Fans of the local pro soccer club Forward Madison FC are launching a new supporter group with a focus on civic engagement.
Pink Tape's leader, Amanda Hoadley, said the nonpartisan group will primarily focus on voter registration and education, and will hold educational and social events throughout the year.
“The intention is to provide information to Forward fans and City of Madison residents alike about what resources are available to them through their city government,” said Hoadley, who is also a City of Madison employee. “This includes a very wide range of topics including how to purchase a dog park permit, who to call if something is broken in your apartment and the landlord isn’t making repairs, and most importantly for 2020, how to register to vote and sign up to work the polls at the next election.”
The first of these events will be March 4 at the Madison Municipal Building from 5-6 p.m., where members will show folks how to register to vote and provide opportunities for those interested in volunteering at tables during Forward games.
Other planned events include presence at The Flock's watch parties for away games, tabling on how to become a paid poll worker, and outreach at local soccer events.
Pink Tape’s first goal? To get at least 50 members of the Flock to volunteer at Madison’s polls for the next election in April.
Madison had a nearly 93% turnout rate of registered voters for the midterm elections in 2018, so it will be interesting to see how this level of engagement changes for the upcoming presidential primary.
Pink Tape is not officially affiliated under the umbrella of the general supporters' group The Flock yet.
There are four other Madison-based supporter groups, each with its own unique aims and membership — Featherstone Flamingos, an inclusive group that celebrates Black culture, La Barra 608, which does the same for Latinx fans, Mingo Ladies for women, and Forward Union for community-service minded fans. It is atypical for a local sports team like Forward Madison to have such a vibrant and involved fan base, speaking to the types of folks who are proud to support flamingo pink.
“The Forward Madison Flock is inclusive to all, loud, energetic, and just plain fun,” said Hoadley. “[It] is such a diverse group all looking to support their local team in any way they can.”
For more information on Pink Tape and how to join, visit their Facebook page.
