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49ers super fans in South Florida gearing up for big game, hoping for win

Sarah Gandre is president of Southeast Florida Niners Empire
Super Bowl fans in Palm Beach County.jpg
Posted at 2:13 PM, Feb 11, 2024
and last updated 2024-02-11 17:09:28-05

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — It’s Super Bowl Sunday, and we are catching up with some super fans ahead of the big game.

WPTV spoke with Sarah Gandrey, the president of the Southeast Florida Niners Empire.

It’s a group of die-hard fans of the San Francisco 49ers living about 3,000 miles away from the Golden Gate city.

"Essentially, what Niner empire does is, the goal has been that there is a Niner chapter in every city in every state in the United States," she said. "So that when people are traveling, they have other fans that they can essentially watch these games with. It’s hard when you are a fan of a team that's not local because you're kind of by yourself. We're out here to try to bring other 49ers fans together."

She said club members have watched any game in which the team plays for years, with their own set of traditions and superstitions.

Vince Lombardi Trophy and helmets of San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs on display ahead of Super Bowl LVIII, Feb. 5, 2024

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This year, the club will be watching the game at Gandrey's home, making sure to not miss any plays.

She said it was their year to win big, but Gandrey already won.

Sunday is also her birthday, and her son came home from college to spend time with the family.

She was asked what she was looking forward to the most, from the fun snacks, hoping for a win or spending time with the other members of the club.

"It's an amazing thing to watch it with other fans," she said. "These people have become family. Everyone is excited. It’s my birthday so I'm excited for the cake as well. But it is just going to be a good time and my son came home from college for the weekend, so he will be here as well. So that's also exciting for me."