In Nick Hornby's memoir Fever Pitch, an eloquent and accurate description of the obsession of fandom, Hornby makes clear the importance of attending Arsenal soccer matches. He documents the sacrifice and suffering that is sometimes required to attend games.
In my entire life, I've been to 7 regular season Viking games. My relationship to the team exists mainly through television.
Am I a lesser fan for being unwilling or unable to purchase season tickets? Is attendance at games a requirement for the die-hard fan? In an argument of devotion to the team, would any season ticket holder have the clear edge over me?
I don't think so. I've known Packer fans who never attended a game, but I don't question the serious emotional attachment they have to their squad. I can be a dedicated, obsessed, emotionally tormented fan without ever purchasing a ticket to a game.
(by the way, I'll never see the American film Fever Pitch, but the British film starring Colin Firth connected to me in ways few films can. In that movie, I saw myself and fandom, and it allowed me to dream of one day watching the Vikings hoist the Lombardi trophy).
No comments:
Post a Comment