Anon doesn't understand streamer fans

https://sh.itjust.works/post/46453921

I’ve no difficulty understanding lads being thirsty and attracted by a lovely lady who appears to be into gaming and hey, you can even interact and try to get her attention!

Now, explain to me lads getting super invested in some lads running around a field chasing a ball. Like, literally having their lives revolve around it, their identity entirely centered on it. Now that’s a complete mystery to me.

As someone who was born into the ball chasing cult, there are three things:

  • The social aspect. It’s the one thing that brings my family together, each week, to watch the game. For away games, you have a cookout with some family friends, buy some drinks and then you watch the game. If it’s in the evening, then you go out afterwards. For home games, you gather the same group, but now you’re gonna meet more people in the arena, people you know because they’re also in the cult. You have a drink, you have a laugh and you catch up with them. Our team is a second division side with some okay players and a great goalie, so the game is almost relegated (heh) to play second fiddle.
  • Oh and don’t get me started on the choreos.

  • Hometown pride: This team has been here since the 19th century and for me, going to the games or even having just a passing interest in the team is part of being from that town.
  • You tag lamp posts in your town with their stickers and you do the same in the surrounding smaller cities. By looking at the stickers in any given town, you can see to which city their youth gravitates, which tickles my brain in ways I can’t explain.

  • It’s fun to watch: Arguably the weakest reason, but God damn, sometimes even second division footy just looks so good! When you see someone pull off a sick trick or make a clean tackle or catch, you get that sweet dopamine kick, it’s insane.
  • I’d never beat someone because of their allegiance. Those people can kick rocks.

    Hometown pride

    Do you also refer to your city’s sport team using “we”, “us”, and “our”? I’ve always found that weird, because while I’m a fan, I don’t consider myself being a part of what the team accomplishes. I’m just a spectator. I just refer to them as the team name.

    I have pretty deep roots within the city, and I could not imagine not rooting for my team (within limits, I wouldn’t tolerate bigotry, but as of now, they behaved pretty good on that front), so yeah, I use “wir” and “uns” :)