ABSTRACT
Whether you like it or not, race permeates all aspects of society and affects the way that people are allowed (or not) to move through the world. Sport is certainly no different. Yet, research on sport fans and fandom has been dominated by Western scholars and rooted in masculinity and whiteness. It is time for the study of sport fandom to take race seriously, not just as another demographic indicator asked of research participants but as a central construct. This chapter discusses four particular areas where we see the need for more research: racist fan attacks on Black athletes, player protests of racial injustice; motivations and behaviors of BIPOC fans; the global South and Asia. There are certainly others but we hope with this chapter to provide a jumping off point for more diverse and inclusive research.
