What is a sports fan

What is a Sports Fan? In contemporary American society sports represent one of the fundamental pastimes for many citizens. While a large number of individuals play sports, an even larger percentage are sports fans. With the advent of fantasy leagues, the increasing popularity of sports betting, and television programming that includes focus and dedication on the daily occurrences of sports franchises, the amount of dedicated sports fans is at a greater level than perhaps anytime in history. Still, the question of what exactly constitutes a sports fan is a debatable topic. While there are a great number of people that enjoy watching or following sports, these individuals are often qualified with statements that they are not true fans. This essay considers the nature of what is a true sports fan in regards to a number of elements.
One of the fundamental levels of being a sports fan is having a dedication to a sports team. In these regards, people have a number of reasons for choosing one franchise over another. In collegiate sports, many people follow the teams of the universities that they are personally affiliated. For professional athletic franchises, traditionally fans follow the sports team with which they are geographically closest. It seems these fans believe that the sports team represents their city or state, and in rooting for them they are rooting for their own region. Of course, these tendencies are oftentimes not followed for a number of reasons. Many times individuals will follow teams from entirely different geographic regions for the sole reason that they are winning. This leads many individuals to claim they are front-runners and not true fans. It follows that most sports fans are described as such because of their dedication to a specific team.
Another important element that makes one a sports fan is their dedication to the sport they are a fan. In these regards, people have many reasons they are passionate about sports. As discussed above, many individuals are passionate about sports out of a dedication to their home town or college team. There exists a number type of sports fan that is interested in sports out of a hobby interest. In recent years, fantasy leagues have become increasingly popular. These are leagues wherein people join and draft a team of players. If a player on the individuals team has a high statistical showing, then the individual scores points for their fantasy team. People then avidly follow sports to keep track of their team. Similarly, individuals who choose to gamble on sports, or even those who collect or sell sports memorabilia, are also avid fans. In these regards, these individuals are fans of sports to out of these interests.
In conclusion, its clear that there are many elements that makes one a sports fan. One of the most pervasive elements is the dedication one has to a specific sports team or franchise. Individuals choose teams to follow for a number of reasons, but generally it is because the team plays in their geographical region. Another core element for an individual becoming a sports fan is because of a hobby. In these regards, individuals with an interest fantasy leagues, sports memorabilia, or gambling, become fans in pursuing these activities. Ultimately, just as there are a multitude of sports fans, there are a multitude of reasons individuals are classified as fans.