ABSTRACT
For as long as there has been sport there have been sport fans and for as long as sporting events have been televised, fans have congregated in distant places to watch their favorite team, club, or athlete. Walk into the American sports bar chain Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on any given Sunday during football season, and it might seem that you have been transported to Steeler Country, traditionally found in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Despite a strong showing of New Orleans Saints fans and a smattering of other National Football League (NFL) teams’ supporters, there is no mistaking this is where local Steelers fans gather. In the back bar, 40 or more die-hard fans push tables together, forming a phalanx down the center of the room. They set the tables in Steelers tablecloths, Steelers plates, Steelers napkins, and Steelers cups. On the railing separating the main bar from a raised seating area, fans drape a banner proclaiming the Steelers as six-time Super Bowl champions.
