many Cana-
dian Interuniversity Sport football teams
now measure themselves against
UBC.
"But the kids and coaches will recom-
mit themselves, and we'll be at the top
again," Sidoo vows. "Our alumni are as
committed as ever. You don't build a
culture overnight. This was a good and
humbling experience for all."
A tougher challenge than winning
may be getting students to care. After
the T€Birds attracted record-setting
crowds for their ‚irst two games of
2016, turnout slipped back down to the
familiar 1,000 mark. Poor attendance
dogs all of the university's two dozen
varsity teams. Reasons cited include
Vancouver's inclement weather,
UBC's
high number of international students
and the school's intense academic
demands. Sidoo adds another to the
mix: "In a big city like Vancouver,
there's intense competition for sports.
The Canucks really take up a lot of
the oxygen."
Surprisingly, many
UBC students
don't even know that their university
has a football team. To raise aware-
ness, the 13th Man Foundation and the
athletic department launched a new
supporters' club called the Birdcage,
led by engagement strategist Aaron
Bailey. A $30 membership fee buys a
season's pass to all varsity games, dis-
counts at bars and restaurants, and a
hoodie emblazoned with the Birdcage
logo. Memberships haven't been "ying
o" the shelves, though: as of November,
only 550 students had signed up.
Sidoo says he's cooking up some new
ideas to generate fan excitement: "Basi-
cally, we are trying to create a festival-
like atmosphere at our games."
What does he get in return for his
investment? "I've always been an ultra-
competitive guy, and I get a real kick out
of seeing the team compete like we did
back in the 1980s," Sidoo says, recalling
one vivid memory from the 2015 Vanier
Cup game in Quebec City. "I was stand-
ing at the side of the œeld just before
the kicko" when two of our players
came up to me and said, 'Mr. Sidoo, we
just wanted to let you know that we'll
remember this moment for the rest of
our lives.' I was touched that they would
stop to say that just before the big game.
It really got to me. I actually started to
tear up on the sidelines."
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