Before 2020, all sports – whether high school, college, or professional – had fans attending their games. Last year, however, saw youth sports, major league championships, and world championships played with few fans at the stadiums, if there were any fans allowed at all. This begs the question: how important are fans to sports?
Well, fans contribute to sports in various ways. Yes, they physically support the athletes and teams they root for during live events. But they also contribute to the franchises by buying merchandise – and certainly, they provide a boost to the gaming industry, with online sports betting Canada continuing to be a huge market.
Fans at Live Sporting Events
Sports teams and athletes are put to the test, both mentally and physically. Playing with no fans in attendance can affect how they approach their game mentally, which, in turn, could impact the quality of the game. The positive language and constant cheering can motivate teams and players. If players hear validation in the form of positive comments, it will drive their physical performance and produce the best of their abilities.
Fans don’t have to positively impact the team or player they’re rooting for either. Sometimes, they can respond to the opposition in such a negative way that they affect their performance, making them play worse than their usual game. In an NFL game, for example, booing and noisy opposing fans can cause a team to commit more pre-snap penalties and false starts. They may also cause that team to call a timeout because they’re unable to hear each other. This could also affect them later in the game when they have no timeouts left.
Crowd noise also has a significant impact on the opposing team in basketball during free-throw shooting. Studies have shown that 13 of the 14 teams in the Big Ten have a lower free-throw success rate away from home than they do at home games.
Fan Engagement
Fans can now support their favourite teams and athletes 24/7, following every piece of news that pops up on their idols’ social media profiles. One of the biggest thrills for fans is when a player replies to a social media comment they left on the player’s post. Acknowledgement is a powerful tool. One reason that players like to do this is to create a sense of loyalty. This is true of celebrity culture as a whole. Celebrities understand the power of content, whether through online interviews, social updates, or fan engagement.
Sports, however, is where we see fan engagement at its best. While fans will stay true to their favorite players while they’re on the team they support, historically, they no longer support that player if and when they leave. But through social media, they have the option to continue following them, and if those players engage, fans will likely continue to follow them at their new team. While this isn’t great for the team that player left, it shows the power of fans and fan engagement.
Greater Self-Esteem
Sports fandom does more for fans than entertain. It can make them happier and boost their self-esteem without them even having to shout for the winning team. Sports connects fans to others, which satisfies a human need for belonging.
Sports fans also have a higher satisfaction from life compared to people with no interest in sports. They even tend to have greater access to resources, help, and social support. Studies suggest that when people are supported by their communities, their health is better. So the benefits to being a sports fan are deeper than many may believe.
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