Tag: soccer

Last week Joe Hubbs wrote an article about his experience as an ‘ecstatic fan’. In it, he describes and dismisses the so-called ‘apathetic fan’. According to him, such a fan is someone who “associates themselves with a team, but hardly cares if they win or lose.” However, Hubbs goes on to associate the term “bandwagon” with apathy. Although I agree with Joe in my disdain for bandwagon fans, I cannot associate them with apathy. In fact, it is rather problematic to associate the two. This is because I have met the likes of the most die-hard bandwagon fans while at Greenville College and I must say, they are not apathetic about their tendency to cheer for the next best team. That being said, it is intriguing to think about what qualities a so-called “apathetic fan” would demonstrate. Would they show any interest in sports at all or merely observe? Do they only feel the need to be a fan once or twice a year? Do they neglect to be a full-fledged fan because they do not feel invested into a particular team or community of fans? This whole idea may be trivial. However, it is peculiar to live in a society driven by spiritual apathy, and yet observe the overwhelming passion the majority has for a sport or specific team.