UNITED WE STAND: A SOCCER CLUB DRUMS UP FAN SUPPORT
By Suren Musayelyan
ArmeniaNow Reporter
A First Division football club is set to break stereotypes in Armenian
football and show that it can win a large following with showbiz as
well as soccer skills.
Yerevan United FC, a newcomer in the country's lower league, is
continuing its successful performances before a growing number of
spectators attending their home matches.
The club's Australian-Armenian founding president Dikran Hovivian says
they are pioneers in football business in Armenia and adds that he
sees a great potential for this business locally given the great
number of football fans in Armenia and the Diaspora.
The 45-year-old football marketing specialist from Sydney adds: `We
are taking one step at a time. Now our goal is promotion to the
Premier League, but most importantly we are trying to play good
football before our spectators.'
Yerevan United FC was founded last year and is the only club in
Armenia that has its mascot - a 220cm-tall Aryuts Mher especially
loved by kids - and cheerleaders entertaining spectators before and
after the matches and also during the interval.
Each goal scored by the home side is the cue for special
celebration. Food and drinks are available in the stadium and fans can
buy the club's merchandise.
According to Hovivian, up to 2,000 people come to the stadium to watch
Yerevan United play.
About half of the spectators are teenagers under 16 for whom tickets
are free. Tickets are available for 400, 600, 1,000 and 2,500 drams
and there are also 60,000-dram tickets for corporate boxes for 12
people, with food and drinks included.
`It is my joy to see people coming to the stadium, sometimes with
their families, and simply having a good time,' says Hovivian, adding
that they also have many visitors from abroad, including foreign
tourists and Diaspora Armenians visiting their homeland.
At half time Aryuts Mher picks the most fervent supporter and presents
him with a special award. Also the lion mascot draws a lucky ticket
number that can win one of the fans a prize like a TV-set.
`It is the second time I have attended a Yerevan United match,' says
21-year-old Ashot from Yerevan, who came to the stadium with his three
friends. `The atmosphere here is great and I will definitely come
again to support this team.' On the pitch Yerevan United FC were
meeting the expectations of fans like Ashot by beating the visitors
from Vanadzor 7-1. After Tuesday's win the team continues to top
Division One and is well on the road to win promotion this season.
`We want to make Yerevan United a visiting card not only for Armenia
but for the whole Diaspora,' says Hovivian. `We have Yerevan in our
name, and it is already obliging.'
Hovivian conceived the idea of Yerevan United FC in 2001. During a
three-week trip in early 2004 he saw an opening in the football
industry in Armenia and returned to Australia with a dream to
revolutionize the entire football industry here.
In October last year, Hovivian returned to Yerevan with a five-year
plan for the club.
Here, he says, he was assisted by well-known football commentator and
expert Rudik Barseghyan and met the current head coach Albert Sargsyan
and team manager Sevak Makaryan.
Three months of regular communications with his two employees in
Yerevan resulted in the recruitment of a team of 21 footballers,
including two international players - one from Cameroon and the other
from Nigeria. They launched pre- season training on December 20.
Dikran returned to live in Armenia in February with his wife Rose-Leah
and two young children Nune, 4, and Haroutig, 2, and to be
instrumental in the running and success of the club.
He is the club's major shareholder and there are 42 others in
Australia including six Australians (non-Armenians). Today, YUFC
employs and provides income to over 70 families in Armenia including
players, coaching staff, entertainers, office administration,
marketing and PR department, catering and customer service staff. More
than $120,000 has already been invested in the club mostly by Hovivian
and according to the club's president more money is being invested
every day.
Hovivian says the team consists mostly of young players, though three
are over 30. The average wages of footballers at YUFC is $200 a month
(in a range between $80 and $300).
Yerevan United is the only football club in Armenia whose players have
their names on the back of their jerseys. They celebrate every goal
scored with appeals to their fans and also thank their fans after each
match for coming to the stadium to support them.
Hovivian believes that just like any great change, Armenian football
requires faith and patience.
`As Yerevan United FC is a brand new football club, it is literally
history in the making,' he says.
He says their website (www.yerevanunited.com) has more than 2,000
visitors every week. The club's fans are not only based in Armenia,
but also in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Australia. An
online shop with YUFC's merchandise will be available soon.
Hovivian also believes in developing young players for which he plans
to invest in infrastructure and a sport base for youth. By 2010, he
sees a whole complex developing where for a membership fee a YUFC fan
will be able to come and enjoy the club's services.
Tickets for Yerevan United's matches are available also in Artbridge,
a favorite bookstore caf� of foreigners and some locals in central
Yerevan. Shakeh Havan, the owner of Artbridge, says that they sell up
to 10 tickets for each game, which, although not many, shows people's
growing interest in the project.
`Those who buy tickets are mostly students and young people among whom
there are also some foreigners and Diaspora Armenians visiting the
country as tourists,' says Havan. `Dikran is doing a new thing in
Armenia. No one has done it here before, and I think he is on the
right way.'
