The Transformative Power of Sports Fandom

In a world rife with division and turmoil, our favorite teams can provide us with connection, joy, and a shared identity

When I was a kid, I found a love of sports on my own. It was not passed on from my parents, instead I was exposed to basketball, football, and baseball and became infatuated with the dynamic of games on a professional level. Some people close to me might even say that this interest has bordered on obsession. This need to watch games and coverage of sports is something that did not apply to my sister. While she has enjoyed sports over the years and we have attended games together, that same passion for the day in and day out following a sport was not there.

This all changed when the Detroit Lions made a run to the NFC Championship game. My sister fell in love with the team, its coach, and the general feeling of the city that comes with a successful sports franchise. As someone that lives in downtown Detroit, she got a front row seat to the passion of this year’s run from her apartment window. After the team beat the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round she called me in a state of excitement and energy about this team that was defying the odds. The moment led to her and other friends in Detroit using the term “we” a few times, and made me think about the merit of fans feeling a sense of togetherness with a franchise. It is a…