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The Secret Lives of Sports Fans: The Science of Sports Obsession
What is happening in our brains and bodies when we feel strong emotion while watching a game? How do sports fans resemble political junkies, and why do we form such a strong attachment to a sports team? Journalist Eric Simons presents in-depth research in an accessible and brilliant way, sure to interest readers of Malcolm Gladwell. Through reading the literature and attending neuroscience conferences, talking to fans, psychologists, and scientists, and working through his issues as part of a collaboration with the NPR science program RadioLab, Eric Simons hoped to find an answer that would explain why the attractive force of this relationship with treasured sports teams is so great that we can’t leave it.
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 4, 2013
3 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
About the author
Eric Simons
7 books17 followersEric Simons is a freelance writer, confirmed Californian, and marine life enthusiast. He has written for San Francisco magazine, California magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Sierra magazine, and Canoe & Kayak magazine, among others, and reported and produced a nationally distributed radio documentary for the National Radio Project's Making Contact. Eric is a graduate of the environmental and science writing program at the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and lives in San Francisco."
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 13, 2016
My reasons for reading this book:
1) I am from Cleveland, a town that has nothing better to do than bemoan the state of their sports teams (or apparently have paroxysms of delight this year, because some people won something or other),
2) I lived in Quebec for my young adulthood, where sports aren’t heavily emphasized (yeah, there’s the Montreal Canadiens but compared to the US, fans are only mildly interested) and sports bars play things like curling on the television, even on big football nights,
3) I recently moved to Boston, a town that has literally no hobbies outside of sports,
4) I’m currently seeing a sports fanatic, and
5) I’ve always, always, always struggled to understand how sports fans get so connected to their teams and view their victories as like, a personal achievement. This has consistently bewildered me, and finally I couldn’t take it anymore. Enter this book.
The author mentions that this one time his team lost was the most emotionally complex moment of his life. Ever. Even the birth of his daughter “can’t hold a candle” to it. What the literal fuck. In my mind, that’s sheer, unadulterated insanity.
By far, my favourite part was the chapter devoted to what an abysmal fucking wasteland Cleveland, Ohio is, though I’m puzzled as to the point of the chapter in the greater context of the book. I have zero hometown pride and regularly cheer when my friends force me to a sports bar to watch some game and Cleveland loses.
Some gems that really capture the Mistake on the Lake: “a shitty, dying city”; “the most miserable city in the Midwest”; “the pain brings you back”; “waiting for next year is all there is”; “the incredible despairing tedium of Cleveland’s football/baseball/basketball tradition”; “the miserable winter weather and the lack of other options have led to the culture of fandom”; “you stay miserable; that’s the Cleveland story”; “in a town where jobs and people disappeared… the mere existence of the Cavs, Browns, and Indians seems like all that keeps Cleveland from slipping into darkness forever”; “‘this city blows’ ‘put that in the book.'"
When he asks Clevelanders if Cleveland is “different” they all said “Absolutely, there is a bitterness, a frustration with Cleveland that cannot be matched anywhere else.” Yep, that about sums it up.
I also learned that Stadium Mustard is a Cleveland-specific thing? It tastes like cat pee so I can’t say I’ve sought it out ever, but I just assumed it was an everywhere-thing. The more you learn.
Unfortunately, I don’t think this book quite made the goal it intended to (pun intended). Most of the substantive material could be found faster and more comprehensively with a few quick Google searches. The “expert interviews” he incorporates don’t seem to have much relevance (he interviews, for instance, a pro hockey player on what makes him a good hockey player. Point?). Most of the chapters, which each examine a particular possible source of sports fandom (e.g. hormones, neurons, etc.) end with “Evidence goes both ways so who knows! Let’s move on.”
So the problem is, I read this book trying to understand what makes sports fans, sports fans.
I still don't get it.
1) I am from Cleveland, a town that has nothing better to do than bemoan the state of their sports teams (or apparently have paroxysms of delight this year, because some people won something or other),
2) I lived in Quebec for my young adulthood, where sports aren’t heavily emphasized (yeah, there’s the Montreal Canadiens but compared to the US, fans are only mildly interested) and sports bars play things like curling on the television, even on big football nights,
3) I recently moved to Boston, a town that has literally no hobbies outside of sports,
4) I’m currently seeing a sports fanatic, and
5) I’ve always, always, always struggled to understand how sports fans get so connected to their teams and view their victories as like, a personal achievement. This has consistently bewildered me, and finally I couldn’t take it anymore. Enter this book.
