Popularity In Sports

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In the world today, professional sports has risen in Popularity due to the excitement of the action and the bigger than life players of these games. This is especially true in the United States, where the National Football League, referred by the acronym NFL, has become the most popular sports league in America. In fact, the NFL enjoys the distinction of having the highest attendance at games, the most television viewers, and the highest revenue of all the major professional sports leagues. This is a tribute to the fan base of this sport, designated into four fan groups, bandwagon fans, part-time fans, true fans, and hardcore fans. While these four groups of fans differ in the way they support each team and the NFL in general, the combination…show more content…
Part-time fans have a favorite team that they follow; however, these fans are not as passionate as other types of fans and often refrain from watching games to pursue other commitments. Nonetheless, if an opportunity presents itself, these fans will watch a game at home, sports bar, or attend an occasional a game, usually with family or friends. While these fans may not watch every game, they still maintain a vast knowledge of the NFL, their favorite team, and especially key player statistics on their team’s roster through multiple medium outlets, such as local and national sports news. The success of the NFL in marketing itself to all types of fans is evident, even with these types of fans, as you will find that part-time fans regularly purchase merchandise of their favorite team and players. The type of team merchandise that part-time fans purchase includes team hats, player jerseys and other types of sportswear is indicative to the popularity of the NFL, even with the less impassioned of fan groups, such as part-time…show more content…
These fans have a single favorite team, and they are the most faithful of fans towards their favorite team. This group of fans will have season tickets for every home game, or will purchase as many home games tickets as possible if season tickets are not available. In addition, for those true fans that cannot attend live games, these fans will make sure they watch the game at home, sports bar, or wherever their team is on television, with many of these fans traveling with the team to attend away games to show their support of the team. It is common to find these fans discussing the team’s last game, the crucial play of the star player, or the team’s playoff chances at work during breaks and even in between breaks at their cubicles. The knowledge of true fans not only encompasses their favorite team and players, but the whole league in general, to including star players from other teams. With all that said, what really sets this group of fans apart from others, they follow all team activities year round, not just during the regular season. These off-season activities include the draft, free agency, watching organized team activities and training camps, with the same excitement as watching a regular season game. The loyalty of true fans to their team is evident with the amount of merchandise and memorabilia they own from team shirts and hats, player jersey’s, to autographed footballs, and numerous other souvenirs. True
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