“Inside Analysis: A Fan’s Connection to Athletes and Sports Synergism”
Fans are integral to competitive sports. They fill the arenas and add to the excitement by bringing the canvases to life. As spectators, their roles have defined limits, yet the exhilaration and heartbreak they experience throughout the course of each sports season are very real. How can the highs and lows of athletic competition have such a profound impact on the lives of everyday people? The truth is that when people put their time into things they may, without intending to, become emotionally invested in them. The resultant bonds that get forged are powerful forces that encourage people to celebrate, reflect, appreciate, and dream. The appeal is easy to see, and a big reason why so many people get hooked.
Sports bring people together in the present. Part of the real magic though, is the way they reconnect us to our pasts.
There’s more to the allure of sports than the excitement of the moment. For many adults, watching sports will trigger memories from their childhoods. Learning to catch and throw a ball; attending live events with parents and siblings; playing games with friends at the park; the camaraderie of competing with teammates in pursuit of a common goal. Memories like these are near and dear to people. They invoke emotions that make us feel good, remind us of our innocence, and take us back to simpler times.
As kids, many of us aspire to stand in the shoes of our favorite athletes. As adults, we often do it, too.
Part of the thrill of watching sports is that it gives fans the chance to live vicariously through the actions of their favorite athletes. Sports are exciting. When athletic performances inspire us, a world of possibilities can unfold. We see ourselves competing on the big stage, and busy our minds by formulating countless scenarios that make the dream seem possible. “It could be me,” we tell ourselves, if only we were a little taller, stronger, quicker, or younger. Unfortunately for most people, it doesn’t work that way.
Fans add so much to the sports experience, including the revenue to help write a lot of checks.
The majority of professional athletes love their trade, but I’m not sure how many of them would perform their work for free. When fans purchase clothing, memorabilia, tickets, and even concessions at live events, they’re providing the resources that allow athletes to live out their dreams. Most fans are aware of this, and it can lead to conflicting viewpoints about what type of role their money should play in sports. While athletes and fans clearly benefit from each other, the big question to ask is this: what do they really owe each other? Respect is essential. Beyond that, I don’t believe they’re obliged to owe each other anything. Entitlement comes in many forms, and for athletes and fans the pitfalls go both ways. If fans find themselves demanding things that aren’t rightfully theirs, then it might be time to step back and reassess.
The dark side of fandom: when fans become blindsided by their passions they can take things too far.
The desire to see an athlete win is one thing, but sometimes the connections fans feel to athletes are so strong that the relatonship becomes unhealthy. Their state of wellbeing gets linked to the outcome of a game; their potential for happiness contingent upon the performance of an athlete who they know nothing about on a personal level. Hateful remarks. Social media trolling. Even death threats. All of it can happen, and far too frequently. Fans who take things to this level may claim they’re showing their passion, when in reality all they’re doing is revealing their flaws. There are certain lines that should never be crossed. Under no circumstances should the physical and mental health safety of athletes ever be threatened.
In the age of fantasy sports, there’s a false sense of ownership many fans have developed over athletes.
Fantasy sports are a multibillion dollar per year industry. People participate in them with family members, friends, co-workers, and in some cases complete strangers. No matter how deep a person goes into the fantasy sports universe, they should remember that fantasy sports are not real. They’re just what they sound like. Fantasy. For some participants, the appeal can be troubling. One of the more disturbing trends is when people actually celebrate the pain, suffering, and season-ending injuries that athletes endure. When these are the types of things fans root for, and the priority is to possess rather than to appreciate, we clearly have some problems.
The athlete-fan relationship can be, and in many cases is, a beautiful thing.
A lot of what I’ve mentioned in this post describes the impact athletes have on fans, but it should be dually noted that the affinity athletes have for fans can be just as strong. There are athletes who’ve gone through a lot in their lives. They’ve worked, sacrificed, and overcome obstacles both on and off the playing field. Once they’ve been embraced by an organization, city, or state, their gratefulness can really show. During recent years in Wisconsin, we’ve seen examples of this with players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis of the Milwaukee Bucks. Their smiles light up the room, and when they speak of their appreciation for their fan base you can tell they’re being genuine. A healthy relationship brings meaning into the lives of all who are involved. For athletes and fans, the connections are strongest when the feelings are mutual.
Thanks for your time everyone!
- Todd
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