This is a guest post from Welles at Global Sources, a volume sales distributor of sporting fan products and sports & leisure items.

People like to present themselves as enormous sports fans. Many times when you visit a sports arena, sports bar, or water cooler, some yahoo is there proclaiming their superiority to you in their sports fandom. The thing is, there are two kinds of sports fans in this world: the arrogant, holier-than-thou sports fans who believe their level of sports knowledge and favorite teams are far superior to anyone else’s, and then there are the fans who actually know what it takes to be called a “great” sports fan. Consider this a step-by-step guide on how to become the latter.

Know What You Know

Perhaps the most fundamental aspect of great sports fandom is knowledge. It is essential to be knowledgeable about the teams you root for. But, like all things, it is important not to go overboard. Knowing the roster and which players are good and bad is all that is needed to fulfill the bare minimum of this requirement. Sometimes, however, fans know so much about their teams it’s frightening. If the fan sitting next to you is proud of the fact that he can recite the birth weight of the entire starting lineup, it is a sign that you should give him a fake name and change seats to a different side of the stadium.

It is also important to recognize the limitations of your knowledge. Nothing can be more frustrating than hearing two sports fans debate on a topic that they actually don’t know anything about. It is much better to politely ask a question like “what is a West Coast offense” at a football game than to embarrass yourself in a discussion where you get in way over your head. The beautiful thing about being a sports fan is that you can always learn something new at every game, but learning is impossible if you go into it thinking you already know everything.

There’s Always Tomorrow

Another basic fundamental of being a great sports fan is having eternal optimism for your team’s chances. This doesn’t mean you can’t feel down in the dumps when your team loses- that’s just an inevitable part of sports. But it is absolutely essential to believe your team has a chance to win going in to every game they play. This is what drives the entirety of the sports experience. Nobody wants to be around a Doubting Thomas when your team takes the field.

Cheer With Class

One thing that every great sports fan should always strive to do is see their favorite team play on the road. This is not only because it’s important that your team has some allies on the road, but also it provides the perfect litmus test for seeing if you have the appropriate demeanor to be a great sports fan. Cheer for your team when you’re on the road, but don’t do it in a boastful, obnoxious manner that gets on everyone’s nerves. Acting in a classy way will actually make the losing more painful for the other team. You don’t want the opposing fans to think, “sure, we lost, but at least we’re nothing like that fool over section 2.” Instead, leave them thinking, “we lost and I have to respect the other team’s fan base? This is gonna sting for years…”

Perhaps the most polarizing issue for sports fans is the question of whether you can boo your team. Some firmly believe that it is never okay to boo your favorite teams. This sentiment is unproductive. It is important for players and franchises to believe that certain actions are unacceptable on the field. Indeed, when used properly, booing can be a form of constructive criticism. But it is crucial to not overuse the privilege of booing. Treat boos as a last resort when all other forms of encouragement have failed. Booing is an ugly sound that the people around you rarely want to hear, so only use it when warranted.

As you can see, it doesn’t take too much effort to be a great sports fan. As long as you are knowledgeable about your team, possess eternal optimism, and maintain a decent level of class and respectability when you cheer for your team, you’ll be in the upper echelon of sports fans. These qualities can be developed at any time in your life, so get out there and cheer like a champion today!

 Loading ...