I didn't watch the game, when the
Edmonton Oilers finished their eighth straight season out of the playoffs
last weekend. But I took some comfort that it was on a hopeful note
(a convincing win, and with slightly better than a .500 record in the last
30 games of the season).
I didn't catch much of the action this
season either. But I was happy to see that Oilers stalwart Ryan Smyth
was able on his last game, at home, to personally feel the goodwill
and appreciation of the fans he served so well in his 19 years in the
NHL — the vast majority of it either as an Oiler, or as a Team
Canada member, and much of that with a C on his jersey.
I was also sad to see him retire,
because I wanted him to be there on the ice, finally lifting the
Stanley Cup — in an Oilers jersey. That would have been the movie
ending, but this is real life.
Such are the dreams of fair-weather
sports fans like me.
The phrases are given as a pejorative.
“Fair-weather fan.” “Bandwagon-jumper.” One can't control the
judgements of others, but I don't recall signing any contracts when I
decided a long time ago, that pro sports teams from Edmonton would be
my go-to favourites in their respective leagues.
People who regard themselves as “true”
fans of sports teams will break their own marriage vows, before they
would foreswear their allegiance to a team logo. I try not to judge
that, either, but I do not understand their ranking of loyalties.
I don't buy season tickets. The only
team jersey I own is supports Arsenal in England’s Premier League —
and I got that as a gift. I devote fewer hours per week to watching
sports than I do volunteering in the community. No team anywhere will
ever make money mining my loyalties.
But loyalties do exist, such as they
are. Every August, my interest perks up for both the Edmonton Eskimos
and the Oilers. It's early weeks yet, but I am hopeful for Toronto FC
in the MLS (mostly because I like the narrative; the team grew out of
terrific fan support, before there was a business plan).
So why should I be judged an individual
of poor character, if my personal interest should wane, when a
particular team under-performs for an extended time? They do not
benefit from my interest when they do well, so how are they harmed
when I decide to catch up on some reading, rather than spend three
hours watching them lose?
Some time ago, a scientific report was
released that attempted to quantify the health benefits (and risks)
of sports fandom. In general, it was found that when a fan's team
does poorly, the fan's physical markers of poor health increase.
Blood pressure rises, as does blood
cholesterol levels. In males, testosterone levels drop when their
team loses.There is an increased incidence of depression among “true”
fans of teams that lose a lot of games.
All of these things not only hurt the
individual, but society as a whole. So why would releasing one's
attachment to a particular team when they go into the tank be judged
as an expression of poor character?
Far better, I believe, to be a
“fair-weather” fan who is healthy and productive, than a “true”
fan who is on a downward personal spiral along with his team.
True fans know that elite sports teams
are in the entertainment business. If they do not provide good
entertainment (or at least a reasonable expectation of it), why
should their business not suffer?
For example, the Toronto Maple Leafs
continue to make scads of money from thousands of “true” fans
whose hopes of seeing winning seasons have been continuously dashed
for as long as I can remember. Maybe I just have a selective memory,
but that does not follow the business model.
If a certain movie studio continuously
produces bad movies, they go broke. The same applies to television
studio. If a restaurant cannot guarantee good food and good service
for money spent, the doors will quickly close.
An entertainment dollar is subjectively
spent, by definition — except, it seems, when it is to be spent on
professional sports. Even organized religion cannot count on such
ardent financial support from its followers, or on the internal
judgement made against followers whose financial support is not
ardent enough.
I confess that I do not understand
this.
The Edmonton Oilers will be back next
season (alas, without Ryan Smyth). And so will I.
But if they mess with my health by
losing games for an extended period of time, I will once again
disassociate. I don't have a jersey to throw on the ice (and
certainly not enough money to make one disposable if I did own one
and could afford tickets close enough to the ice to make the toss. Or
the incredibly bad manners to do so.).
However, I do have a stack of good
books I have yet to read.
I will stay true to my family, no
matter what. But a professional sports team? I want something in
return. What's wrong with that?
Follow Greg Neiman's blog at
readersadvocate.blogspot.ca
No comments:
Post a Comment