ABSTRACT
Sports are pervasive throughout our society and culture. Most of our lives are touched daily in some respect by sports, whether we realize it or not. The entertainmentwe seek out, themediawe are exposed to, and our interactions with others are often influenced by the world of sports. For some, the impact of sports on their lives is much more dramatic. Individuals whose lives are deeply impacted by sports are the fanatical supporters of “their” team. The
exploits of fanatical supporters of athletic teams have taken on legendary proportions. The Chicago Cubs have the Bleacher Bums. The Cleveland Browns have the Dawg Pound. The Green Bay Packers have the Cheeseheads. In fact, many, if not most, professional and collegiate athletic teams have avid fans or fanatical supporters. Informal observation of fanatical supporters attending athletic events has become commonplace. These individuals are often covered by various forms of media. In addition, limited academic research has also investigated various forms of fan behavior (Cialdini et al., 1976; Fisher & Wakefield, 1998; Holt, 1995). However, very little research has investigated fanatical support within the context of an individual’s life. This research investigates fanatical support of an athletic team and its impact on individuals. Investigating fanatical support and its impact on individuals’ lives has merit because fanaticism implies the pursuit of a given interest to lengths that are considered inordinate and even irrational, often to the exclusion of virtually all other interests. This study examines fanaticism among University of Kentucky (UK)Wildcat basketball fans. The strong support of the UK basketball program is well documented and provides a context in which fanatical support is pervasive.
