Being into sports both as a writer and a viewer, I have come to the conclusion that being a fan is not what it used to be.
Take for example the Weber State athletics program. As many people know and can understand, it’s hard to be a fan of sports at WSU. Going to games, particularly football games, it’s disheartening to look over at the student section and see it sparsely populated as the game kicks off.
Sure, I get it. Many choose not to attend games because they haven’t won games like other schools in the state. Winning does increase a fan base, but it should be more than that. Heck, Utah State University manage to fill their stadium with fans and even on the road bring a large fan contingency. What’s wrong with Weber?
Now, before you jump down my throat, my frustrations with fans also extends to the professional level of sports. On Monday Nov. 30 the Golden State Warriors traveled to Utah to face the Jazz in a game. As both a fan and part time worker of the Jazz, it was one of the more frustrating games I have ever attended.
Why, you ask? The fans.
Of those in attendance, I would say about 50 percent present were fans of Golden State. I would bet money that of the 50 percent, two thirds started their fandom in May of this year as they won the NBA Championship. Fans like that are called band wagoners and are more irritating than nails on a chalkboard.
In attitude, band wagoners act like their “beloved” team can do no wrong. And if they beat your team, which was the case in Monday’s game, they are the voices that taunt and ridicule louder than any sane fan.
There is an inverse effect though when the band wagoners find themselves in the losing side of it all. Like rats off a sinking ship they run for a safer haven, another winner to cheer for, and leave their old flavor of the month in the dust. A prime example of this can be found in the Seattle Seahawks fans who aren’t cheering for their team in the current NFL season.
People, it is time to clean up our acts. As my grandfather would say, it’s time to crap or get off the pot. Show some loyalty and stick through the hard times as fan, not when it’s convenient. Do that and I am willing to bet that attending games will be fun, no matter the final score.
In all honesty, athletic programs both collegiate and professional only exist because of their fans. It’s because of fans that baseball is still a well-watched and attended sport. It’s why soccer has been able to grow and gain a legitimate foothold as a major sport in the United States.
And as a student body of approximately 29,000 students that pay on average $2,500 a semester to attend this institution, it’s something we should show when our teams go out and represent us in their sport. And you want to know something cool? You actually have a lot of fun being true to your school.
