Being a fan of something can be a lot of fun. But it does not make you a better person. In fact, fandom drives some people to do awful things.
As the entertainment capital of the world, Southern California stands as the epicenter of multiple fandoms. From Disneyland to studio tours to San Diego’s original Comic-Con and beyond, millions of fans from around the world come to California each year to share their joy for their favorite entertainment franchises. Millions of sports fans also turn out to support their favorite teams, including the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
It’s all fun — until it isn’t. The ugly side of fandom emerged again last month during the NBA playoffs. I have been a lifelong fan of the Indiana Pacers, and it pained me to see Pacers fans suffering abuse in New York and Oklahoma City during the playoffs. But it pained me even more to see some Pacers fans returning that abuse toward opposing fans in Indianapolis.
Conflict drives both sports and entertainment. You have heroes and villains and winners and losers. In following those journeys, fans get to experience the wide range of emotions that make us feel alive and engaged. As much I feel devastated by Tyrese Haliburton’s injury and the Pacers’ loss in Game 7, at some point I will cherish the joy that the team brought me and countless other fans by its inspired run through the playoffs this year.
Unfortunately, some fans seem not understand their role in this journey. We are passengers on this ride. We are not the main characters. It is not our role to defeat people wearing the other team’s shirts.
Physically attacking or verbally harassing someone for loving something you don’t does not make you a better person. It just reveals how petty and awful you are. That is no good way to support your team.
Fans not only should respect other fans, but they also should respect the people who are trying to create all this joy for us. It’s sickening to read about fans threatening or attacking athletes, actors, writers or designers because they did something that the fans did not like.
Respectful criticism and reviews are part of what keeps fans engaged in sports and entertainment. But attacking a player because you lost a bet or an actor because you did not like seeing people of color in a Star Wars movie or Disney remake are not what good fans do.
Fandom should bring people together — not drive them apart. So let’s normalize keeping quiet when you see a stranger wearing gear from another franchise instead of chirping at them. If you must say something, how about being nice and welcoming, instead? Pacers and Thunder fans share a love for basketball and sports. Disney and Universal fans share a love for theme parks and entertainment. Watch other teams’ games — or visit other companies’ parks and movies — and you might discover why other people love them, too.
Focus more on what we have in common instead of what divides us, and we all might enjoy a better life.