When a team is on the way to the top, a fierce and loyal set of fans is never far away. They are the ones who have shown up in the rain, sat in near-empty stadiums, and remained true even throughout the years when things were most grim. Being a true fan can test even the hardiest of souls whose belief system is often torn to shreds by the time a season ends.
Fair weather fans, on the other hand, are not around during the ascent. They don’t know what it’s like to climb into their car after a hard-fought victory, clothes soaked and bones aching from the cold. They never feel the exhilaration, pride, and steady pulse of excitement when a team has achieved greatness and is now the talk of the nation.
They also know nothing of bitterness or despair in the face of defeat, or worse, when a team that’s enjoyed a ride in the back of the Bentley is now driving a beat up taxi for tips in the roughest part of town. And they are the quickest to criticize what was once their badge of honor, albeit a temporary one, placing blame on the weakest links in the chain of command, hollering for management to throw all the bums out.
It takes a lot to be a tried and true fan. Not so much to jump on the bandwagon during the glory days. As things continue to change and shift in these accelerated times, long term sustainability and profitability will continue to depend upon a core group who shows up wearing the same jersey and face paint on Monday morning, no matter what the final score was over the weekend.
We’d be wise, too, to check in with ourselves when the temptation arises to sell our tickets and don a different color.
