How to be a Half-decent Sports Fan

 

By Jay Palitto

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Sports fans are some of the most passionate people on the planet. Every one of us knows at least one person who lives and dies by the success of their team. This, however, often leads to some taking their fandom too far and that can create a toxic environment and therefore influence for fellow fans of that respective team. If you are just starting to support a sports team, look no further than these basics to being a loyal fan without making yourself look like a crazy person.

 

First off, if you are new to a team, you are going to need some apparel. Now if your fandom is on a little bit of a budget, there is no need to worry. While the apparel found on the official shops of professional sports can cost a fortune, that is not always the only location you can look. I, for one, have purchased a jersey for my beloved Mets at a third of the usual price when I found a sale online from another website. While this may seem unreliable, you would be surprised at the high quality of these products despite their low price.

 

Now that you have the gear, you need to know how to act appropriately as a fan. There is nothing wrong with being passionate, the problem arises when you are obnoxious and rude about it. Always cheer and root respectfully especially when you are with other people watching what you are. When you are with fans of a different team, light and playful trash talk is okay, but do avoid stepping over a certain line with it. These people are just like you, there is no need to disrespect or fight against people who share the same qualities you do but just have a different opinion.

 

The last main thing you can do as a good fan is support your team even further by going to a game. Make sure you are getting to this game early whether you are doing so to tailgate or to just avoid super long lines that can make you miss part of the game. While you are in attendance, the same rules for cheering do apply, especially because you are in a public setting. You can also support your team even more by purchasing many of the unique options that sports stadiums can offer, as well as buying even more apparel and gear for you to wear and show off your support.

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Now that you are informed, go out and use these tips to either become a good sports fan or become a better sports fan than you already are. As I mentioned before, sports fans are some of the most passionate people in this world but it is important to be mindful not to take that passion too far. We are lucky enough to be able to experience professional sports in the way that we do and we should be grateful and not disrespectful of that privilege.