Brazilian soccer club Recife has struggled with keeping its stands orderly -- particularly against rival Náutico, which can bring out the worst in fan behavior.
So the club took an innovative approach to solving its fan violence problem: It hired moms as security guards.
And not just anybody's mom, either. These security guards are the mothers of the very fans behind the in-game trouble.
Known as the "Seguranca Mae," Portugese for "Security Moms," these women underwent the same security training as any other guard. Then, wearing orange vests, they were deployed to the sidelines.
Sport Club do Recife employs fans' mothers as stewards in bid to stop violence. “Seguranca Mae” (Security Mom) pic.twitter.com/rCNBuLLsXu
— Football Photos (@photosofootball) February 9, 2015
The strategy worked brilliantly: No fans were arrested during the match, which Recife won, 1-0.
"The idea was to make the most fanatical supporters aware and help in some way to bring peace to stadiums," said Aricio Fortes, an executive at the PR firm Ogilvy, to Reuters. "At the end of the day, no one wants to fight in front of a mother, especially his own."
Sure, it worked today. But Recife might want to plan on making those security moms a fixture at matches. It would good incentive. Fans can show their passion for the game while also having the opportunity to guarantee their mothers steady employment.
It's almost like a family business.
