WHAT TYPE OF FAN ARE YOU?
The 2016 HSBC Canada Sevens Tournament in Vancouver was one of the city’s biggest sporting events of the year. Fans flocked to BC Place from all over the world to experience the excitement that is rugby sevens. With the nature of the event, the stadium became the ultimate melting pot: fans from all different walks of life.
To the outside eye, everyone who attended the HSBC Canada Sevens tournament is cut from the same cloth, but truth be told, us sports fans are NOT all the same. We can be broken down into smaller ‘sub-groups’ that define what kind of fan we truly are, each with unique, defining qualities.
Check out our 10 favourite fan types that we saw last year (and will see again) at the HSBC Canada Sevens Tournament. Which type are you?
The Celebrator
These fans show up with one goal in mind…celebrate. If no one is cheering, they cheer. If everyone is cheering, they REALLY cheer. The Celebrator is looking for any excuse to slap hands with their buddies, fist pump, and make loud noises. They will latch onto anything worthy of getting excited. Big hit on the field? High five. Important try scored? High five. Substitution? High five. Just bought a hot dog? High five.
The Countryman
Hometown pride drives The Countryman fan. These fans are loyalist to their own nations and won’t miss any opportunity to represent on the world stage. Some are local descendants, some have moved to Vancouver, some are travelling through, and others have made the trek from miles away just for the weekend, but all of them come in support, no matter what happens.
The Adopter
The Adopter is the fan that chooses a nation for the weekend and adopts that culture entirely. They may have no affiliation to that country whatsoever, but in a short period of time they will have collected every fact, stat, and tidbit about each player. They will migrate to this country’s supporters section in the stadium, deck themselves out in the proper colours and make sure to cheer extra loud when their adopted country performs. This process will be replicated with a new country the following year.
THE FIRST-NAME BASIS FAN
These supporters are enthusiasts through and through. They have followed the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series at its previous stops and are quite familiar with their team’s personnel. So familiar, in fact, that they seem to be on a first name basis with each and every one of their players. “C’mon Nate!” or “Harry is open on the wing! Get it out wide, John!” These are the kind of responses you can expect to hear from a few fans come March.
THE ENTERTAINER
This fan loves attention. They came for the party and want to be at the center of it. The Entertainer type will attend with the goal of being the funny guy. They make loud quips; playfully jeer opposing teams; and repeatedly dance in ridiculous fashions in hopes of getting on the Jumbotron. You’ll more often than not see this type of fan standing when no one else is. They also enjoy being the catalyst for such initiatives as stadium-wide chants or ‘The Wave.’
The Veteran
(Image via Vancity Buzz)
These are the fans that are most familiar with the sport itself. Having played, coached, or followed for years, they know the rules inside and out. They have a tendency to be a little more conservative in their cheering and came to BC Place, first and foremost, for some good quality rugby. Often times The Vet can be caught talking about their ‘playing days’ or what move they would have made that last play if they were on the field.
THE ONE PLAYER FAN CLUB
We all have our sport heroes and our favourites, but not to the same extent as these fans do. The One Player Fan Club rides or dies by one single player alone, with the outcome of the game having very little importance. Maybe their passion for an individual is based on a personal connection, maybe it was a previous performance or maybe it’s just love at first sight, but whenever that player touches the ball or gets involved in a play, these supporters can be heard gushing praise.
THE FOLLOWER
Fans experience many different emotions during the HSBC Canada Sevens tournament. For The Follower, whatever actions the people sitting around them perform, they will partake in…but they don’t quite know why. When people cheer, they will cheer. When people stand up, they will stand up. When people gasp, they will gasp…all of this is in an effort to fit in and look the part of a true fan, but really they just came to be part of the experience…or a friend bought them tickets and made them wear a banana suit without asking questions.
The Texter
One of the easiest kind of fans to spot from a distance because their phone is out most of the event. Whether they are texting friends, posting to social media, or just continually taking selfies of their cute costume, these fans are less interested in the actual action on the pitch and more focused on alerting people online about how much fun they are having or what they’ve decided to eat.
The Casual
They never get too carried away, they are content with whatever the outcome, they cheer for both sides (casually of course), and everything about them is just more laid back. If they decide to come in costume, it isn’t too over the top, but just enough to blend in. These are just your every day, typical sporting event fan…not an eccentric bone in their bodies. Everyone gets along with a casual fan.
Whatever type you may be, we are looking forward to seeing all these come together once again in March. You won’t want to miss it!
