Encyclopedia of Opinion
Question
Is sport fandom a religion?
Position1 of 2›

Yes, sports fandom is a religion

This position holds that supporting a team performs the functions a religion performs: shared ritual, a sacred calendar and sacred ground, inherited loyalty, an in-group with its own heretics, and a source of identity, meaning and belonging.

Supporting arguments · 2

  1. Fandom has every feature by which a religion is recognised
  2. Supporters inherit a club as believers inherit a faith, and neither simply chooses another