ABSTRACT
Hedonic psychology has been referred to as “the study of what makes experiences and life pleasant or unpleasant” (Kahneman, Diener, & Schwarz, 1999, p. ix). It encompasses those activities from which people derive enjoyment (see also Hirschman & Holbrook, 1982). Of interest here is one very speci c type of hedonic activity that contributes to the pleasure (and o en pain) people feel in their daily lives: the vicarious consumption of competitive sporting events. According to Kubovy (1999), sports spectatorship is a pleasure of the mind because its enjoyment derives from a process whereby emotions and cognitions are blended in such a way as to give meaning to the overall experience. Watching a sporting event is an emotional rollercoaster, fraught with hopes and fears about what may befall a favorite team.1 e intensity of the experience can not be overstated for those whose avidity is most fanatical because, for these fans, feelings of self worth are o en tied directly to a favorite team’s fortunes.
