This One’s for the Fair-Weathered Fans: The Bandwagon Isn’t All Bad but……
This one’s for the fair-weathered fans — the ones who show up late, leave early, and maybe couldn’t name the third-string quarterback if their life depended on it. The ones accused of hopping on the bandwagon only when the wins start stacking. You know who you are.
And for once, let’s stop pretending you’re the enemy.
In every sports city, there’s a familiar cycle. A team surges into the playoffs or finally starts to turn things around after years of irrelevance, and suddenly the jerseys come out of closets that had long been silent. The stadium gets louder, the bars get fuller, and ticket prices start creeping up. And right behind that surge of excitement comes the gatekeeping — loyal fans scoffing at the “newbies” showing up just in time for the highlight reel.
But here’s a different take: fair-weather fans aren’t the problem — they’re proof that something exciting is finally happening.
Think about it. What drives professional sports? Ratings. Ticket sales. Merch revenue. Public interest. It’s not the diehards alone who keep teams afloat — it’s the casual viewers, the on-again, off-again followers who bring a wave of attention when a team finally gives them a reason to care again.
When the Sacramento Kings broke their 16-year playoff drought in 2023, were lifelong fans more deserving of the moment? Probably. But did the arena get louder because thousands of new and returning fans filled those seats with fresh hope? Absolutely. The same goes for teams like the Cleveland Browns, whose re-emergence in recent seasons has reignited interest from fans who swore them off years ago.
Is it frustrating to be a loyal supporter and see newcomers suddenly act like lifelong experts? Sure. But that frustration is born from passion — and passion is contagious. Fair-weather fans, for all their timing, are often the spark that lights the city up. They flood social media, buy out playoff gear, and create the buzz that makes casual fandom feel like a cultural movement.
It’s easy to romanticize suffering — to think that true fandom requires sticking it out through every loss and heartbreak. But not everyone has the bandwidth, the history, or the hometown tie that makes that level of loyalty possible. And that’s okay.
The truth is, every diehard fan started somewhere. Maybe it was a single game, a single championship run, or even just a charismatic player who pulled them in. So when this season’s fair-weathered fans show up in droves — whether it’s for Caitlin Clark’s Fever, the surging Mariners, or another Messi-led Inter Miami victory — maybe we welcome them. Maybe we say: “Glad you’re here. You picked a hell of a time.”
Because fandom, like the teams we love, doesn’t need to be exclusive. It just needs to be real — even if it’s temporary.
This one’s for the fair-weathered fans. Welcome aboard. The ride’s just getting good.