Female Leafs fans’ chat group proves to be a game-changer
BUT IT HASN’T COME WITHOUT BATTLES STRAIGHTENING OUT MEN
As lifelong Maple Leafs fans, Marlene Prosser and Dee Erickson can take the jokes and razzing that come with a 52-year Stanley Cup drought.
What they wouldn’t accept were insults from a faction of Leafs Nation “alpha” males, who weren’t shy about dissing female supporters in the many online chat groups that have flourished around the team. From condescending comments to stronger language meant to cower their opinions, they had enough.
To give sisters who want to be more hockey- savvy a welcoming environment to ask their questions, the duo created “Female Fans Of The Toronto Maple Leafs” in 2015. It’s now 1,000-plus strong across the country and in pockets around the world.
Prosser, a public education worker in Winnipeg, and Erickson, a front-line health specialist at a long-term care facility in Airdrie, Alta., both had some rough experiences trying to partake in the wider social-media Leafs’ debate.
“We found we were getting verbally abused, put down because we’re women; that we supposedly don’t know the game or the players,” Prosser said. “Some conversations were heated all the time. Of course every fan, man or woman, should be allowed an opinion, but ( for some men) theirs was the only one that was right. And even in a male- dominated group, you might get sent pictures or images that women and men might not care to look at.
“Our group has a respect policy and everyone follows it. You might love a certain player, someone else might not. We have no issues if you (disagree), but it remains pretty calm.”
Erickson recalls the tipping point to leave her previous group was a bitter online argument about the statistical value of a certain Leaf.
“I basically got told, ‘ You’re a woman, what do you know about hockey? You’re no better than any other puck bunny out there’. Other males stepped forward to defend me because they knew me personally and yet this person still ended up attacking me and then attacking them. After that, you just didn’t feel comfortable, even though you knew your hockey.
“When I was a kid, boys and girls went to the arena in Medicine Hat. I grew up around hockey players and most of my friends played. You learn a lot from that.”
Prosser was raised in Toronto and moved west 20 years ago.
“I played on the Toronto Aeros; it was old- school, when hockey for women was just starting. My sister and I played on their all- star breakout team. I’m not a dummy about hockey, so to have guys disrespecting you and your views on how the game is played, it was getting a little much.”
Both were married with kids ( Erickson is now divorced), but neither group founder has yet met face to face. Living two provinces apart, they kept in touch through phone calls and emails after each felt disenfranchised by the negative online experience.
“One day we were talking and decided, ‘ Let’s do it, just have a group of females’,” Prosser said. “We set it up, added a couple of screening questions. Dee will look at their profile to make sure they’re females and love the Leafs, but if there’s any doubt about their intentions, we err on the side of caution and refuse them.
“We have a list of rules and to be honest, I’ve had to kick out eight women in the five years, some for being too overbearing. And with every large group like this you have people joining for the wrong reason. They got in saying they’re a huge Leafs fan, but it turns out they’re in real estate and try to sell you a house.
“We have members across Canada, the United States and a couple in England.”
Group traffic can increase at any time, but when the Leafs are playing, it’s busy before, during and after.
“I’ll post who’s playing, forward lines, defence; people will comment and then talk about plays they like or don’t like during the game,” Prosser said.
“But our members are always posting stuff, even though there’s no hockey now, about what’s going on in Leafs off- ice news. If there’s some non- related Leafs stuff about hockey we’ll mark it NLR on the site or in summer I might post about the Jays for our Toronto-area members.”
Prosser has done a few road trips and passes along information for members looking for hockey photo ops, Leafs’ friendly restaurants, sports bars or gathering spots. Erickson says the site has coaxed an audience ranging from teenagers to the senior set.
“Some are very knowledgeable fans who totally understand the salary cap and the reasons it affects trades. And some are older who watched the Leafs last Cup with their Dads or watched games with their husbands who’ve now passed.
“All they want to do is remember those good times. Maybe they’ll just come on once during a game and say ‘Go Leafs Go’ and feel that they’re part of something big. I was a newborn when they won ( in 1967) so you know what I’m hoping for.”
Erickson had an early Leafs connection in future Toronto goalie Ken Wregget.
“I was in The Hat, he played junior for Lethbridge, but we had common friends. When you know someone who says, ‘ Hey, gonna watch me play with the Leafs?’ you say, ‘ Yeah!’. So I’ve always leaned toward cheering for the goalies: Cujo, James Reimer and now Freddy Andersen.”
Prosser was a Darryl Sittler fan, who has followed all the high- profile Leafs right through to Auston Matthews.
“I’m a Leafs’ jersey hoarder,” she admits. “And I especially love that I’m amid all these Jets fans. When I go to my school on game day I’ll wear one of mine. I’d get teased all the time; now people are used to it.”
The women’s site is also a useful shop n’ swap network for Leafs merchandise not always available across Canada. Members in the Toronto area might snag bargain items and forward them to Prosser and Erickson.
“I live in the middle of Flames- Oilers country so it can be hard to get Leafs’ stuff,” Erickson laughed.
“After Christmas, there’s always great deals on things such as ornaments. I might buy 10 from someone in Toronto and sell to anyone in our group for the $ 3 I paid for them, plus the postage. Or maybe someone bought a Mitch Marner jersey that’s not their size and another member wants to buy it.
“I’m happy to do the shopping, but it’s very clear, it’s between two people and not involving the whole group. We’ve not had anyone abuse that policy.
“A lot of women have told us, ‘ Thank goodness for this site.’ For Mariene and I, we found a common love and passion in the Leafs and here we are.”
We clearly got this decision wrong. These players represent our future and we will immediately begin paying our minor-league players. I take responsibility and I’m making it right.