The author mentions that this one time his team lost was the most emotionally complex moment of his life. Ever. Even the birth of his daughter “can’t hold a candle” to it. What the literal fuck. In my mind, that’s sheer, unadulterated insanity.
By far, my favourite part was the chapter devoted to what an abysmal fucking wasteland Cleveland, Ohio is, though I’m puzzled as to the point of the chapter in the greater context of the book. I have zero hometown pride and regularly cheer when my friends force me to a sports bar to watch some game and Cleveland loses.
Some gems that really capture the Mistake on the Lake: “a shitty, dying city”; “the most miserable city in the Midwest”; “the pain brings you back”; “waiting for next year is all there is”; “the incredible despairing tedium of Cleveland’s football/baseball/basketball tradition”; “the miserable winter weather and the lack of other options have led to the culture of fandom”; “you stay miserable; that’s the Cleveland story”; “in a town where jobs and people disappeared… the mere existence of the Cavs, Browns, and Indians seems like all that keeps Cleveland from slipping into darkness forever”; “‘this city blows’ ‘put that in the book.'"
When he asks Clevelanders if Cleveland is “different” they all said “Absolutely, there is a bitterness, a frustration with Cleveland that cannot be matched anywhere else.” Yep, that about sums it up.
I also learned that Stadium Mustard is a Cleveland-specific thing? It tastes like cat pee so I can’t say I’ve sought it out ever, but I just assumed it was an everywhere-thing. The more you learn.
Unfortunately, I don’t think this book quite made the goal it intended to (pun intended). Most of the substantive material could be found faster and more comprehensively with a few quick Google searches. The “expert interviews” he incorporates don’t seem to have much relevance (he interviews, for instance, a pro hockey player on what makes him a good hockey player. Point?). Most of the chapters, which each examine a particular possible source of sports fandom (e.g. hormones, neurons, etc.) end with “Evidence goes both ways so who knows! Let’s move on.”
So the problem is, I read this book trying to understand what makes sports fans, sports fans.
I still don't get it.
September 7, 2014
I should state my bias from the get-to by saying I'm one of those fans that rages/cries/becomes depressed when a team I'm really passionate about loses (I decided to read this book solely based upon seeing "Arsenal" and "Gooners" on the jacket blurb). However, I'm learning to temper my enthusiasm by understanding sports ain't that serious. Easier said than done, but you won't find me trying to punch you in your tooth because you said, as one of my coworkers constantly likes to, "Rajon Rondo looks like E.T.."
There were quite a few things I didn't like in this book, the first being what I thought to be a lack of proper research. In the chapter "Sports as Empathy," Simons made former NHL player Hedican appear to be an analyst with an uncanny ability to read plays. However, after just having read The Sports Gene, I realize this is typical for all elite players. Simons did the research into mirror neurons, but he didn't draw the connection to the fact that once a player trains himself or herself enough (the "10,000 Hours" rule), a puck doesn't even have to be in a freeze-frame shot in order for an elite hockey player to guess what move another player is about to make based solely upon their body position. Another area that Simon didn't research was smaller leagues. There is a devout (some would argue religious) following in overlooked leagues, like professional women's soccer and professional men's lacrosse, where fans continue to pour money, time, and energy into it regardless of the fact that they don't see any tangible reward (more financial backing, higher match attendance, more media coverage, etc.). What drives these fans then?
Another glaring issue with this book is its local scope. You can't write a book on sports fans and not travel to other countries to interview its fans on that country's most popular sport. Simon talked about English football (soccer), yet he didn't seem to realize different cultures and countries have different approaches to sports. Interviewing a Gooner expat in San Francisco is not the same as interviewing one living and breathing Arsenal air every day in London. Besides lacking in global scope, I also wish Simons had listed the ethnicity of those he interviewed. I had nothing to go on except brief descriptions and names, but it seemed as if he mostly interviewed white male sports fans. General observations require diverse research.
Which leads to the last and biggest problem I had with this book - female sports fans were completely ignored. Simons briefly mentioned women in the first chapter "The Edge of Your Seat," but only to state that research shows testosterone in men fluctuates in relation to dominance competition studies whereas in women it stays the same. This was interesting and I eagerly read the next few lines to see what then does change in females that makes them exhibit passionate sports fan symptoms...yet Simon didn't touch the subject of female fans after this observance. Not only did Simon ignore them, he invalidated their experience since his casual dismissal implied a woman can't be as authentic a fan as a man since the latter exhibits one area of biological change. I highly doubt this is how Simon truly feels, yet his complete disregard of female fans (which make up a large percentage of overall sports fans) in his book implied this.
