What “How I Met Your Mother” Teaches Us About Sports Fandom

How Marshall, Robin, Ted, Barney, & Lily map the spectrum of sports fandom

One of my favorite podcasts lately has been How We Made Your Mother, a show hosted by Craig Thomas and Josh Radnor about the sitcom How I Met Your Mother. Thomas is one of the co-creators of the show, while Radnor played Ted Mosby, the protagonist of the show. How I Met Your Mother is a show about growth and relationships at its core, but within that framing it also presents other lessons.

Radnor and Thomas have gone into depth about the application of the storylines and jokes to serious real-life problems and situations. A common thread throughout the series’ nine seasons is the way sports are introduced throughout and how it teaches us about the different types of fandom that exist and the way they color each character’s personality whether they are a diehard fan, casual observer, or not a fan at all.

Marshall Eriksen: The Dedicated Fan

Perhaps the most relatable fan experience among the main cast is that of Marshall Eriksen. Marshall is originally from Minnesota and moved to New York City with Ted…