Watching sports is one of America’s greatest pastimes. But what makes someone a true fan?
“A sports fan is not merely someone who watches sports, but rather someone who is loyal to a tee.” Lane Kenny, a lifetime Chicago Bears and Iowa State Cyclones, believes that the most important thing in becoming a fan is loyalty. According to Mr. Kenny, the difference between being a real fan and a fake fan is not being a “fair weather fan”. “Fans that are willing to stick with the team even when the team is struggling are the truest of all fans”, states Kenny. When I asked him what got him and other fans he knows into sports fandom, he stated that some people were born into fandom and other people became fans due to the influence of some other friends.
There are many other ways to get into fandom however. “Choose a player and get invested in them,” Kenny says. For him, his fandom of the Bears reached an all-time apex following the UDFA signing of Jesper Horsted. Horsted has been in and out of the league for the last 5 years, but he is able to cheer for Horsted due to his random, committed allegiance to him. This was also similar for Mr. Kenny in his ISU fandom, when he became a diehard fan of David Montgomery following the recruitment of Montgomery despite the fact that he was a third-string running back. Following Montgomery’s success and subsequent drafting by the Bears, his fandom was reinvigorated for both teams.
Overall, Mr. Kenny kept alluding to the importance of staying true to a team throughout our interview process. In order to become a true sports fan, the allegiance must never waver. Regardless of the outcome, a true sports fan remains loyal and true to their team. Once you choose a team, you can’t change teams if you want to become a real fan. “Whether it’s a player or a fan, stay devoted. No matter how hard times get for you and your team, you’ve gotta stay hopeful. The real difference between being a sports watcher and a sports fan is that sports watchers watch two teams, while a sports fan watches their team against the enemy.”