Football season is in full swing. For most fans, that means kicking back on the couch and yelling like a maniac at the TV as they cheer on their favorite teams.
And then there are the few, the brave, the superfans. For these men and women, fandom represents more than a meager allegiance. No, for them, it’s a way of life.
Superfans are among the hardest-working and most loyal fans you’ll ever encounter.
They sacrifice their health (painting your chest when the game day temp is sub-zero is no small commitment), their emotional well-being and even their personal relationships — all in support of their team.
And it’s time they got the recognition they deserve. Here are six types of football fans who put the “super” in superfan.
1. The fan who decks out all of his stuff in his team’s colors. All. Of. It.
From the walls of his living room to the color of his car, right down to his everyday wardrobe, everything this superfan owns is branded with his team’s logo or its colors.
He’s even been known to give the family dog a (non-toxic) dye-job when his team makes the playoffs.
2. The fan who has endured years of losses but just can’t quit his team (AKA, Bills Fans).
Everything started off great — his grade school birthday parties were all team-themed, and he punctured his parents’ lawn with a team sign on game days. Then came the losing season. Then the losing streak. The losing hasn’t stopped, but neither has his fandom.
He’s roasted at sports bars and at games, but he still shows up. He still cheers — yeah, these days his fight song sounds more like, “there’s always next year” — but he cheers nonetheless. After all this time, he’s still not discouraged. This is his team, and next year is going to be their year. He knows it.
3. The fan who treats every game day like it’s Halloween.
Wigs, body paint and intricately-designed attire — this fan’s pre-game ritual includes morphing into an entirely different character, regardless of if he’s watching from the stands or from his couch.
Whether he dresses as a pirate-skeleton hybrid or wears a dog mask and fur onesie, this fan isn’t game day-ready until his transformation is complete.
4. The fan couple who names their children after their favorite players.
Ever wonder why there are so many guys named Brett in the Midwest, or so many Troys in the South? Naming a kid after an all-time favorite player is the greatest honor a fan couple can bestow upon their children.
This move is as bold as it is risky, considering how often players get traded from team to team. But this risk factor is exactly what enables this couple to ascend to superfan-status.
5. The fan who celebrates his team’s championship anniversary more passionately than a wedding anniversary.
This fan knows that you never forget the feeling that comes from your team winning a championship.Each year this superfan commemorates that special anniversary by throwing a ribeye on the grill, breaking out the “special occasion” dishes and toasting to the blissful memories.
He then furiously cleans it all up before his wife gets home. She can get a little, uh, jealous.
6. The fan who goes to extreme lengths to never miss a single play during the game.
This fan NEVER misses a single play. Period.
When his nephew’s christening was (rudely) scheduled on a Sunday? He was taking (multiple) bathroom breaks to stream the first half on his phone. When his most important client inexplicably asked to get dinner on a Monday night? He strategically picked a sports bar as the location. When he had to drive a friend to surgery on game day? He quadruple-checked which radio station would be broadcasting play-by-play coverage.
When it comes to being a fan, he lives by one rule: No excuses. Watch like a champion.
