4 Faithfuls explain why they’re 49ers fans
No. 3: 49ers fans come from all over the world. Drew Van Iderstine comes from Canada and found his love of the team through the CFL.
We live in a generation where the world is at our fingertips. It’s hard to imagine a time when 49ers news wasn’t on the ready.
However, it’s true. Fans outside the USA had to find alternative ways to follow the team.
Canadian fan Drew Van Iderstine started following the NFL after watching the CFL.
“When I was growing up, my parents used to bring me to Grey Cup parties,” Van Iderstine said. “I started reading Sports Illustrated and would see pictures about the NFL. That’s when I started gaining interest in it.”
Maybe it was destiny. Maybe it was a coincidence. Whatever it was, when Van Iderstine started getting into the NFL, the 49ers were getting all the coverage.
“There wasn’t nearly the amount of TV exposure and the internet wasn’t around, so I had to learn (about the NFL and 49ers) from magazines and newspapers,” Van Iderstine explained. “It led me to play football in high school.”
Unfortunately for fans outside the Bay Area, it’s not easy to attend a game. But Van Iderstine finally made it to one back in the 2014 season.
“I had already been a fan for so many years, it was hard to go that long as a fan without seeing a game,” he said.
Though he didn’t get to see his beloved team play at Candlestick Park, he was there for the inaugural season at Levi’s Stadium.
“I was amazed by how far out of San Francisco it was. One memory which sticks out, that may sound silly, was the sheer amount of Niner’s mercy everyone was wearing,” Van Iderstine remembered. “I’m used to seeing one person wearing a hat, or maybe know one or two Albertan Niner fans. But to see everyone all together. It was cool.”
As die-hard Niner Faithul’s know, game day superstitions are serious. Whether it’s a Sunday afternoon game at Levi’s or a Monday night showdown in Seattle, you can’t change anything, especially if the team is on a roll. Van Iderstine is no different, even if he lives far away.
”Typical game day includes checking to see if the game will be broadcasted where we are,” he continued. “If not, we’re finding a streaming service to make sure we can watch it live. I make sure all the Sunday chores are done before the start of the game, so I can watch it without distractions. If it’s a Monday or Thursday night game, we’ll make our way to a Boston Pizza wearing a jersey and hat to represent. I also check any pregame articles and lineups to see how the scouting report is for the day. This also happens throughout the week.”