It’s been a tried and tested tactic of musicians for decades – don a garment representing a beloved sporting team in the area where you are performing.
But for popular K-Pop girl group STAYC, there was a fundamental flaw in their plan to instantly ingratiate themselves with the local audience in Texas.
While the intention had presumably been for band members to wear official attire of the Texas Rangers baseball team, they instead strode on to stage for their show in Dallas clothed in 1990s Glasgow Rangers shirts.
In pictures circulating online, two of the girls can be seen sporting Rangers 1996-97 home shirts at the concert on Thursday.
In that season, Rangers clinched the Scottish Coca-Cola Cup with a nail-biting 4-3 victory at Celtic Park over Hearts, featuring famous players such as Paul Gascoigne and Ally McCoist.
STAYC, comprised of Sumin, Sieun, Isa, Seeun, Yoon, and J, have been riding a wave of success following the rapid rise of their latest album, Teenfresh, in the American charts.
Joachim Bjorklund for Glasgow Rangers playing against Arsenal in 1996
Their innocent mix-up in Texas during their US tour inadvertently sparked a mixture of amusement and surprise among their American and Scottish fans, winning the hearts of some supporters of the Glasgow club.
One Glasgow Rangers fan tweeted: “Rangers are the kings of K-Pop.”
Another wrote: “OK fine I will buy all their albums”.
A third added: “As a Scottish person who supports [Rangers] this was not in my 2023 bingo card”.
STAYC, who marked their musical debut in 2020 with the well-received album Star to a Young Culture, have been actively touring as part of their Teenfresh world tour, seeking to solidify a global fanbase and expand their influence beyond the Asian market.
