Supporting a sporting team

by **GetBert** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 12:13 pm

...is something I have never understood. The only sports I ever really watch are Formula 1 and boxing - and even in F1 I don't root for one particular team to win. Yet all through school, and now at work, I am surrounded by people who are fanatical about particular football clubs. These people buy all the kit, they go to the matches when they can, they are happy when their team wins, and angry and depressed when they lose.

Can someone who is a keen supporter explain what it is they get out of it?

by **Grays Harbor** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 12:19 pm

a sense of joining in and enjoyment. If folk want to do that, so what, its up to them. I am a sci-fi geek and go to cons, thats what I enjoy.

As long as something ain't illegal, I don't beieve anybody else has the right to criticize somebody for what they do with their free time, whether it is sports, hunting, geekdom, reading books, or hanging out on NS 24/7.

by **Extreme Ironing** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:04 pm

GetBert wrote:...is something I have never understood. The only sports I ever really watch are Formula 1 and boxing - and even in F1 I don't root for one particular team to win. Yet all through school, and now at work, I am surrounded by people who are fanatical about particular football clubs. These people buy all the kit, they go to the matches when they can, they are happy when their team wins, and angry and depressed when they lose.

Can someone who is a keen supporter explain what it is they get out of it?

I'm the same. I like watching some sports, but don't root for a team in general. Even if it's an England team, I think any support I may have of them is based on familiarity with the players, not much else.

I find many sport supporters that are truly fanatical about a team tend to also be quite judgemental about people outside of sporting situations, kind of simplifying everything to 'us' and 'them'.

by **Conserative Morality** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:08 pm

It's like how I support the Imperium as opposed to the Orks. It's because they like one team more than the other because they're Awesome/Better/Not snobby/Happen to be in the same city as you.

"Skallvia" · by **Maurepas** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:08 pm

'Nough said,

by **Fartsniffage** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:11 pm

A feeling of belonging in a world filled with increasing alienation.

How often would I get to hug random strangers in pubs otherwise?

by **Reavani** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:14 pm

"Team &" an AM Paintball team, so AM infact, we don't even have uniforms.

by **German Nightmare** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:43 pm

Conserative Morality wrote:It's like how I support the Imperium as opposed to the Orks. It's because they like one team more than the other because they're Awesome/Better/Not snobby/Happen to be in the same city as you.

Plus, Orks stink!

"Skallvia" · by **Maurepas** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:44 pm

German Nightmare wrote:
Conserative Morality wrote:It's like how I support the Imperium as opposed to the Orks. It's because they like one team more than the other because they're Awesome/Better/Not snobby/Happen to be in the same city as you.

Plus, Orks stink!

psh, GREEEN IS BeST!!!

by **Jello Biafra** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:48 am

Personally, I support my local teams for a few reasons, but in part because when they are successful it provides a boost to the local economy.

Extreme Ironing wrote:I'm the same. I like watching some sports, but don't root for a team in general.

What's the point of watching if you don't care what the outcome is?

by **Unchecked Expansion** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:51 am

Jello Biafra wrote:
Extreme Ironing wrote:I'm the same. I like watching some sports, but don't root for a team in general.

What's the point of watching if you don't care what the outcome is?

You enjoy the action and skill? Or the accidents, if watching motorsports

by **Kobrania** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:53 am

I go to rugby matches. I just like seeing mountains of muscular men rip the shit out of each other.

Gloucester ftw!

If only orgies became a recognised sport, I'd be a champ.

by **Jello Biafra** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:55 am

Kobrania wrote:If only orgies became a recognised sport, I'd be a champ.

Which position would you play?

by **Kobrania** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:57 am

Jello Biafra wrote:
Kobrania wrote:If only orgies became a recognised sport, I'd be a champ.

Which position would you play?

It would be more of a test of endurance than a team sport.
But I am always a bottom, jus' 'cause I'm lazy.

by **NotRust** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:57 am

Civic pride. Being part of something bigger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdbphEC7Rwc

Plus, we're the best.

by **RightWingChristians** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:59 am

Heh, I don't understand it much either. Some people just like to be apart of something I guess.

My parents are very Anti-LSU. I mentioned purchasing one of their jerseys (to get a reaction) and got thrown out of the house for the night.

by **Extreme Ironing** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:39 am

Jello Biafra wrote:Personally, I support my local teams for a few reasons, but in part because when they are successful it provides a boost to the local economy.

Extreme Ironing wrote:I'm the same. I like watching some sports, but don't root for a team in general.

What's the point of watching if you don't care what the outcome is?

Enjoyment can be derived from other things than just the end result. Ask any straight woman.

