Earlier in June, we asked for Flames fans from around the world to tell us about their experiences cheering for the team from outside of Calgary. We did not expect to receive so many amazing replies from great fans all around the world.
So far, we’ve heard from fans spanning 102 cities and towns, 23 countries, and six continents. We’ve covered eight provinces and territories in Canada, and 19 states in the United States. The Flames community truly does cover the entire planet, and we’re lucky and proud to be part of that community. If you missed our post on the overall results and a coverage map, check it out here!
Full Global Flames Fan Series: Australia, England, Scotland, Finland, Sweden, Germany, the Czech Republic, Netherlands, Switzerland, Morocco, Tunisia, Tajikistan, Brazil, China, the United States, and Canada outside of Calgary.
Next up in our Global Flames Fan Series are responses from a Flames fan from Itabirito, Minas Gerais, in Brazil. Enjoy!
How did you become a Flames fan?
It all started when I played NHL 2K10 on PS2, and fell in love with the sport and the team. I only chose the Flames when playing this game. Years after that, in 2014, I found the Flames social media pages and started following more about the team and watching games.
Tell us about your experience following the Flames from outside of Calgary.
It’s quite hard, because hockey isn’t a popular sport in my country, and I am in a different time zone, so games usually start late, sometimes after midnight. There’s only one channel that transmits the NHL, and only three or four games in a week, so it’s hard to get a Flames game on TV.
I have a great experience on Twitter, though. Since I created an account to talk about Flames hockey on Twitter, I’ve been able to meet people passionate about the game here in my country and show others how great hockey can be.
Check out @CGYFlamesBR on Twitter!
Do you watch games? If so, where do you typically watch and with whom?
Yes. It’s rare to have Flames on TV, so I watch through NHL TV.
What is the most popular sport where you live, and which teams? What challenges do you face following the Flames?
Soccer. Some of the most popular and well know teams are Flamengo, Corinthians, Palmeiras and Cruzeiro (the team I’m a fan of).
The challenges are mostly the timezone I’m in and the fact that hockey isn’t a popular game here.
What is the best experience you’ve had as a Flames fan from where you live?
Hard question. It could be watching the Game 6 of the Flames-Canucks series in the 2015 playoffs or getting to know and be friends with lots of awesome hockey fans here in Brazil and North America.
What is the worst experience you’ve had as a Flames fan from where you live?
It definitely is the disrespect I got from other sports fans, mostly by NFL fans. Like I said, hockey isn’t a popular sport here, so some people like to be trolls and mock others by liking other sports, like hockey.
Who is your favourite player and why?
On the team right now? Tkachuk. I love the way he plays and gets under the opponent’s skin.
If it’s all time, I’ll go with Jagr. He is my favorite player of all time. And my first jersey was his, when he played with the Flames. You can’t hate the mullet.
Any last thoughts you’d like to share?
I want to thank you for the opportunity to talk about my love for hockey and the Flames. GO FLAMES GO!
Thanks to this Flames fan for providing such great answers to our questionnaire. Brazil definitely isn’t the prototypical hockey market, but it’s great to see the Flames represented in Brazil. If you haven’t already, give @CGYFlamesBR a follow on Twitter!
Are you from South America and follow the Flames? Tell us about your experiences being a fan in the comments or on social media.
Stay tuned for the next Global Flames Fan Series article featuring our friends from China!