I can't recommend The Secret Lives of Sports Fans. But, if you're looking to read a sports book related to science that is more universal, well-written, thoroughly researched, and gender-neutral, then check out The Sports Gene by David Epstein. You won't regret it, whereas you may regret reading Simons' book like I did.
There were quite a few things I didn't like in this book, the first being what I thought to be a lack of proper research. In the chapter "Sports as Empathy," Simons made former NHL player Hedican appear to be an analyst with an uncanny ability to read plays. However, after just having read The Sports Gene, I realize this is typical for all elite players. Simons did the research into mirror neurons, but he didn't draw the connection to the fact that once a player trains himself or herself enough (the "10,000 Hours" rule), a puck doesn't even have to be in a freeze-frame shot in order for an elite hockey player to guess what move another player is about to make based solely upon their body position. Another area that Simon didn't research was smaller leagues. There is a devout (some would argue religious) following in overlooked leagues, like professional women's soccer and professional men's lacrosse, where fans continue to pour money, time, and energy into it regardless of the fact that they don't see any tangible reward (more financial backing, higher match attendance, more media coverage, etc.). What drives these fans then?
Another glaring issue with this book is its local scope. You can't write a book on sports fans and not travel to other countries to interview its fans on that country's most popular sport. Simon talked about English football (soccer), yet he didn't seem to realize different cultures and countries have different approaches to sports. Interviewing a Gooner expat in San Francisco is not the same as interviewing one living and breathing Arsenal air every day in London. Besides lacking in global scope, I also wish Simons had listed the ethnicity of those he interviewed. I had nothing to go on except brief descriptions and names, but it seemed as if he mostly interviewed white male sports fans. General observations require diverse research.
Which leads to the last and biggest problem I had with this book - female sports fans were completely ignored. Simons briefly mentioned women in the first chapter "The Edge of Your Seat," but only to state that research shows testosterone in men fluctuates in relation to dominance competition studies whereas in women it stays the same. This was interesting and I eagerly read the next few lines to see what then does change in females that makes them exhibit passionate sports fan symptoms...yet Simon didn't touch the subject of female fans after this observance. Not only did Simon ignore them, he invalidated their experience since his casual dismissal implied a woman can't be as authentic a fan as a man since the latter exhibits one area of biological change. I highly doubt this is how Simon truly feels, yet his complete disregard of female fans (which make up a large percentage of overall sports fans) in his book implied this.
I can't recommend The Secret Lives of Sports Fans. But, if you're looking to read a sports book related to science that is more universal, well-written, thoroughly researched, and gender-neutral, then check out The Sports Gene by David Epstein. You won't regret it, whereas you may regret reading Simons' book like I did.
May 31, 2013
A little disclosure here: Eric Simons visited with me during our 2012 annual Sport Psychology Forum at WKU in Bowling Green, KY. His experiences at the Forum, and the Predators-Sharks game following made the book. (So, look, Ma, I'm famous!) Thus, I am already predisposed to liking the book.
However, just because I am in the book does not necessarily make it a good book. What makes it good is that Eric took the information he gleaned from our form, added to it information gathered from other scientific lines of research and collected it into a nice blueprint of the biological, social and psychological forces that help explain why we humans like to root for guys running around in funny uniforms. He also explains why the outcomes of such games mean so much.
Starting with his own story of the 2007 University of California-Oregon State University football game, Eric weaves personal tales into his science with a writing style that is engaging and entertaining. Throughout the book, he provides human examples of the points that I find in my research. But it is not just the stories that I think are interesting. Often when I read a layperson's description of the scientific findings, I discover that that person does not completely understand what he or she is describing. Not so with Eric Simons. He truly understands the material--and explains it in a way that, I think, everyone can comprehend.
The take-home message, I think, is that humans are pre-wired to belong, and participating in sport fandom allows us to belong to a very important group. This is backed up by research in biology, physiology, sociology and psychology. The insights presented in the book have expanded my thinking on the area, and have given me several new research ideas.
In conclusion, this book has just become required reading for members of my research lab. If you are a sport fan, it should also be required reading for you. If only so you can understand the forces within yourself. (Though, as I think about it, perhaps it should be required reading for your spouse she he or she can understand you, too...)
