What Makes the Best Sports Fans?

While there is no clear answer to what makes the best sports fans, there are several vital qualities that make some fans and fanbases better than others. Some of these qualities are loyalty, commitment, enthusiasm, and positivity. There are two types of fans – true and loyal fans versus bandwagon fans.

A true and loyal fan is someone who is true and committed towards their team during the tough and disappointing seasons. This means they remain positive about the future and do not abandon their team for a better one. While some players do not like harassing and booing from their home fans, some believe that it can help players perform better. In other words, tough love from fans help those players who are committed to the organization perform better because they want to win their fans over.

A bandwagon fan is a fan who only likes the hottest new team. In other words, they are not really committed to the team instead they are jumping on the newest bandwagon because most people do not want to support a terrible team that never wins. Most of these fans are not really sports fans; they do not know much about the team or the sport. They find it fascinating to be a part of the fanbase of a winning franchise.

One way to judge a committed and loyal fanbase is to look at the city’s team average attendance statistics as well as their home court record. If they have loyal fans, the attendance will be high even if the team is not very good and if the team is in the middle of the pack but win most of their home games, it shows that their home court advantage is key because their fans make it hard for the opposing team. Basically, the fans are enthusiastic and involved in the energy of the game.

There is  just something about playing in your opponent’s arena full of screaming fans that makes it much harder for the opposing team to win away from home. Also, the fact that a lot of home team fans heckle the opposing players adds extra pressure  for the opposing teams.

One of the best examples of a good and loyal sports fanbase would have to be the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA because while their team has not been any good for the past 10 years, their  fans still continue to attend the games and remain positive towards their team while they trust the process of rebuilding. One example of the opposite would be the Minnesota Timberwolves who have a young and bright future but, as of right now, their average attendance for 2016-2017 is the worst in the NBA at 14,000. Their arena holds just under 20,000 thousand but, because of their continuous losing this year, their attendance is the worst in the NBA.

In the NFL, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been at the bottom of the standings for the last few years and as a result, they have one of the worst average attendances in the league. On the other hand, the Dallas Cowboys have been stuck between the bottom of the league towards mediocre until this year where they held one of the best records in the NFL. Even when they went 4-12 in 2015, they still held the had the best average attendance in the NFL and the following year where they went 13-3, their attendance was almost identical to their previous year. This shows that the Dallas Cowboys have a loyal and committed fanbase.

In summary, the best qualities for a sports fan and fanbase are loyalty, passion, and commitment. With these three qualities teams can build a strong and powerful fanbase that will give their team a huge home court advantage. Fans who are very devoted towards their team can help their team by proudly representing them in public with their team’s clothing or accessories in order to promote the team.

For more statistics and data visit ESPN.