Supporting a team, no matter the sport, is a stress filled, passionate love affair between a person and a dream. Why do we follow a team with such passion?
It’s because we wish we were talented enough or lucky enough to actually be a part of it. We feel every win or loss with the same pain or joy as if we were actually out on that field ourselves.
That passion brings thousands of people together and creates intense rivalries. But do most supporters actually support their team?
The Oxford Dictionary defines a supporter as “a person who is actively interested in and wishes success for a particular sports team”. We all know about bandwagon fans who come along when a team is doing well, but let’s forget about these people and focus on those fans that are always there.
It appears to me that there are two distinct types of supporters – the realistic and unrealistic. A realistic supporter follows a team closely, is well informed in all the issues associated with that team and from this information they form strong, passionate views about the club and the associated issues. This doesn’t mean that they always agree with everything that is happening, but instead it means that they have a justified viewpoint.
An unrealistic supporter seems to be becoming almost the default type of modern day fan. What I mean by unrealistic supporter is, somebody that believes that no matter what, their team should be winning, buying every superstar player and spending money like it’s going out of fashion. They base their opinions on very little, if any information, and they strongly argue their opinions often to the detriment of the team they actually support.
To give an example of this let’s look at Liverpool FC, a team I have supported for many years. I often read club forums where fans get an opportunity to vent their anger and discuss important issues. However, it has become highly common for fans to simply abuse their own teams and have farfetched expectations. I often wonder whether these people actually support the club.
One of the biggest recent examples of this at Liverpool was the sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona. I read countless posts by fans utterly abusing the club for selling him and then getting frustrated when we didn’t buy certain replacements with the money.
While I was obviously disappointed to see a world-class player leave the club, I’m also realistic. Suarez was a liability, he wanted to leave and Barcelona offered an amount of money that simply wouldn’t be offered again if there was another indescretion. So knowing those things, how could the club have come up with any other decision?
I use the example of Liverpool because it is a team I’m reasonally well informed about but I’m also sure that every club, in every single sporting category, has supporters just like this.
To me it’s very simple, if you can’t support a team through the good times and the bad, and you can’t be realistic about what your club can truly achieve, then you are not a true supporter. Maybe instead you should play your Playstation or Xbox, at least then you’ve only got yourself to blame.
Lazza
Guest
There's still a lot of fans here who follow the SAFL as well as the AFL. These clubs have a 100 year pedigree, history and tradition but are the fans misguided because they're not watching the best?
Tim
Roar Rookie
Personally geography has very little influence on whether you're a fan or not. It's all about your level of involvement, however you achieve that. For example, I support Liverpool, obviously I can't go to games. However I watch as many games as possible, follow news about them and participate in club forums. To me, I am a supporter.
punter
Guest
They are born & bred in Darwin, they follow AFL, they talk footy with friends, they choose to follow an AFL of his choice, he buys the merchandise, they watch as many games on TV but have never seen their game live because it's too far away. Are they fans?
Perry Bridge
Guest
punter - Some of the answer to that might relate to how the person becomes a 'remote supporter'. Did they move away? Is it indoctrinated from parents? The notion though of - lets say I decide I want to 'follow' a team in the NFL - I pick the GreenBay Packers. I decide upon an emotion based contract with myself - that if they win (playing some team I barely know, in America where I've never been in a sport I don't play) that I'll feel contented/happy and if they lose I'll feel miserable. (having mates to claim bragging rights with helps no doubt). I'll justify why I like the team.....perhaps the ownership structure does it for me. A bit of an underdog. At that point I'm just a 'follower'. Do I contribute financially? Perhaps I buy some form of overseas membership package. I'm now a supporter (financially) a little bit like being part of the ABBA fanclub and living in New Zealand - never got to see them tour unless able to jet to Australia. Reality for the day to day of ones life is that that support could be jettisoned and have little impact other than a time and money saving!! Good luck to the 'remote fans'. However - the regular attendees (generally have the good fortune of ability to access via geography, finances and time availability) - those putting in their money, time and their vocal talents - and, as in my preferred game - the ones who stick it out (at least to within 5 mins to go if having kids and wanting to beat the rush a fraction) even when 10 goals down late in the final term. They are the real supporters. But - no everyone can tick the boxes of geography, finance and time - all the time. So I guess you do what you can - - but, to me, until you have at least a period of being able to make that engagement then it's all a bit superficial. At very least - buy some form of membership so when in total disgust you call in to radio talkback that you can threaten to be willing to microwave your membership card!!!