However, just because I am in the book does not necessarily make it a good book. What makes it good is that Eric took the information he gleaned from our form, added to it information gathered from other scientific lines of research and collected it into a nice blueprint of the biological, social and psychological forces that help explain why we humans like to root for guys running around in funny uniforms. He also explains why the outcomes of such games mean so much.
Starting with his own story of the 2007 University of California-Oregon State University football game, Eric weaves personal tales into his science with a writing style that is engaging and entertaining. Throughout the book, he provides human examples of the points that I find in my research. But it is not just the stories that I think are interesting. Often when I read a layperson's description of the scientific findings, I discover that that person does not completely understand what he or she is describing. Not so with Eric Simons. He truly understands the material--and explains it in a way that, I think, everyone can comprehend.
The take-home message, I think, is that humans are pre-wired to belong, and participating in sport fandom allows us to belong to a very important group. This is backed up by research in biology, physiology, sociology and psychology. The insights presented in the book have expanded my thinking on the area, and have given me several new research ideas.
In conclusion, this book has just become required reading for members of my research lab. If you are a sport fan, it should also be required reading for you. If only so you can understand the forces within yourself. (Though, as I think about it, perhaps it should be required reading for your spouse she he or she can understand you, too...)
January 2, 2020
After hearing an interview with the author I bought this book for my sport-fanatic partner and ended up reading it myself. I thought I might gain an understanding into the sport fan’s brain.
I appreciate the effort given on the author’s part but as you can tell by how long it took me to read, I wasn’t in a hurry to get there.
I found some of the research information interesting but the presentation of it was lacking connection for me to stay with it.
Maybe better suited for the fan rather than a sports widow.
I appreciate the effort given on the author’s part but as you can tell by how long it took me to read, I wasn’t in a hurry to get there.
I found some of the research information interesting but the presentation of it was lacking connection for me to stay with it.
Maybe better suited for the fan rather than a sports widow.
January 11, 2016
Good to know why I'm a fanatic with my team. Not crazy like some sports fans but can definitely relate to the info presented by Eric Simons. If you think you are alone, you're not.
March 13, 2024
Although there are some interesting parts of this book, overall, I was disappointed. In many ways, the book felt like it was really a long form magazine article (like the Atlantic or the like) that got stretched into book. The flow of the book is mainly a series of anecdotes punctuated by interviews with scientists and other relevant experts. In themselves these were each usually interesting or informative, but they don’t hang together as a whole in a satisfying way. And there is no non-fiction equivalent of a denouement for the various strands of theories and ideas about fandom that Simons presents in the book.
That said, there are some worthwhile discussions of fan identity, how fans relate to each other, and how fandom intersects with other parts of our lives. And Simons and his interviewees do provide some useful social science and evolutionary biology that is relevant for thinking about fandom.
That said, there are some worthwhile discussions of fan identity, how fans relate to each other, and how fandom intersects with other parts of our lives. And Simons and his interviewees do provide some useful social science and evolutionary biology that is relevant for thinking about fandom.
August 12, 2019
Great topic, it was like trying to suck a tick milkshake through a super small straw reading it. Please God let Galdwell find this book and rewrite it!!!!
June 4, 2024
Reeks of confirmation bias, but the studies referenced were interesting. Very male-centric, too, but sports in general is.
July 8, 2013
As a younger boy I was a fanatic Utah Jazz Fan. I had posters of Malone and Stockton plastering every square inch of my wall. I never missed a game on TV or listened in on radio if the game was not telecast. I remember vividly Jordan's push-off on Byron Russel and jumpshot (should have been called a foul) to secure the NBA championship (I was crushed).
As life changes your interests change (I don't think I could name even a few Utah Jazz players today), but I wondered if this book: The Secret LIves of Sports Fans: The Secret of Sports Obscession would cause a bit of nostalgia.
Why do we form such close attachments with sports teams?
Why do we feel so elated when they win and dejected when they lose?
Eric Simmons attempts to answer these questions by going where Sports Fans go: Raider Nation, Cleveland, OH, a professional Soccer game in Europe. There were a few moments I enjoyed as with talking about Lebron (The Whore of Akron) having spent 4.5 years in Akron and seeing the fall-out of "The Decision." But overall..this book..was very disappointing.
The questions of sociological and psyocological attachments questions to sports teams remain unanswered. The experiences amongst sports fans were as boring as a 1-0 never ending Isotopes baseball game.
After reading this book I was even more convinced that participating in sports (a good bike ride, a pick-up soccer game, a hike up Sandia Peak) is always better and better for you than the best watched game on a couch.
