With the storied fan bases of Alabama and Notre Dame set to square off tonight for the National Championship, what better time than now to sort out all the different types of fans you may encounter?
Check out what type of fan you are!
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The Spoiled Fan
Teams- Yankees, Patriots, Lakers, USC football
These fans see anything less than a championship as a failure. They are often cocky, but mostly because they simply can’t remember what it is like to miss the playoffs. They rarely, if ever, have down years and their fans love showing off their success- which makes it so easy for everyone else to root against them. While they have some of the most loyal and die-hard fans, they also have a ton of ‘haters’. For many, it is almost as fun and important to root against these teams as it is to root for their own team.
The Heart-broken Fan
Teams- Vikings, Cubs, Bills, Cavs
These fans are like hardened veterans- they’ve been through and seen it all. They’ve come so close and had defeat snatched from the jaws of victory. While these fans are as loyal as they come, they are always prepared for the worst. After all the suffering they’ve been through they have to see it to believe it- because it is probably too good to be true. They’ve learned to enjoy the individual victories and cherish every playoff appearance, as they never know when the next one will come.
The Traditional Fan
Teams- Packers, Celtics, Cardinals, Notre Dame Football, UCLA Basketball
These teams are loaded with history and tradition- and their fans know all about it. These fans take pride in ‘the good ol’ days’ as much as the present- which is often pretty good itself. They are not starved of championships (not by a long stretch), but they have had their ups and downs- enough downs to keep them from expecting championships year in and year out at least. They connect with their fans in a way most large market teams cannot- making their fans feel like a part of the team.
The Delusional Fan
Teams- Raiders, Chiefs, Warriors, Royals
These fans are as emotionally invested as the rest of them, but it seems almost painful at this point. They’ve won championships in the past, but those days seem further and further away. High (often unrealistic) hopes regardless of the roster often make the pleasure of the season’s results minimal, so they have learned to enjoy each win like it is a championship. At this point, a playoff victory would seem almost as sweet as a championship to their starved fans.
The Underdog Fan
Teams- Texans, Rays, Thunder, Boise State Football
These fans love an underdog! These teams were irrelevant (or non-existent) up until the last few years, and have seemingly stolen the hearts of thousands out of nowhere. With elite young talent, these teams have a bright future and a lot to look forward to- so these fans may not stay in this category for long.
The Secure Fan
Teams- Spurs, Colts, SF Giants
These may be the luckiest fans out there, because they never have to worry- their teams aren’t the flashiest, but year after year they find ways to compete for it all, no matter who is on the roster. They’ve built a foundation of success from the top down, ensuring that they will always be relevant- and allowing their fans to be comfortable knowing they can fully trust any moves the front office makes.
The Forgotten Fan
Teams- Sonics, New Jersey Nets, Expos, L.A. Rams
Oh wait, these fans don’t have teams anymore! For whatever reason their town’s franchise was stolen away from them, and each fan deals with it in a different way. Some will continue to root for them, some find a new team, and others stop following the sport all together. Regardless of the option they choose, they can never fully get over their loss.
Check out what type of fan you are!
http://www.ted-payne.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/sports_fans.jpg
The Spoiled Fan
Teams- Yankees, Patriots, Lakers, USC football
These fans see anything less than a championship as a failure. They are often cocky, but mostly because they simply can’t remember what it is like to miss the playoffs. They rarely, if ever, have down years and their fans love showing off their success- which makes it so easy for everyone else to root against them. While they have some of the most loyal and die-hard fans, they also have a ton of ‘haters’. For many, it is almost as fun and important to root against these teams as it is to root for their own team.
The Heart-broken Fan
Teams- Vikings, Cubs, Bills, Cavs
These fans are like hardened veterans- they’ve been through and seen it all. They’ve come so close and had defeat snatched from the jaws of victory. While these fans are as loyal as they come, they are always prepared for the worst. After all the suffering they’ve been through they have to see it to believe it- because it is probably too good to be true. They’ve learned to enjoy the individual victories and cherish every playoff appearance, as they never know when the next one will come.
The Traditional Fan
Teams- Packers, Celtics, Cardinals, Notre Dame Football, UCLA Basketball
These teams are loaded with history and tradition- and their fans know all about it. These fans take pride in ‘the good ol’ days’ as much as the present- which is often pretty good itself. They are not starved of championships (not by a long stretch), but they have had their ups and downs- enough downs to keep them from expecting championships year in and year out at least. They connect with their fans in a way most large market teams cannot- making their fans feel like a part of the team.
The Delusional Fan
Teams- Raiders, Chiefs, Warriors, Royals
These fans are as emotionally invested as the rest of them, but it seems almost painful at this point. They’ve won championships in the past, but those days seem further and further away. High (often unrealistic) hopes regardless of the roster often make the pleasure of the season’s results minimal, so they have learned to enjoy each win like it is a championship. At this point, a playoff victory would seem almost as sweet as a championship to their starved fans.
The Underdog Fan
Teams- Texans, Rays, Thunder, Boise State Football
These fans love an underdog! These teams were irrelevant (or non-existent) up until the last few years, and have seemingly stolen the hearts of thousands out of nowhere. With elite young talent, these teams have a bright future and a lot to look forward to- so these fans may not stay in this category for long.
The Secure Fan
Teams- Spurs, Colts, SF Giants
These may be the luckiest fans out there, because they never have to worry- their teams aren’t the flashiest, but year after year they find ways to compete for it all, no matter who is on the roster. They’ve built a foundation of success from the top down, ensuring that they will always be relevant- and allowing their fans to be comfortable knowing they can fully trust any moves the front office makes.
The Forgotten Fan
Teams- Sonics, New Jersey Nets, Expos, L.A. Rams
Oh wait, these fans don’t have teams anymore! For whatever reason their town’s franchise was stolen away from them, and each fan deals with it in a different way. Some will continue to root for them, some find a new team, and others stop following the sport all together. Regardless of the option they choose, they can never fully get over their loss.
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