The Gryphon Gazette

By: Vivaan K. ‘29

Around 71 percent of Americans watch sports regularly, but many of these fans support teams that don’t have much success. While there are many great teams like the Warriors or Lakers, others, like the Sixers, haven’t been doing so great in the past decade. Sports teams are meant to be something fans can root for and celebrate, but many recent events have led fans to wonder why they even bother watching.

To gauge local insight into what it’s like being a fan of a consistently underperforming sports team, we have Lucas L. ‘29. Lucas, a Sixers fan, explains how it’s been hard to watch them lose in the playoffs, year after year. He feels that he could be doing something better with his time, instead of watching his favorite team lose every night. Even though the Sixers currently have a decent record at 8-6, they haven’t even made the finals in the past 24 years. Lucas also explains how he is worried about Sixers superstar and MVP Joel Embiid being highly injury-prone. He also explains that every time the Sixers lose, he feels slightly discouraged, and sometimes this affects his productivity, as he doesn’t have the energy to do his work after seeing his favorite team lose. But it isn’t all so dim for Lucas; he explains that whenever they do well, he gets motivated, which spikes his mood. 

As demonstrated in the interview with Lucas, there are many ups and downs to being a sports fan, but a fan of a losing team often has a more tumultuous experience. In Lucas’s case, while the Sixers haven’t won a championship in 43 years, they’ve been consistently good over the past few years, making the playoffs in many of those years. Some fans have it even worse than Lucas does. Fans of teams like the Raiders or Jets haven’t seen their team make the playoffs in years. Now, it’s not only Lucas having mood spikes from his team; according to the Westchester Medical Center Health Network, being a fan of a losing sports team can cause acute grief, actions like crying, anger, or frustration, and it can take a toll on mental health. 

However, the negatives of being a fan of a losing sports team cannot just be seen. Other studies from the Westchester Medical Center Health Network show that being a sports fan can boost mental health and foster connections, and can improve mood. The study also shows that when your sports team does well, it can be fulfilling and make up for all those times the team has lost.

If your favorite sports team is not doing the best, don’t worry, every sports team has its ups and downs, and as long as you are mindful about how the losing affects you, once they finally start winning, it will feel like you won with them. So remember: don’t let professional sports dictate your mental health, and stay loyal to your team, as positive times will eventually come.