The Calgary Stampeders are launching a “200 Club” campaign offering a season ticket experience for women

Since the start of the Calgary Stampeders' season, efforts have been made to attract more female fans to the stadium.

Former Alberta Lt. Governor Lois Mitchell and Stampeders president Jay McNeil have launched a campaign to attract a new fan base to Calgary's professional football team.

The goal is to get 100 women to commit to two season tickets before the June 7 home opener.

“It introduces the game to a different demographic and introduces the Stampeders as a brand,” McNeil said.

“Our fans are mostly older white men.

“The Reverend Lois Mitchell really spearheaded this project. He calls it the 200 club.”

As a season ticket holder since 1992, Tony Ion-Brown can attest to the benefits of personally supporting a team.

“I've been in the same department for over 25 years,” he said.

“It's like a football family.”

His section includes five generations of his actual family, as well as his best friend since second grade and other season ticket holders.

Iohn-Brown, general manager of the Calgary Petroleum Club, is part of a team trying to attract women to the 200 Club.

“It starts in May with an early preseason game. It ends in November. It's just a short season. It's for everyone and it's affordable,” he said.

Tony Iohn-Brown (left) sat in the same section for more than 25 years. His section includes five generations of his family, as well as his best friend since second grade and other season ticket holders.

Season tickets are available at a discounted rate of $995 per person for 10 games – 11 games if the team makes the playoffs.

The football club is also offering incentives for this special group of Stamps fans, including all of these women, to board together.

“The T section is my section, sunny side up,” Iohn-Brown said.

“It's behind the visitors' bench. So people of Section T, we have an important job to do. We need to support our team and shock the opposition.”

They will also enjoy unique benefits, including a speaker series, two sided experiences and the ability to fly on a team charter to an away game.

Tony Iohn-Brown (front, second from right) sat in the same section for more than 25 years. His section includes five generations of his family, as well as his best friend since second grade and other season ticket holders.Cheri Bradish, a sports marketing researcher and educator, said some people have the misconception that there aren't many women in sports or supporting sports.

“We're in a really fair period for sports and sports fans,” said Bradish, director of the Future of Sport Lab and chair of marketing management at the Ted Rogers School of Management.

She says marketing doesn't always have to be different for men and women, but women are unified consumers.

“If you want to have women who love you as an organization, you have to think about my organizational values ​​for women, not buying tickets,” she said.

“You want to look at everything from end to end … whether it's entertainment on the sidelines, who they're talking to, who they're seeing on the sidelines when they buy tickets.

“They want to see a variety of sports experiences and they want to see you support women in the organization.”

Apart from all the football fun, the 200 Club provides a platform for networking, learning and friendship.

“We'll have 200 women in the T section … new soccer fans, seasoned soccer fans … bringing together people who support our community.”