Supporting a sporting team

[West Failure]

Is this sense of belonging similar to that people might get from being in a gang?

[Jello Biafra]

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

For the same reason I might like a good book up until the ending. The ending might be bad, which would color the whole book, but wouldn't necessarily mean the whole book was bad.

A sport is far more unpredictable than a novel or film, so it is more likely you will be disappointed.

It would depend, but if that is the case, then if my team makes the one-in-a-hundred (or so) win, that makes it even better.

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.

Ah, I see. I enjoy the athletics, but (for me) they are merely a means to an end rather than the purpose of watching.

[Disposablepuppetland]

Is this sense of belonging similar to that people might get from being in a gang?

Yes, I would imagine so. In the UK the two used to be almost inseparable, but not so much these days.

[Delator]

...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?

My dad got me into watching sports when I was very young...we would always watch together, and it got me interested in playing both basketball and football. I still maintain loyalty to the teams I grew up watching with my dad...namely all Minnesota sports franchises/colleges.

As for what I get out of it, well..."Fan" is short for "Fanatic". Do you expect a rational explination for fanatacism?

[Extreme Ironing]

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

For the same reason I might like a good book up until the ending. The ending might be bad, which would color the whole book, but wouldn't necessarily mean the whole book was bad.

But this analogy is conflating the aesthetic enjoyment and the enjoyment in 'winning'. It would be more accurate if you said that whether the main character resolves the situation or not. Football games can have good and bad endings, but your support of a team may override this.

A sport is far more unpredictable than a novel or film, so it is more likely you will be disappointed.

It would depend, but if that is the case, then if my team makes the one-in-a-hundred (or so) win, that makes it even better.

It seems slightly a question of risk: is someone willing to invest their feelings in something that may not be predictable for a supposed greater gain if the odds go for you. I would say, though, my non-supportive attitude is not only based on enjoyment, but also the kind of mindset that seems to stem from supporting a team that leads to prejudice based on an arbitrary thing like which team they support.

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.

Ah, I see. I enjoy the athletics, but (for me) they are merely a means to an end rather than the purpose of watching.[/quote]

Heh, odd, I find it the exact opposite.

[Chetssaland]

Supporting teams brings more excitement to life. I figure if I have enough minor heart attacks during games, I'll strengthen my heart up some. No, I'm not serious by the way. I do however support supporting sports teams.

[Jello Biafra]

But this analogy is conflating the aesthetic enjoyment and the enjoyment in 'winning'. It would be more accurate if you said that whether the main character resolves the situation or not. Football games can have good and bad endings, but your support of a team may override this.

Nah. If it's a good ending, it's because my team wins. If it's a bad ending, it's my team losing. Just as in a book where good things happen to the likable characters and bad things happen to the unlikable ones (though admittedly in a few rare instances it's possible for something other than that to happen and be a good ending if it fits the story).

It seems slightly a question of risk: is someone willing to invest their feelings in something that may not be predictable for a supposed greater gain if the odds go for you. I would say, though, my non-supportive attitude is not only based on enjoyment, but also the kind of mindset that seems to stem from supporting a team that leads to prejudice based on an arbitrary thing like which team they support.

I think you mistyped that last sentence. You seem to be saying that the prejudice of supporting a sports team leads to supporting a sports team.

[Unterzagersdorf]

Deleted

[Pacifisia]

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'.

Yes, and the 'us' and 'them' mentality is very primitive, which is why it is the guiding mentality of the majority of sports fans.

I think this is one of the attractions. Most of the time we have to live in the real world which is a complex, confusing and stressful place. Going to support your team gets you together with a bunch of like-minded people, in a situation where everyone knows what they want (a win) and what stands in the way (the opposing team). It's a chance to let off steam, fool around a bit.