“It’s all about camaraderie. That’s the ultimate thing, is bringing people together. You cater to whoever is from out of town, make sure they have a good time. Then you talk (smack) to each other b…
To Lawrence Lofts and his mates in London, their 49ers fandom is far less about the city of San Francisco, the franchise’s colors or its NFL history.Lofts, a London native and the president of one of more than 100 local chapters stationed around the world as part of the Niner Empire fan club, had no intentions of becoming a 49ers supporter. In the 1980s and ‘90s, “the 49ers were winning everything,” he said, referring to the team’s five Super Bowl victories in 14 seasons from 1981-94.
“The next day my friend said, ‘you know, you told Joe you’d open a chapter in London.’ I didn’t remember that. I make a lot of drunk promises. But I keep my promises.” Since then, Lofts has grown his chapter of the fan club to include 20 people, many who have no idea how American football works but appreciate the tendency to get liquored up while making new friends. They’ve made it across the pond for at least two games each season.
Joe Leonor, right, of Oakley, is joined in his garage with his wife Monica Leonor, and their children, Isaac, 14, and Dominic, 11, at their home in Oakley, Calif., on Sunday, July 23, 2023. The family is posing by football locker used by former San Francisco 49ers player Jesse Sapolu when they played at Candlestick Park.
Leonor said The Niner Empire has chapters in 11 countries, including Mexico, Canada, England, Germany, Switzerland and New Zealand. There are chapters in 40 states in the U.S., including 15 in Texas.
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