The Story Of The World's First Vegan Sports Team
By wbur 90.9
The menu at sports events has traditionally been a bit limited … and unhealthy.
Especially at soccer games in England.
"On a match day, you’re looking at a lot of sausages, burgers, bacon sandwiches. Quick and easy fried food," says Forest Green Rovers striker Reuben Reid.
His team is broadening its menu with healthier fare. But that’s just one part of a much larger mission.
Rescuing The Rovers
In 2010, Forest Green Rovers, then a fifth-tier football club in Nailsworth, England, was in financial trouble. Dale Vince, who loved the sport as a kid, was approached by the team.
"They said they needed a little bit of help to get through the summer," Vince says. "And I thought it would be a nice thing to do — because we could, so we should. But within a couple of months, it was clear that they needed much more than just a little bit of money.
"And they said to me, ‘You really need to be the Chairman.’ And I said, ‘I really don’t. I’ve got so much else to do.’ But I then faced the choice — if I walked away, they would fold."