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.
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.
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.
Of the six types of fan behaviours identified by Jenkins, the respondents best fall into the ...
There are various types of sports fans out there. Sports fans can be categorized into three categories: die hard, bandwagon, and ignorant fans. These three categories display how differently sports fans view the game.
We all know this guy. A Bandwagon Fan jumps from team to team based on popularity. If their supposed favorite team is struggling, they’ll move on to another team. A lot of the time, they don’t begin to root for a team until the playoffs. A Bandwagon Fan also follows their favorite player around. For example, when LeBron James signed a contract with the Miami Heat, his fans from all over the world immediately claimed to be Miami Heat fans. Most of them didn’t even know who the other team members were. These fan bases seem to pop up overnight and usually don’t last very long. Want to know if someone is a bandwagon fan? Just ask them a question about the team’s history. Chances are, they won’t know the answer,
... fans is a good sign for team marketing, because for example, in addition to some of the players in Doosan Bears, many individual songs of support are sung by women and it can provide more chance to women for cheering for the players. Jung Soo-Bin of Doosan Bears and Oh Ji-Hwan of LG Twins are the representing examples.
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
The people sitting out in this audience tonight have also greatly impacted our lives. Every person in this enormous stadium has given us encouraging words, helpful advice or tough criticism. The support our family, friends and teachers have shared with us is invaluable. Their caring and dedication have helped us get here today.
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...
Fan support is common throughout soccer, no matter the league or team. Soccer fans go a bit farther than any other fans. Teams and players usually show support to their fans, but the fans of soccer give that support right back. This method of support is called, “Tifo”, translated from Italian meaning phenomenon of supporting a sport team. Tifo’s are most common during significant matches that can
What is a baseball fan? The word "fan" is an abbreviation of the word "fanatic," meaning "insane." In the case of baseball fans, the term is very appropriate. They behave insanely, they are insane about baseball trivia, and they are insanely loyal.
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
Weir, Tom. "Fans Still Love Their Sports, but Think Twice about Hero Worship.” USATODAY.com. USA Today, 25 Feb. 2010. Web. 15 Nov. 2013
Different studies and analysis opens up many of the inner dimensions of the experience of sports and media. Understanding sports, media, and spectacle reveals both details and generalizations about our culture and our general humanity.
Fandom is a term that refers to a subculture that consists of fans who share a feeling of camaraderie with other fans who share a common interest. Those that consider themselves to be part of a fandom are typically interested in even minor details of those interests, spend a large amount of their time on their interest and are usually members of social media sites that allow them to discuss this interest in detail. This is what differentiates them from those who only show a casual interest.