Match of the Dames gives women who have never attended their local non-league club a way to try a match together. Founded by Anne Morris, the initiative puts the welcome around the football at the centre of the experience.
The invitation is easier to accept when there is a group to meet and someone organising the day. For a first-time visitor, those arrangements answer practical questions: who will I go with, where will we meet, and will I know anyone?
Custom football scarves have a clear place in that welcome. Match of the Dames includes them in its matchday experience, giving newcomers a supporter item they can wear straight away. Hercules Merchandise produced a batch of scarves for the initiative.
A scarf included in the welcome
The Match of the Dames matchday programme starts with a drink together near the ground, where participants receive their official scarf. The group then walks to the stadium, with scarves ready for photographs.
Giving out the product at the start makes it available for the whole visit. Nobody has to decide whether to visit the club shop first or buy something before finding out whether they enjoy the afternoon. The scarf is already part of taking part.
For this project, that is the useful connection between merchandise and the audience. The people receiving it are trying a new experience. A familiar football accessory is straightforward to wear, without needing an explanation or a separate activity built around it.
Southend United and the first visit to Roots Hall
Southend United’s Match of the Dames programme brings the initiative to Roots Hall. Its planned experience includes meeting other participants, wearing scarves and watching from a dedicated Dames section.
A defined group gives newcomers somewhere to start. They can arrive on their own and still have people to spend the afternoon with. In that setting, supporter merchandise accompanies the introductions, conversation and football.
This is also a useful way to understand the Hercules scarf project. Its audience extends beyond established supporters buying another item for their collection. The product fits an introduction to going to football, when someone may be choosing to spend a Saturday at their local ground for the first time.
Why custom football scarves fit the Dames’ matchdays
For organisers of an experience like Match of the Dames, custom football scarves offer a practical advantage over fitted clothing: there is no need to collect each participant’s shirt size. Distribution can stay a simple part of the welcome.
The format also works in several positions. A scarf can be worn around the neck during the match, draped over the shoulders or held out for a group photograph. Those uses deserve attention when planning artwork for a supporter project.
A long name such as Match of the Dames needs enough space to read clearly. For a similar commission, an effective artwork check would be to look at the name both stretched out and folded as it would be when worn. Small lettering that looks acceptable on a screen may be much less useful in a photograph taken from several metres away.
When comparing custom scarf options for this kind of programme, organisers should consider the artwork and how participants will use the finished item together. Clear identification, comfortable wear and a suitable finish are more useful starting points than adding as many details as possible.
The finished scarves in the project’s public story
After production, Anne showcased the finished scarves on LinkedIn. For Hercules, seeing the product presented by the organisation is a concrete outcome: the order had become something Match of the Dames wanted people to see.
The wider programme gives photographs a practical role. Participants are encouraged to share their visit and stay involved afterwards. Images of people enjoying a day together can help the next potential participant picture the experience before signing up.
A scarf supplies a recognisable supporter element in those images. Its contribution is specific and visible, alongside the people and the occasion. Attendance, repeat visits and the strength of the community depend on the broader work of the organisers and clubs.
A supporter product with a place in the day
Clubs planning a similar welcome can discuss their scarf project with Hercules around a simple question: when will participants receive the item, and what will they do with it?
For Match of the Dames, custom football scarves fit naturally into meeting the group, heading to the ground and taking photographs. Hercules supplied a product with a place in that experience, as the Dames continued their work of welcoming women into the stands.
Article written by Gilles
Founder of Hercules Merchandise, specialising in custom sports merchandise for clubs and organisations.
