While much fan behavior is absent during the coronavirus epidemic, it is probably a good time to explore what makes a good fan and fan base. I am reminded of my family’s devotion to the San Francisco Giants – a devotion that started when the Giants were based in New York. Coming from a “baseball” family which included Charles “Cuckoo” Jamieson, a former Washington Senator and recent posthumous inductee to the. Cleveland Indiana Hall of Fame, the Jamieson side of my family was a loyal fan base to the New York Giants. My brothers and me, as little kids, remember my grandfather Jamieson, brother of Charlie, regaling us with baseball talk. He also was a coach of the Chevy Red Sox, a AAA baseball team out of Paterson, NJ, that played in Eastside Park, where Larry Doby began his career. My father played on that team, and his sister Marilyn was the team mascot. Baseball was everywhere with Major League Baseball teams based in New York (Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants), later Mets. The reality was that my father was such a fan that he actually moved our family to California not long after the Giants moved to San Francisco.
He and my mother and many family members remember times when they would go to spring practice in Arizona, and take in many 3-4 game series while visiting San Francisco, a practice they continued until they were into their 80’s. I also remember their individual closets of clothing with a special section of Giants swag, an entire orange and black section of each closet. I also remember times when I would call them, and they were too depressed to talk after the Giants lost. In my mind, this behavior was and is what I would call true fandom.
Willie Mays statue outside AT&T park in San Francisco.
Fast forwarding to today, I am wondering what it takes to be a true fan? At the present time, we are blocked from enjoying many sports that rely on spectators to develop an exciting atmosphere. What exactly IS the atmosphere we miss – taken together there is the anticipation of attending a sports event, there is the movement among crowds that precedes the start of the game, and also sampling of FOOD through glorious smells and tasting your favorite treats (mine consist of a stadium hotdog and a beer). In addition, there are many sounds, fans cheering, announcers enthusiastically describing play, the sounds of play, and the ultimate roller coaster ride to a win or a loss. So much is missing as we hopefully creep back to the possibility that we may experience this again. Now we view sports on flat screens, the seats taken by pop up cardboard fans, the announcers sound flat and can barely rouse enough enthusiasm to entice a cheer. It falls flat.
In addition, all forms of sports betting ads are vying for the original slots that led up to a sport contest. I wonder if sport betting is replacing the thrill of attendance at one’s favorite game. The sheer lure of these ads seems worrisome. Are people started to gamble to take up the void left from the incredible amount of time that is involved in planning and attending a favored sport event? What exactly is filling this void? Hopefully, most fans are able to try new ways of using their free time. Judging from widely reported use of parks and other outdoor venues, people are gaining an appreciation of those experiences that do not require a major time investment required to be the type of fan that spends a great deal of time on investing in a favored sport.
Another observation is that maybe, during this trial period, it would be prudent to examine what makes the best sports fan, and what behaviors have gotten out of hand. There are well-documented incidents that show fans in a very negative light, such as times where fans have gotten into fights before, after, and during a contest. In addition, incidents such as throwing bottles and debris on a field, or engaging in abusive behavior with players, referees, and other fans do not reflect well on the reputation of the sport. Maybe such reflection will allow the sports world in its entirety to reconsider measures to prevent sport violence within and outside of fans and other sport representatives. A simple adjustment of having fans be socially distant may herald the end to mob behavior and conflicts that result from too much crowding. At the very least, our ability to return to sport events will rely on many new measures to be considerate of ours and others” safety.
In sum, to be a fan is a wonderful experience. Becoming a sports fan begins in childhood and is influenced by generations of people who invested in a favored sport and carried on traditions enjoyed by an increasingly wider family. In that regard, fans will return to enjoy their passion. Hopefully, a return to viewing the sports we love will also ring in a new era of thoughtfulness and enjoyment.