Sports Fandom
There is an emotional and a psychological motivation that encourages individuals to be fans of a given movement, team or/and sport. Fandom refers to the manner in which individuals show devoted and undying support and usually utilizes the material and psychological resources to show this devotion and support (Earnheardt, 2012). A fan is an individual who is a part of a larger group that collectively can be referred to as a fandom.
Fandom usually commence at a very early age when 8 to 9 year olds children are introduced to sports in most cases or other activities that requires social support (Quinn, 2009). The children are introduced to the sports or activities through various means which include parents, relatives, friends, older siblings or the media.
It is from this early age that individuals begin to develop emotional attachments to specific sports then gradually to specific teams and then later indentify a specific player whom they often show devoted support (Quinn, 2009). Individuals gradually are integrated into a fan base that collectively draws from each other’s emotional encouragement to push on with a specific team or athlete in a given sport despite that team’s or athlete’s performance. This is the reason some teams never lose their fan base despite going for a prolonged period of time without winning any trophy or silverware. To be considered a fan of a given team, an individual must show loyalty to the team even if that particular team does not win for a long time. This shows the emotional attachment one has with a particular team.
There is however claims that supporting a given team is superficial and that individuals show their support while in a group or when that particular team is in action. These assertions can be disputed by the many fans clubs that arise that even meet to decide the course of supporting their given teams.
The downside to this undivided support is the hooliganism and violence always experienced in the course of this support (Guttmann, 1986). Some fans take their support too far as to vent their frustrations to either opposing fans or even sometimes to the individual players of the opposing teams. There are those who go to the extent of venting their anger in case of a loss to member of the team they are supporting accusing them of contributing to their loss.
It is therefore necessary for sports managers and other stakeholders to create sports awareness campaigns to educate fans on the appropriate manner in which to carry themselves out. Awareness also needs to be carried out to enable individuals understand that sports is just a form of entertainment and should not be a cause of inflicting harm on any individual. This requires psychological training to enable individuals to control their emotional and psychological affiliations.
References
Earnheardt, A. C., Haridakis, Paul. M & Hugenberg, Barbara S. (2012). Sports Fans, Identity,
and Socialization: Exploring the Fandemonium. Lexington: Lexington Books.
Guttmann, A. (1986). Sports Spectators. New York: Columbia University Press.
Quinn K.G. (2009). Sports and Their Fans: The History, Economics and Culture of the
Relationship between Spectator and Sport. North Carolina: McFarland.
