Football Programmes Centre

Why do people buy memorabilia

Out of all of your friends, how many are a fan of football? Out of these friends, can you imagine any of them buying a programme or some kind of merchandising from an official website? The answer to that last question is probably 'yes'. Even if they can't afford it, it's nice to have a souvenir of a special event, like winning a tournament.

This isn't just limited to fans of football. Whether you love a certain football team, enjoy watching a film franchise or like playing video games such as Call of Duty, or even an internet game like those on partycasino.com, souvenirs, merchandise and memorabilia are a massive part of fan culture. And while most of us don't really question the desire to purchase programmes, teddy bears and mugs, it's still a valid question. What is it that compels us to buy memorabilia?

Show your allegiance

For most of us it's a way to show our allegiance. You put on a hat, a t-shirt or a scarf with your favoured team logo branded on the front, and you're happy in the knowledge that you're declaring yourself a fan of that particular team. It's nice to spot other people in the crowd at a game or at the pub who share your same passion.

Surround yourself

In a lot of ways it's a way to simply immerse yourself into the surroundings you wish you were in. For example, the likelihood is we all wanted to play for our favourite team when we were children. When that didn't happen, merchandising and memorabilia were the next best thing, a way to surround yourself with real-life pieces from a world we don't actually belong to. It's not just on a TV screen that way, or far away on the pitch while you're in the stands. It's a part of your life.

So, next time you're worried about spending your money on memorabilia, remember how it makes you feel, and the purchase will be worth it.

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