By Suren Musayelyan
ArmeniaNow Reporter
A First Division football club is set to break stereotypes in Armenian
football and show that it can win a large following with showbiz as
well as soccer skills.
Yerevan United FC, a newcomer in the country's lower league, is
continuing its successful performances before a growing number of
spectators attending their home matches.
The club's Australian-Armenian founding president Dikran Hovivian says
they are pioneers in football business in Armenia and adds that he
sees a great potential for this business locally given the great
number of football fans in Armenia and the Diaspora.
The 45-year-old football marketing specialist from Sydney adds: `We
are taking one step at a time. Now our goal is promotion to the
Premier League, but most importantly we are trying to play good
football before our spectators.'
Yerevan United FC was founded last year and is the only club in
Armenia that has its mascot - a 220cm-tall Aryuts Mher especially
loved by kids - and cheerleaders entertaining spectators before and
after the matches and also during the interval.
Each goal scored by the home side is the cue for special
celebration. Food and drinks are available in the stadium and fans can
buy the club's merchandise.
According to Hovivian, up to 2,000 people come to the stadium to watch
Yerevan United play.
About half of the spectators are teenagers under 16 for whom tickets
are free. Tickets are available for 400, 600, 1,000 and 2,500 drams
and there are also 60,000-dram tickets for corporate boxes for 12
people, with food and drinks included.
`It is my joy to see people coming to the stadium, sometimes with
their families, and simply having a good time,' says Hovivian, adding
that they also have many visitors from abroad, including foreign
tourists and Diaspora Armenians visiting their homeland.
At half time Aryuts Mher picks the most fervent supporter and presents
him with a special award. Also the lion mascot draws a lucky ticket
number that can win one of the fans a prize like a TV-set.
`It is the second time I have attended a Yerevan United match,' says
21-year-old Ashot from Yerevan, who came to the stadium with his three
friends. `The atmosphere here is great and I will definitely come
again to support this team.' On the pitch Yerevan United FC were
meeting the expectations of fans like Ashot by beating the visitors
from Vanadzor 7-1. After Tuesday's win the team continues to top
Division One and is well on the road to win promotion this season.
`We want to make Yerevan United a visiting card not only for Armenia
but for the whole Diaspora,' says Hovivian. `We have Yerevan in our
name, and it is already obliging.'
Hovivian conceived the idea of Yerevan United FC in 2001. During a
three-week trip in early 2004 he saw an opening in the football
industry in Armenia and returned to Australia with a dream to
revolutionize the entire football industry here.
In October last year, Hovivian returned to Yerevan with a five-year
plan for the club.
Here, he says, he was assisted by well-known football commentator and
expert Rudik Barseghyan and met the current head coach Albert Sargsyan
and team manager Sevak Makaryan.
Three months of regular communications with his two employees in
Yerevan resulted in the recruitment of a team of 21 footballers,
including two international players - one from Cameroon and the other
from Nigeria. They launched pre- season training on December 20.
Dikran returned to live in Armenia in February with his wife Rose-Leah
and two young children Nune, 4, and Haroutig, 2, and to be
instrumental in the running and success of the club.
He is the club's major shareholder and there are 42 others in
Australia including six Australians (non-Armenians). Today, YUFC
employs and provides income to over 70 families in Armenia including
players, coaching staff, entertainers, office administration,
marketing and PR department, catering and customer service staff. More
than $120,000 has already been invested in the club mostly by Hovivian
and according to the club's president more money is being invested
every day.
Hovivian says the team consists mostly of young players, though three
are over 30. The average wages of footballers at YUFC is $200 a month
(in a range between $80 and $300).
Yerevan United is the only football club in Armenia whose players have
their names on the back of their jerseys. They celebrate every goal
scored with appeals to their fans and also thank their fans after each
match for coming to the stadium to support them.
Hovivian believes that just like any great change, Armenian football
requires faith and patience.
`As Yerevan United FC is a brand new football club, it is literally
history in the making,' he says.
He says their website (www.yerevanunited.com) has more than 2,000
visitors every week. The club's fans are not only based in Armenia,
but also in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Australia. An
online shop with YUFC's merchandise will be available soon.
Hovivian also believes in developing young players for which he plans
to invest in infrastructure and a sport base for youth. By 2010, he
sees a whole complex developing where for a membership fee a YUFC fan
will be able to come and enjoy the club's services.
Tickets for Yerevan United's matches are available also in Artbridge,
a favorite bookstore caf� of foreigners and some locals in central
Yerevan. Shakeh Havan, the owner of Artbridge, says that they sell up
to 10 tickets for each game, which, although not many, shows people's
growing interest in the project.
`Those who buy tickets are mostly students and young people among whom
there are also some foreigners and Diaspora Armenians visiting the
country as tourists,' says Havan. `Dikran is doing a new thing in
Armenia. No one has done it here before, and I think he is on the
right way.'
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