Some take on an alter ego after being bitten by a radioactive spider. Or maybe they come from a rich family and are somehow moved to become a vigilante crime fighter in disguise.
And Chad Gustafson?
The transformation of this Winnipeg Blue Bombers super fan began while walking on a beach in Mexico with his wife…
“We were in Puerto Vallarta four years ago,” began Gustafson, the subject of this week’s bluebombers.com Fan Friday profile. “And so we’re walking on the beach and I saw these blue and gold wrestling masks… I thought they were perfect for Bomber fans.”
Gustafson, a 27-year-old teacher in the Pembina Trails School Division, had been going to Bomber games for a few years with a buddy after graduating from Oak Park High School when the two decided to become season ticket holders. That group has since grown to five.
And, yes, they all wear the wrestling garb for every game – rain or shine, in the blazing heat of the summer or frigid days in November.
“We’ve upped it this year because we’ve added some royal blue and gold zebra pants. It just adds to the fun for us,” said Gustafson. “The masks can get a little hot and can get pretty sweaty, but at the Grey Cup last year they kept us warm.
“We call ourselves ’The Luchadores’, which is the term for Mexican wrestlers. We got called down the field for a promotion a while back and they asked us our names so we called ourselves Julio and Javier.”
“It’s just so much fun.”
The Luchadores have become a visible part of the fan experience at Investors Group Field. Their trademark look has led them to be featured in Blue Bombers promotions and fans often ask to pose with the crew for pictures on game day.
“We just got big into the atmosphere and the excitement,” said Gustafson. “It’s just the electricity of the arena. No matter how the team is playing we’re behind them. The last couple of years haven’t been as much fun, but there’s just an electricity of being in the building with all those fans with all that emotion. And for me, there’s nothing better than when the Bombers score a touchdown or a last minute field goal.”
And so while Gustafson & Co. might have been tempted to stay at home and watch the game on a big screen TV, the in-stadium experience keeps them coming back.
“I remember one game, back before I had season tickets, when Troy Westwood hit a 54-yarder to win the game,” he said. “I keep using the word ‘electric’. You just don’t get that same feeling when you are watching the game at home. And when it gets colder I think putting a hoodie on or a parka and snow boots just adds to the whole thing.
“You know,” Gustafson added with a chuckle, “my wife thinks we’re a bunch of goofballs, but that’s OK. It’s about going out with friends and being around your buddies. It’s become a bit of a guys’ night for us. We usually get together before the game and have a barbecue before we head off to the stadium.
“The five of us… we’re never going to give our seats up now. Never.”
