FANDOM, THE SUPER BOWL AND THE WORLD SERIES

Now that the Patriots and Giants have punched their tickets to the big game it got me thinking about comparisons with the World Series and people’s fandom.

First, let me make my own personal categories of fans within a fandom. These apply to all sports.  There are your superfans/diehards.  These fans not only have a favorite team they loyally follow, but they tend to follow the sport as a whole.  Often times, superfans/diehards like multiple sports and are pretty knowledgeable in all of them.  Then you have your casual fans.  You know these people.  They follow sports when the playoffs begin, March Madness or maybe Monday Night Football.  They know a little bit about a sport or two, but don’t have a favorite team.  However, they do appreciate the sports they casually follow.  Next are your “homers”.  These guys drive me nuts.  They only follow one team within a sport and don’t know much about the game or even their own team.  Yet, their team is the best!!!!  Yes, these fans drive me nuts.  Every sport and every team has them.  Finally, there’s your “sports fan” in general.  These fans don’t necessarily have a favorite team, but follow multiple sports and are almost as knowledgeable as your superfan.  Some of these categories can overlap too.  For example, sometimes a “homer” can also be a “superfan”.

Anyway, when the big game is played between the Giants and Pats there will be all kinds of fans and even non-fans watching this event.  I call it an event on purpose too.  Heck, some people only watch the game for its commercials and we all know that’s true.  There is also a lot of hoopla around the halftime entertainment as well.  Let’s hope for no wardrobe malfunctions this year.  So, the game can sometimes become overshadowed and it does not seem to bother fans all that much.

When I think about the World Series I know it doesn’t get the tv ratings football does, but I enjoy it more, personally.  It’s not about all the hoopla surrounding the game…..it’s about the game itself.  Two teams trying to become Champions.  As you probably know, I am not a Cardinals fan and cannot stand them.  However, the World Series between the Cards and the Rangers was one of the best I’ve watched in years.  I felt every game was exciting for various reasons.  I was amazed, though I probably shouldn’t have been, by Albert Pujols’ 3 homer game.  The back and forth competition between the Cards and Rangers was fantastic.  However, since the World Series is not an event like football is many non-fans did not witness this great series.  It’s too bad too.  They missed out on something much better than any commercial or half time show.