Tim
Roar Rookie
That's very true. I more so go on there in the hope some intelligent people will put a realistic response. Unfortunately it's not just limited to Facebook after a loss though.
Brick Tamland of the pants party
Guest
Tim whatever you do don't go on your sides facebook page after a loss! Full of 15 year old idiot's that were too busy taking selfies of themselves at the game to give any kind of meaningful analysis.
ciudadmarron
Guest
A life without you wouldnt Shoot!
AZ_RBB
Guest
I'm somewhere in between. My discourse during any game is "these colours unite.....WHAT ARE YOU DOING SHANNON......in the city we owwnnn...."
ciudadmarron
Guest
Yeah... I don't know. I've done both. Been a fan of an English team since I was a kid and picked up teams in other leagues along the way. Late nights, relegation (before streaming! ), cup finals, picking up scraps of news on Internet forums, or in magazines before that. Yeah it's not easy. But I find it doesn't compare to the roller coaster of living it with your community, game days, away trips... as a wanderers supporter I've been through premiership win, two grand final losses, acl win and the longest winless streak in aleague history.... it's been more taxing emotionally than relegation and cup final losses on the other side of the world, because I know the club. I know people and see them regularly. I understand them. I see the effort. They are the club.
ciudadmarron
Guest
I tend to think the opposite almost. At the game, 100% support. Away from the game is where you mouth off. As I said above, if you are with mates and other supporters the mouthing off turns into something healthy, usually.
Tim
Roar Rookie
Appreciate that mate
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
BTW "Maybe people accepting it “for what it is” continues the cycle." Great answer. We need more people like you.
Towser
Guest
Seem to be missing one important angle here,that is support for a team that is passed down by generational support as opposed to support for an A-League team that is still not a generation old. Putting on an Owls hat it was an unsaid,unwritten fact you were born as such because your Dad,Grandad,& indeed Great Grandad was, plus Uncles,( women support football in Sheffield ,unheard of)just as it was an undeniable fact you were born on a certain day,so it was you were an Owls fan. Never considered myself to be anything else but blue and white. The mention of the other Sheffield club ,the red & white on the dark side of the city was enough to make you choke on your red & white bacon on a Sunday morning if you lost to them on a Saturday. Alas little did I know as a lad that I was tagged with the equivalent of the stocks around my neck, destined to have bad eggs & rotten tomatoes thrown at me for eternity. Yet here I am decades on still an Owls fan simply because I was born one. Unfathomable,irrational,illogical yes all of those and more,but it's undeniable. Support for the Roar has grown on me,but it can never be the embedded part of who you are support for the Owls a club that is not only been crap all my life ,but survived bribe scandals and tragic events at Hillsborough,the clubs home ground.
Tim
Roar Rookie
Rick, I very much appreciate your input. I'm not someone that gets annoyed when someone questions my opinion, as long as they are well informed. You seem to be so. An important topic that's for sure.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
**** you are, lol we never agree though? This is getting too weird punter, I'm almost starting to like you :)
punter
Guest
I'm agreeing with you Rick!!!! I only like the A-League because I like live football, definitely don't follow Malaysian or Chinese leagues. I don't follow any of the local competition. So I think like you.
punter
Guest
He doesn't think like us Rick, I'm with you, inferior competitions, inferior sports are all the same, only the best for me!!!!
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Tim I don't comment on many threads in the football section since I don't follow the A-league. I wouldn't have commented on this either if I didn't think it was interesting also. When in a thread though, I tend to comment ridiculous amounts. :)
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
same as for uncle punter. I'm not getting drawn into this, we discussed this last week.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
I explained all of this quite well in a previous thread Uncle and in quite a lot of depth. You clearly didn't understand it or don't went to. I'm not going to be drawn further into this because others clearly did understand it and many actually agreed with me.