I grew up in a home where sports did not matter. My parents showed no interest. My older brothers’ knowledge began and ended with the Fifa World Cup. The occasional invites to Creighton basketball games or the College World Series would engage my time, but, mostly, I did not care. The more people expected me to be a fan, the more I rebelled.
Not engaging in sports fandom in the U.S. feels heretical. The average American spends 4.17 hours a week watching sports content according to a study by Time2play. I considered this viewership such a waste of time (despite wasting my time on a variety of antics) and developed a contempt for the sports obsessed. In retrospect, this was a defense mechanism from feeling alienated. I didn’t understand sports. I didn’t have a team to cheer on. I felt like an outsider. A lost puppy.
TCU Football
Then, I started at TCU where over half of students attend home football games. The Horned Frog fandom is a warm and enthusiastic monolith. Students attend games for free. Game day is like a holiday, with tailgates and parties all around campus. Attendees dress up in themes, typically donning cowboy boots. Even if I didn’t (and still don’t) understand the gameplay of football, I came to understand the culture.
I completely fell for Frog Nation. It helped that my freshman year team was undefeated! I finally had my invite into the fandom of sports and I take so much joy in being a fan.
The Benefits of Being a Fan
It came as a complete surprise to me that following the Frogs’ season brought me a new kind of enjoyment and sorrow. I feel elated when games go well and we win. Losses have brought me close to tears. After years of apathy, I was a completely changed girl!
After some research, I discovered how fulfilling fandoms can be. “Geeking out,” as it were, for anything, from football games to pottery, with others, brings a sense of belonging and joy. Dr. Laurie Santos, a psychology professor at Yale University, attributes the happiness fandom brings to the comfort and friends found when sharing an interest.
If you want to engage in sports but don’t know where to start, look for friends! Engaging in sports is incredible for connections.
Go frogs!