A sport fan is someone who really likes and follows a particular sport, team, or athlete (Wann & James, 2017). They might go to games, watch on TV, read about it online, or listen to news about it but just watching or going to a game doesn’t make someone a fan ((Wann & James, 2019) A real fan has a strong psychological connection to the sport, team, or athlete, they care a lot about, and it’s important to them (Funk & James, 2001). Being a fan is such a powerful state that it can affect how some thinks, feels, and behaves (Funk & James, 2001).
Funk, D. C., & James, J. D. (2001). The Psychological Continuum Model: A conceptual framework for understand- ing an individual’s psychological connection to sport. Sport Management Review, 4, 119150.
Wann, D. L., & James, J. D. (2017). Sport fans: The psychol- ogy and social impact of spectators (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge Press.
Wann, D. L., & James, J. D. (2019). In D. Hackfort, R. J. Schinke, & B. Strauss (Eds.), Dictionary of sport psychology: Sport, exercise, and performing arts. Academic Press.