Andrew Robinson
Sporting events have been popular for centuries. Recently, with the rise of television and 24/7 sports networking, it has become even easier to consume sports at any time. So why do so many people love sports?
Disclaimer: This article is coming courtesy of a sports fanatic. Anything Philadelphia sports related, I’m listening. I watch nearly every Sixers game, most Phillies games, and all Eagles games (hockey isn’t really my thing). I could tell you ridiculously obscure things from the history of those three teams, as well as the history of the sports as a whole. I love sports, plain and simple.
However, that love of sports results in mood changes for me. When the Philly teams lose – especially heartbreakingly – my mood immediately worsens. As someone who deals with chronic migraines, this has a negative effect on my health. The fact that I am so connected emotionally with sports is a bad thing for my stress, anxiety, and health. I fully understand that. But that won’t change my approach at all.
Why is that? What makes sports so intriguing? So worth the pain and heartbreak?
And what kind of person would subject themselves to such an event when the odds of prolonged happiness are so slim (unless you happen to be a Boston fan)?
Well, I believe sports are as popular as they are because of the fandom they present. The connectedness that everyone innately strives to attain, whether it be through sports or otherwise. My Twitter feed is filled with sports news, and many of my followers/people I follow are sports-lovers whom I’ve never met in real life. I write for – and manage a portion of – a pretty well-known Philadelphia sports site, called PHLSportsNation. I have never met anyone – save one – from that site, yet I would call more than a few of them my friends. Sports bring people together.
The more interesting perspective comes in when one wonders why people subject themselves to the pitfalls of loving sports. Of the three Philly teams that I mentioned, they have won a total of two championships since I was born in 1999 (Phillies in 2008 and Eagles in 2017). I’ve endured a painful rebuild with both the Phillies and the Sixers in just the last seven years or so. In fact, there is a case to be made that the Process Sixers was the worst team ever assembled in NBA history. The Phillies have the most losses in the history of the MLB. The Eagles have been the posterboys of disappointment, outside of their 2017 season that will never be forgotten. There have been far, far, far more painful moments than good ones. Yet I still come back every single game. What’s the definition of insanity again?
The only reason I can come up with is the fact that the highs are so high. The Eagles winning the Super Bowl was one of the best moments of my life. I imagine other huge Eagles fans would agree. And this isn’t just for Philadelphia fans. Ask nearly any sports fanatic that has experienced their team winning a championship and they’ll tell you that they won’t ever forget the moment. The play that sealed it, the incredible performance by a particular player, the moves by the front office that made the championship possible in the first place. Sports fanatics live for those moments.
Furthermore, many sports fans are jealous of the players. They get to play sports that we grew up playing, but were not good enough to make the higher levels. And they get millions of dollars to do this. Of course, they are under extreme scrutiny all the time and the injuries can be unbelievably scary, particularly in football and hockey. Playing the sports has literally ended some athletes’ lives. We don’t like to think about that, but it is true.
Regardless, people envy the athletes. Common folks sit at their desk jobs and believe that athletes have it all. The adoration, the money, the sex. Both male and female athletes are hypothesized to have it all. This has been proven time and time again to be incorrect, but it doesn’t stop the stereotypes. So, part of the reason people watch sports is the mere fact that they envy the people on their television screens. They wish they were them. And, in some cases, they root for the athletes to fail.
Sports have a major following. NBC’s Sunday Night Football is typically a top-3 TV show of the week when it comes to viewership. There’s a reason ESPN is as well-known as it is and has lasted as long as it has. People love sports. People love to debate sports. People love to root for certain teams and players. And people love to hate other teams and players.
People love sports.
