True Sports Fandom Means Finding Joy Beyond Victory
Source: Hanif Abdurraqib. "Loving the Timberwolves When They’re Good (or Bad) | The New Yorker." May 12, 2026. www.newyorker.com
The Gist
The author argues that being a sports fan shouldn't depend on your team winning championships. Instead, fans should learn to enjoy things like effort, character, and the experience itself, because focusing only on winning leads to mostly disappointment since most teams don't win titles.
Conclusion
Sports fans should find pleasure in aspects of their team beyond winning championships, as this approach leads to more sustainable and fulfilling fandom
Premises
- Championship-focused fandom sets fans up for years of disappointment with only brief moments of joy
- Sports are inherently zero-sum with only one winner, making victory statistically unlikely for most teams
- Long-term suffering as a fan can teach valuable perspective about finding alternative sources of enjoyment
- Teams that fight hard and show character provide legitimate sources of pleasure even without winning
- Accepting that teams will inevitably cycle between good and bad periods allows for more consistent emotional investment
Assumptions
- Emotional well-being should be a primary consideration in how one approaches sports fandom
- There are meaningful and valuable aspects of sports beyond final outcomes
- Fans have control over how they choose to emotionally engage with their teams
- Long-term perspective is more valuable than short-term emotional highs from victories