Seriously, though, would you cease to enjoy a good game if the result was against your team? Why? Surely enjoying a good game regardless of the result in fact maximises your enjoyment of watching sport.

by **Smunkeeville** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:48 am

It helps if you like the sport. There's great history with some of the teams. I don't know why I like baseball so much or why I memorize stats or watch old games or cheer for my team or pay big money just to see them (as they're not local I have to travel to see them).

I just do.

There is that odd sense of community though, when I see someone wearing my team's hat or jacket and they see me wearing it, we look at each other knowingly. Of course my team is a bit of a bust, we win some, we lose some, we'll never win the series again, it's okay.

I think it's just one of those things......like my neighbor really likes the Matrix movies, I guess they were okay but like he REALLY likes them....... his car has a Matrix personalized plate and he dresses up like Neo every Halloween, and he has movie posters and special editions and all manner of mementos from when the movies were popular....... I don't really get it, but if it makes him happy, I guess.

I suppose he feels the same way about me when I'm headed out to a Trek convention in full uniform.

People are weird. We take delight in stupid shit. It's life.

by **Pope Joan** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:03 am

I am an athletic supporter.

it's a nasty job, but somebody's got to do it.

by **Smunkeeville** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:06 am

Pope Joan wrote:I am an athletic supporter.

it's a nasty job, but somebody's got to do it.

Who would turn down a job holding cocks all day? :blink:

by **Papayania** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:13 am

Smunkeeville wrote:
Pope Joan wrote:I am an athletic supporter.

it's a nasty job, but somebody's got to do it.

Who would turn down a job holding cocks all day?

Cock fighting is illegal in my country, and besides, it's inhumane.

by **Jello Biafra** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 9:16 am

Extreme Ironing wrote:
Jello Biafra wrote:Personally, I support my local teams for a few reasons, but in part because when they are successful it provides a boost to the local economy.

Extreme Ironing wrote:I'm the same. I like watching some sports, but don't root for a team in general.

What's the point of watching if you don't care what the outcome is?

Enjoyment can be derived from other things than just the end result. Ask any straight woman.

Seriously, though, would you cease to enjoy a good game if the result was against your team?

I would enjoy it less, but I'd still enjoy it. The reason I would still enjoy it is because I'm invested in the game and in the ending.

Why? Surely enjoying a good game regardless of the result in fact maximises your enjoyment of watching sport.

Not at all. It would be like reading a book or watching a movie and not liking any of the characters enough to care what happens to them.

by **Charlotte Ryberg** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:09 am

I'm not a supporter of any sports teams but the origins of supporting has to come from where they were first brought up, or how attractive a team is. Personally some people tend to want to be associated with winning teams. When Arsenal were unbeaten for 49 premiership games between 2003 and 2004 their fan-base shot upwards.

by **Extreme Ironing** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:49 am

Jello Biafra wrote:
Extreme Ironing wrote:
Jello Biafra wrote:Personally, I support my local teams for a few reasons, but in part because when they are successful it provides a boost to the local economy.

Extreme Ironing wrote:I'm the same. I like watching some sports, but don't root for a team in general.

What's the point of watching if you don't care what the outcome is?

Enjoyment can be derived from other things than just the end result. Ask any straight woman.

Seriously, though, would you cease to enjoy a good game if the result was against your team?

I would enjoy it less, but I'd still enjoy it. The reason I would still enjoy it is because I'm invested in the game and in the ending.

But why predicate your enjoyment on whether your team happens to play well? why have such an obstacle to your enjoyment?

Why? Surely enjoying a good game regardless of the result in fact maximises your enjoyment of watching sport.

Not at all. It would be like reading a book or watching a movie and not liking any of the characters enough to care what happens to them.

A sport is far more unpredictable than a novel or film, so it is more likely you will be disappointed. In the same way that in a book I will develop my opinions of a character, during a game (say, of association football) I will form a view of who I thought has played better and is perhaps deserving of the win. I would not equate this with supporting, though. I suppose I'm more interested in the aesthetics of the sport than who wins. If that team doesn't win, I won't be disappointed, but I'll have appreciated their performance; the same goes for the other team, even a very late winner in an otherwise poor display is still worthy of merit.

by **Disposablepuppetland** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:39 am

With many team sports there is a sense of belonging and involvement that you're unlikely to get with individual sports.

Taking football as an example, many of the fans will have supported the team since childhood, and so it has become an important part of their life. Many of those who go to the games live in the town/city where the team is based, and feel that the team represent the town or area. They may know some of the players and staff, or have actual involvement with the club themselves. (This is increasingly less so with the bigger clubs though)

It's not something you can fully rationalise, but I'm sure all of you have had moments when you've got carried away defending or condemning something that you care about. Your favourite car, film, computer game, Linux or OSX, music, religion, etc... This forum is full of people arguing their irrational love or hatred for things that they have no genuine investment in. It's the same emotional response that people have for sporting teams.

Supporting a sporting team

Supporting a sporting team

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