People who don‘t follow sport often question the sports fan‘s enthusiasm. ―It‘s just a game,‖ they say, ―What‘s the big deal?‖ However, psychologists have conducted in-depth studies to decode the psychology of sports fans. The results of these studies reveal why it‘s not ―just a game‖ for the fans.
First, fans tend to identify themselves with the team they root for and consider themselves as fellow travelers with their team. When the team wins, they tend to believe it‘s their success too and, equally, when it‘s defeated, they mourn.
The self-esteem of fans rises and falls with a game‘s outcome. Losses affect their optimism about everything from getting a date to winning at darts. In addition, sports allow fans to escape normal daily life, overcome social inhibitions, and express themselves freely by both cheering for their teams and lashing out at rivals. It‘s a good way to release pressure, just like a therapy.
A match is more than just an event. It is a social activity on a voluntary basis. Where else do you spend big money and have a 50-50 chance of being displeased (if the team loses)? If you order pizza and it is delivered cold three times in a row, you won‘t order from that business again. Not so with sports fans. It isn‘t just a game. Some people will never get it.
Lesson 1 video Script ．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．The last World Cup in Germany was so close to home that it‘s estimated well over 100,000 England fans went to support their team over the course of three weeks and five matches. Stuart Fuller was one of them. He‘s cheered on England‘s football team around the world for 25 years and he‘s blogged about his experiences. He will be in South Africa for next year‘s World Cup, despite warnings it will be expensive and concerns about crime.
―A lot of the England fans don‘t necessarily perceive that there is such a thing as security risk when they go somewhere, so they will be expect[ing] to, if they want to go from the hotel to the city center and they want to walk, they‘ll try and walk it, and whilst the security forces will say no, it‘s a bad idea, it‘s a bad idea, it‘s bad idea, the mentality of a football fan is ―Well, if we‘re in a group, we‘re fine‖. Keith Prowse is one of just four official tour operators based in the UK. It will have to meet the high demand of British fans who have so far bought more tickets than any country except for the USA and South Africa itself.
―The UK, as travelling supporters, whether it be European Football Championships,
whether it be the Lions or, you know, they are big followers of sport in this country, and very, very passionate, so there is always going to be big demand out of the domestic market to go to any major
tournament.‖``````
Tens of thousands of British and Irish fans recently experienced South Africa‘s ability to host a major sporting event. They traveled there in June and July to support the Lions Rugby Team. Coach Ian Mcgeechan says the country coped reasonably well.
―The food is of a high quality and, once you‘re there, very cheap, so you can have a very good night out for … for not a lot. I think what you have to realize is that, after dark, you have to be security conscious.You can‘t do what you would expect to do here at night time and I think that just needs some sensible approach from supporters.‖
Sony Ericsson is the official mobile handset for next year‘s tournaments. And the company believes it will be the first social networking World Cup, making it the unique experience for the fans. ―We have a world of entertainment that now comes into your mobile, whether it‘s watching football action, whether it‘s seeing football news updates, whether it‘s sharing your experience as a football fan with your friends, whether that be on Facebook, whether it be on Twitter. Or if you go on to You Tube, you can find footage in virtually any stadium in the world taken on a mobile phone.‖ Thirty-two countries will compete at the 2010 World Cup but, based on the experience of 2006, England will have more support
than most, assuming their fans can overcome the obstacles of cost and logistics and concerns about security. Alex Thomas, CNN, London.
Lesson 2 Audio Script ．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．Who among us hasn‘t fallen victim to a little celebrity worship? Whether the objects of our affections are movie stars, athletes, poets or politicians, we‘re hungry for information about them.
We want to know what they‘re saying, what they‘re wearing, where they‘re going and whom they‘re with.
Most of the time, of course, loving your idol is totally harmless. Most celebrity worshippers follow the celebrity scene purely for entertainment value. It‘s also common for teenagers to start liking celebrities and looking for direction in life. So it‘s fine if you kiss the poster of your idol before you go to bed or buy all the CDs of your favorite singer.
But when you become completely obsessed or think you‘ve got a special bond with those superstars, there‘s more of a problem. It‘s called Celebrity Worship Syndrome and it can make you feel really bad.
Sufferers from Celebrity Worship Syndrome are obsessed with celebrities so much that their self esteem diminishes and they develop depression or anxiety. To these people, celebrity worship
becomes a ―substitution for real life.‖
Lesson 2 Video Script ．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．．． ―Michael! Michael!‖
He may have been the King of Pop but, to his fans, Michael Jackson was like a modern day pied piper. And today they followed him to the end.
―I‘ll be there. You know I‘ll be there.‖
Some were lucky enough to score tickets and a seat inside. ―I am so happy. I have hope.‖
―Have your wristband visible. Walk slowly. Watch your step please.‖
Paulette McCowan flew in from Texas. ―I‘m so excited to be a part of this historical event.‖ because you‘ll never get opportunity like this again in your life.‖
Hundreds of other fans without tickets came from just down the block and down under.
Leo Scarola flew in from Australia with his wife. She got a ticket. He did not. ―I just feel so emotional at the same time that my wife is in there.‖
This devoted crowd was kept blocks away in the so-called cold zone.
―I would love if they turn on the TV right here and just show us