Sports would be nothing without their fans. Fans fund the stadiums, bring in money from merchandise, and buy tickets and food to watch the games. They cheer, enliven the atmosphere, and motivate their favorite teams. They even help bring the popularity of the sport higher. This begs the question: is the fans’ impact always positive?
Coming from a loss on EA Day, there has been some controversy regarding fan behavior. During EA Day, the soccer game went into overtime, the game having been scoreless. At last, Haverford did the impossible; they scored a goal. Fired up, students knocked over the fence and stormed the field while the game was still going. This action led to serious consequences.
“During the storm-in at the soccer game, one kid ran into an elderly woman. She fell over and struggled to get up, so we all tried to get Mr. Kolade to get her medical attention. We could tell she was hurt.” -Quin Pollard
“During the storm-in at the soccer game, one kid ran into an elderly woman. She fell over and struggled to get up, so we all tried to get Mr. Kolade to get her medical attention. We could tell she was hurt,” Third Former Quin Pollard said.
In the BBC article “Why people get more stupid in crowds,” researcher Daniel Richardson said that “When people interact, they end up agreeing, and they make worse decisions. They don’t share information; they share biases.”
In Haverford’s case, varsity soccer coach and math teacher Mr. Keith Cappo received the consequences. Early in the EA Day soccer game, Mr. Cappo got a yellow card for arguing with the referee.
“The whistle was blown for no reason, so I tried to argue with the referee. Then I got a yellow card for dissent. I understand that it was my fault for getting that first yellow card,” Mr. Cappo said.
Then, he got another yellow card, leading him to be suspended from the PAISAA championship. However, this time, it was out of his control.
“I was given another yellow card after the game was over, but the reason was unexpected. It was for the crowd storming the field,” Mr. Cappo said.
This was devastating for Mr. Cappo, as he couldn’t be on the field during the state championship, one of the most important games of his team’s career.
“They shouldn’t have stormed that field. I tried to stop them, but they disregarded my warning. I don’t think I should’ve taken the fall for something that wasn’t in my control,” Mr. Cappo said.
On the flip side, fan behavior was great during the PAISAA championship.
“There were around a thousand people there, give or take,” Mr. Cappo said. “They were great, nothing but positive. No smack talk, no heckling. Just pure respect for the game. They brought out this fiery atmosphere into the stadium. The energy enveloped the whole place.”
Overall, fans are a double-edged sword. They can bring support that fuels athletes to perform at their peak, but they can also lead to serious consequences. The solution to the double-edged sword is to add a handle: to take time and think about the effects of our actions.
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