Why are sports fans so passionate?

When you walk into a stadium on game day, no matter what sport you’re spectating, you’ll be met with masses of people donning the colours of their team; a sea of scarves, beanies and jerseys.  

For some, game day is a fun opportunity to get out, socialise and barrack. For others, the result of the game will make or break their weekend.  

Why are sports fans so passionate about the teams they follow? At the end of the day, it’s just a game, so why does it mean so much more to so many people? 

Deakin University’s Dr Kasey Symons provides an insight into why Australians are so passionate about sport. 

What is a sport fanatic? 

If you’ve ever been to a sporting event, you’ve probably spotted a fanatic.  

At an AFL game, you’ll typically find the most fanatical supporters in the cheer squad behind the goals.  

At the Australian Open, you’ll see the Australian ‘fanatics’ at any match featuring an Australian player.  

At a soccer match, there’s often a section of the ground that is more animated than the rest.  

During the Boxing Day test at the MCG, you’ll see mayhem in Bay 13.  

So, are sport fanatics all the same? Do they always present the same way?  

‘Passionate sports fans come in all shapes and sizes with different ways to connect to the sports they love in ways that suit them. While some fans might wear all the merchandise and paint their faces and sing loudly at the game which might bring them so much joy, that is not the only way to be a fan,’ says Dr Symons. 

She says there are fans who love whatever sport just as much, but they don’t feel the need to make it as obvious. This is often seen in women’s professional sport. 

‘Fans of women’s sport can be fans in the traditional sense of course, but they also show fandom through supporting multiple teams, changing teams, following different styles of media coverage and storytelling, making art, not knowing all the rules and players but loving the atmosphere, just going to be social, supporting the women in sport movement more broadly,’ she explains. 

Why do Australians love sport so much? 

Sport is embedded in Australian culture. It is everywhere you look, and Dr Symons believes it’s a part of the Australian identity to be passionate about sport and the teams we follow. 

‘Australians’ love for sport comes from a mix of our history, culture, and lifestyle. Sport has played a big role in shaping our Australian identity. From early colonial days, physical competition was encouraged, and sports like cricket, rugby league, and Australian rules football, netball and horse racing became deeply embedded in society,’ she explains. 

Sport is a significant part of Australian culture at every level; not only do we turn up in droves to watch professionals play but 84% of Australians participate in social or amateur-level sport at least once per year. 

Whether you’re involved on a professional, amateur or even volunteering level, Dr Symons says there are so many ways for Australians to be connected through sport. This sense of community involvement is a big reason why sports fans are so passionate about the teams they’re involved with. 

‘We have a diverse sporting landscape and a strong amateur sporting culture that offers many options and ways to participate, so it has been very easy for most Australians, if they want to, to connect to sport in some way and develop a fandom for a sport they love.’ 

Dr Symons also believes that Australia’s isolated location might explain why Australian sports fans are so passionate when watching Aussies perform on a global stage. 

‘Being so far away from the rest of the world, Australians love when we have sporting success on the world stage. We like to remind the rest of the world that we are here and not to count us out. This plays a part in  why Australian sports fans are so passionate about the green and gold,’ she says. 

Why are sports fans so passionate about a specific team? 

When it comes to those of us who intensely follow a specific team, Dr Symons believes it is the loyalty factor that makes us sports fans so passionate. 

‘Loyalty is a key aspect of sports fandom and so much mythology about fandom is coded to loyalty. We have it drilled into us from a young age – usually from family members who indoctrinate us into their team – that to be a fan is to stick by your team no matter what, and through that, your team can become an extension of who you are and your own identity,’ she says. 

You may notice that most fans will use the ‘I am’ statement, ‘I am a [team name] supporter’ rather than I support [team name]’, which indicates a much more personal connection to the team.  

This connection means we essentially become part of the team – we ride the highs and lows. It’s this intense emotional investment that makes sports fans feel so passionate about their team and game-day results.  

‘When things are great, we take those victories as our own, and when they let us down, we can take it really personally or become defensive. Criticism can feel personal too; we invest so much in the team, from our time and energy to our hard-earned money with memberships and merchandise.’ 

Interestingly, while this sense of intense loyalty to a club has been observed for decades in men’s sport, thing look a little different when it comes to professional female sport. 

‘While there are certainly fans who are loyal to one team in women’s sports, my research shows that there are also lots of fans that come to that space differently and might support a few different teams, and change teams based on player movement,’ says Dr Symons. 

Dr Symons believes this shift may impact the fan culture in professional male sport. 

‘In women’s sports, all these fan motivations are celebrated as the culture is inclusive and inviting to bring more people in who might not have always felt welcome at men’s sports. However, in men’s sports, fandom is still quite restrictive; you need to display the traditional fan behaviours to feel like you belong. Maybe as more people become fans of women’s sport, this might change fan culture in men’s sport too!’ 

What psychological factors cause fans to be so obsessed with sport? 

Dr Symons believes it’s the thrill of sport that causes the obsession. Not knowing the outcome and what might happen during the game keeps us guessing, which creates anticipation.  

The unexpected nature of sport is another reason why sports fans are so passionate, one odd bounce of a ball can change the outcome of the game. 

As Dr Symons notes, sport is one of the few entertainment options where the outcome is uncertain, and we’re forced to be completely present. It is easy to become obsessed with the thrill; the feeling that something amazing could happen at any moment. 

‘Sports fans talk about being in love with their team’, Dr Symons observes. ’Love allows fans to justify the hard times and hope for the best. We would walk away if we didn’t feel deeply for our teams when they let us down on and off the field. But the exhilaration of not knowing what might happen at any given game, that is something that keeps all sports fans so passionate and coming back for more.’

So, the next time you’re at the MCG taking a bite out of a four ‘n’ twenty pie, take a look at the sea of passionate sports fans around you. 

Why are all of these sports fans so passionate? The love of the game, the thrill of the sport, and that crucial sense of belonging!