Bandwagon fans in the sports scene
“It was really exciting when the Warriors made the playoffs for the first time in a while. I hadn’t really paid much attention to them before, but in the sixth grade [once they made the playoffs] I got really into the spirit and started following the players,” says sophomore Sam Bunarjo. “Since then I haven’t been following them as closely because they haven’t been doing as well. But I’m still definitely a fan.”
In the case of local sports teams that are on a winning streak, “bandwagon fans,” who begin to support a team once it starts performing well, are quite common and, in fact, anticipated. Teams that continue to play exceptionally are more likely to catch the attention of sports fans, allowing them to recruit new fans. Though many dedicated fans embrace the addition of “bandwagon fans,” others may disapprove of the concept, believing that these fans are not authentic. Students at Aragon contribute evidence to both beliefs.
“I can see how bandwagon fans may be considered annoying, but I don’t think they should be just because a true fan would want their favorite team to earn more and more followers,” says sophomore Carly Olson. Bunarjo agrees, “If I was a fan for some sports team all along, I’d want more enthusiasm for my team once they started doing well.”
On the other side of the argument, “I can sympathize with bandwagon fans because you want to become part of the hype that’s going on at the time instead of feeling like you’re left out in the dust. But the only problem is that they didn’t really go through the trials it took [the team] to get to the World Series [in the example of the Giants]. So it’s a little bit annoying sometimes when they act like they know the team when they actually don’t,” says senior Chris Englemann.
Sophomore Alexis Harrington adds, “I understand that it’s exciting when a team starts to do well, but bandwagon fans shouldn’t pretend that they’ve been dedicated to a team the whole time when in reality they’ve just started following them.”
As sweatshirts, hats and t-shirts displaying the Giant’s name appeared all around the school this past month, it is easy to see that local sports teams are especially prone to “bandwagon fans.”
These teams often unify members in the community as they find something in common: cheering for the team that fills them with pride. “[When a team does well,] bandwagon fans help create a community-like atmosphere. It’s like, ‘wow this team’s from my area, I should starting paying attention to them now,” says Englemann.
Having gone to the Giants Victory Parade, Englemann adds, “It was really cool because it felt like only the die-hard fans were there, but I’m pretty sure there were some bandwagon fans too. It really doesn’t matter though because overall, it was awesome to celebrate with all of the local fans and get to see the players that I’ve been following for many years now.”
Whether positive or negative, it is safe to conclude that most people have turned into “bandwagon fans” sometime in the course of sports history. It is simply too difficult not to get swept up by the excitement, enthusiasm and spirit all around when a sports team begins to flourish.
