Shreya Panathula Week 11: Fans or Fanatics


If I had to write about the toxicity of fandoms in general, this blog post would easily go over 500 words. So, instead of going down that rabbit hole, I made a list of the ten most toxic fandoms, asked a friend to pick a random number from one to ten, and ended up with sports fandoms.


And that right there shows just how many fandoms can turn to toxicity. What starts as a simple debate can quickly spiral into something much darker, where people go from disagreeing to dehumanizing others seemingly instantly. It is not just one type of fandom either—it’s almost every single one, with radicals who shape and define the toxic culture that’s unfortunately expected in today’s world.



Sports fandoms are a prime example of how passion for a team can quickly become toxic. While there are many fans who remain enthusiastic and just enjoy supporting their teams, there is always a group who takes their beliefs much too far. It ends up being these radical fans that often transform games, rivalries, and debates into personal attacks. It’s not just that they’re upset when their team loses; they target individuals to blame for the loss—whether it’s the opposing team for dirty play, rival fans, or even players on their own team.


Yet, what could it be that fuels such inane toxic behavior in the first place? It is the power that individuals put into the hands of players. It is a power that transforms them, at the hands of fans, into larger-than-life figures—almost divine in their stature. It causes fandoms to become so emotionally invested in their teams’ success that they are no longer interested in the sport but in the personal lives of the players themselves.


They feel as though they know them, envisioning every victory as their own and tying their identity to a game that is meant to be enjoyed, and not become the very source of their pride (Vinney). The power that is placed in players turns simple rivalries into toxic feuds. Suddenly, it is no longer about the game but a matter of gratification. A lifetime of self-worth and identity has now been tied to a game that only lasts a few hours.



Works Cited:

Cynthia Vinney, PhD. “What Is Toxic Fandom?” Verywell Mind, 28 Nov. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/what-is-toxic-fandom-5214499. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.

Raz. “Toxic Fandom.” Raz’s Midnight Macabre, 24 July 2023, razs-midnight-macabre.com/2023/07/24/toxic-fandom/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025. 

Comments

  1. SadiaFebruary 19, 2025 at 9:25 PM

    Hello, Shreya! I enjoyed reading your blog and I completely agree how fandoms can turn toxic. It is kind of shocking how something that is made for entertainment can become so personal and deep for some individuals. Like you mentioned, people start to point at a single person blaming them for the occurrence of a loss or failure, just so they have someone they can take their anger out on, which I do not like. I figure that these actions take place when someone ties their pride with emotions and do not like accepting the fact they can fail and yet to hide their pride they blame it on others, an act of defending themselves. This does not happen only in sport, again like you mentioned, it happened in every fandom, sometimes they attach themselves to a certain individual and do not tolerate others opinion on them. Your blog made me realise how common it is nowadays, though it is barely noticeable.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Leila AlabedFebruary 19, 2025 at 9:37 PM

    Hey, Shreya! I totally agree with your point that fandoms can become unnecessarily toxic and can be too much at times. For some people, things like sports can become so personal to them, causing them to do outrageous things like bet large sums of money on a match for example. Another toxic-fan behavior I commonly see is when people generalize others based on a certain opinion they have. For example, if a group of people love the color red, some may say that people who like blue aren't as "sophisticated" as they are. This was an interesting blog to read and reflect on, keep up the great work!

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