Being a Fan is More Than Just for Fun: It is a Way of Life
When the essay to find and research a pop culture group was assigned, only one came to mind. It is obvious to me because it is among the largest fan-based community around. Fans, regardless of type, are everywhere. My focus on sports fans, is in part because I am one myself. From football to swimming, sports are a way of life for some. The thought of not having fans is unthinkable. Being a fan for a sports team is more than just for fun. If we thought that being a devotee is just for fun, then we are mistaken. It is incredible the amount of love and support that fans have for their team. For some it is a part of their life; it is a part of who they are.
Who are fans? Why are they around and what is their purpose? To answer that question as clearly as possible, I had to take the time to think. What kind of fan am I? Fans are everywhere. Sports enthusiasts, in particular, love a specific sport or a certain club/team. They come from every country and support every possible activity. I'd like to think that sports fans are there to support their favorite teams and show their pride. Take the world's largest sport, football (also known as soccer in the United States). This game has the largest participation in the world and has the largest fan based communities. These followers are not there just because they want to see people play; it is a way of life. Among the most predominate soccer teams is Manchester United. This English club team has the rowdiest soccer fans I have ever seen. We thought that American Football fans are crazy? Well just think about how extreme they are with their entire bodies painted and the chants and cheers to support the...
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... The Samoan words seem to fill the air with an attitude of preparation and excitement. As soon as the "Haka" is completed everyone is ready for the game to begin. So while I speak primarily about professional athletes and the vast majority of their fans, it is also nice to remember those of us that do cheer for our local high schools and especially those that do continue to be their own hometown "diehard" fans.
Fans are everywhere and while they continue to be a part of the community, they have created their own community. Enthusiasts have become something completely of their own creation. They are not just fans of a certain team or sport; they are FANatics. This is awesome, because as I stated before, without fans what would we do? The professional games wouldn't be aired on television and sports would not be such a big deal.
Now, that's FANtastic.
These social connections and sense of community created by the team for the fans, is a key factor in fan experience (Fairley & Tyler, 2012). The final solution addressed in this paper is one that will aim to create both a sense of community and social environment outside of the ballpark. Marketing executives of the Braves should consider setting up off-site locations so non-game attendees
the wild antics of the die hard fans. In my essay I will try and attempt to describe as
Lets look into the psychology of being a sports fan shall we? A loyal fan likes to represent his/her team in the best possible way. Loyal fans cannot stay away from the game. They will support their respe...
Sport fans, sometimes also called sport devotees, followers, or supporters, are persons who are enthusiastically devoted to a particular athlete, team or sport. They may show their enthusiasm by often attending sporting events or watch on television, being members of a fan club, follow sport news through newspapers, online websites, and creating fanzines. Their disposition is often such that they will experience a game or event by living through their favored players or teams. These behaviors manifest itself in different ways. To enable better understanding of these behavioral patterns, we have to classify these sports fans into groups based on their devotion to teams: fair-weather fans, bandwagon and the super-fans.
In order to determine the current success of the Nashville Sounds I surveyed fans of the game. I used the “snowball effect” to get responses from fans I knew and then had them refer me to fans they knew for responses to my questionnaire. I also submitted my questionnaire to a local blogger who discusses Nashville Sounds baseball. Garnering 38 responses, I feel I have gained knowledge of the typical fan as well as differences in the appeal of the game to different types of fans.
...eness to Traynor’s death. In the years before his death Jackson’s life had gone downhill at an alarming speed and nothing seemed to stop it. However, upon news of his death people began listening to his music again praising him and watching movies in which he had been in. The term that can be used for this is “bandwagon” in which anyone joins in and doesn’t have to have extensive knowledge of the thing or person, they only need similar interests or reasons. Michael Jackson’s cds Thriller and Bad are the examples that can be used because people would take Thriller the cd’s title song and Smooth Criminal and replay them constantly claiming to be “True Fans”. The definition of a true fan is someone who not only knows the artist’s background but their music as well and enjoys listening to more than one song and doesn’t listen to them just because of physical appearance.
The force of a fandom is very powerful when dealing with large fandoms. One should refrain from offending fans because if one offends a fan or insults their interest then they will defend their fandom by all means. Fans tend to be very loyal and endearing when it come to their fandom. “Although they were stereotyped as brainwashed consumers, the fans were far from passive- when they screamed they were celebrating themselves, their freedom, their youth, their power. Screaming didn’t drown out the performance: it was the performance” (Lynskey 5)
By going to as many concerts as they can, fans help the band sell more and you help themselves look and feel like a bigger fan. I personally went to all of their bay area concerts and had to drive down to Pasadena, CA for one when they didn 't have a show here. This made me feel and seem very devoted to the band . Socializing is another big thing in the community of directioners, it helps you meet more people in the same community and creates friendships. For example, just last week I visited a friend in Stanford University who I met through One Direction and I 've made many other online friends that i have more in common with than people around me. Many fans devote their time to fan accounts that they have created to be able to connect with fans and talk about their problems and also talk about the bands
nature of engaging in spectatorship: it can easily go wrong. The nature of a character’s
Amazingly, when I am at the stadium, I also see a lot of people I know even though I am two hours away from home. Everyone loves Neyland Stadium. I love the fact that everyone comes together to cheer for one team and act excited to attend. This makes the game intense because when the game takes a bad turn, everyone joins in a giant roar against the referees. After you become a true fan, you begin to take those bad calls personally. You can thing of your trip as an adventure into a land which normally can only be seen on TV. You leave the stadium with a warm tingle in the pit of your stomach, of course if they win. You can feel good about yourself knowing that you played a part in the team achieving their victory.
Known as the world’s most popular sport, professional soccer has helped create and define different groups of people around the world for longer than a century. The hoopla surrounding teams, geographic areas fans dwell in, and political ideals associated with individual clubs have carved an identity for millions of supporters whose heart and soul becomes dedicated to their favorite players, stadiums, and coaches. Soccer teams and their fans can give us a window into how people can be divided and defined by their allegiances and ideals, and why those with similar views band together to create a familiar environment for themselves.
Everyone feels the need to belong. Some people find the answer to fulfill that need in sports. In the United States, the go-to sport is football. Following one’s hometown team or childhood NFL team through the regular season, playoffs, and hopefully, the Super Bowl has become a staple for today’s culture. Whether or not their favorite team makes it to the big Super Bowl game, they still find themselves cheering on one of the teams competing. T...
Men and women from all walks of life in the United States watch sports and identify themselves with a team. Fathers and sons watch the big game together and talk endlessly about the outcome. This American culture has developed over the course of generations.
When I hear the term bandwagon the first thing I relate it to is sports, and most likely others do too. There are many people who become fans of a team that either won a championship or are
The movie Invictus brings up several key points about the media in everyday life. One of the most prominent points brought up in the film is that sports have the power to bring people together and unite them with a common goal. Sports are an enormous part of the media and cultures all over the world. Whether it be the Super-bowl, World Cup, or Olympics, millions of people continue to unite and cheer for the teams they support. The reason in which sports often unites people is that it gives people something in common with one another. No matter what race, age, or gender, people of all types enjoy watching and supporting sports teams which is why it is such a powerful means to unite people.