As life changes your interests change (I don't think I could name even a few Utah Jazz players today), but I wondered if this book: The Secret LIves of Sports Fans: The Secret of Sports Obscession would cause a bit of nostalgia.
Why do we form such close attachments with sports teams?
Why do we feel so elated when they win and dejected when they lose?
Eric Simmons attempts to answer these questions by going where Sports Fans go: Raider Nation, Cleveland, OH, a professional Soccer game in Europe. There were a few moments I enjoyed as with talking about Lebron (The Whore of Akron) having spent 4.5 years in Akron and seeing the fall-out of "The Decision." But overall..this book..was very disappointing.
The questions of sociological and psyocological attachments questions to sports teams remain unanswered. The experiences amongst sports fans were as boring as a 1-0 never ending Isotopes baseball game.
After reading this book I was even more convinced that participating in sports (a good bike ride, a pick-up soccer game, a hike up Sandia Peak) is always better and better for you than the best watched game on a couch.
May 13, 2016
As the wife of a long-suffering Boston Red Sox fan, I was curious about why some sports fans take the trials and tribulations of their teams so personally. Don't get me wrong, I love my teams, and I hate when they lose (especially to long-hated rivals), but I generally don't lose sleep over such losses. My husband is another story. This book looks into neuroendocrinology and how it triggers certain hormonal responses when a person's beloved team wins or loses. It examines our mirror neuron systems and how our physiological reactions during sporting events may indicate our ability to have empathy or show love. I was honestly stunned at the amount of research that has been done in the science of sports obsession, and yet there is so much we still don't know. Candidly, I got lost in some of the research, but it is still an interesting read. I can only hope my Boston sports-obsessed husband will read it next!
April 27, 2017
This book features an excellent collection of research studies to read up on if you're interested in the science of sports fandom, but the book itself is awful. The author has no idea what he's talking about when it comes to science (he refers to specific neural cortices as "brain lobes" and often interprets and presents research studies in all fields inaccurately) and in fact has no idea what he's talking about when it comes to sports fandom, either--he repeatedly emphasizes that he usually watches sports alone and doesn't connect with the social aspect of the hobby, which is a primary motivation for most sports fans and is the focus of much of the book. He's not at all qualified to write this book, and it shows.
August 5, 2015
The anecdotes are great, and the research studies and theories are interesting. I would have enjoyed the book more if some of the data and theories were not addressed as in depth. I wasn't that interested in endocrinology to want to read so much about hormone levels, for example. Personally, I liked the anecdotes best, and I also enjoyed the sociological and psychological aspects. The physical science was interesting as well, but not surprising given my interests, it was not as appealing to me.
This book is easy to read in small segments, which suited me well since I have not had much reading time lately.
This book is easy to read in small segments, which suited me well since I have not had much reading time lately.
June 12, 2013
Very interesting read for any sports fan (or their significant others). Simons' writing is clear, concise, and entertaining as he explains what is happening in our brains and bodies when we watch sports. He explores mirror neurons, identity and the expansion of self, relationship formation, love, addiction, and group behavior to understand exactly what's happening when I scream at a television screen, weep with joy, or any of the other emotional/physical highs and lows that define sports fandom.
Read
March 26, 2015 "We sports fan are glorious expression of all the wondrous quirks and oddities in human nature" - this actual last sentence of the book should've been better placed at its opening. It aptly captures it's spirit and all pluses and minuses stemming from such overambitious statement. However, it was this line that actually made my day:
"Behavioral scientists like the Russian Gregor Pavlov - whose experiments with salivating dogs have forever linked him with canines -..." (p.182).
Ivan Mendel, take note!
"Behavioral scientists like the Russian Gregor Pavlov - whose experiments with salivating dogs have forever linked him with canines -..." (p.182).
Ivan Mendel, take note!
June 16, 2016
As an overly-attached hockey fan, reading this book was very insightful but also frankly surreal, and a little creepy, like reading a report on my own mind. I read it during the hockey off-season and sometimes had to just stop because it felt a little too personal and close to home. It dissected and analysed my feelings very well. Overall though, I'm very glad I've read it because it has made me feel less alone, and somewhat vindicated by science and sociology. I also liked the personal examples included amongst all the theory.
May 3, 2013
Interesting analyses of the different effects that competition and being a loyal fan of a team has on chemical reactions in body. Also good discussion of group psychology for sports fans i.e. Raider Nation, etc. Long suffering Cleveland fans will find some of the commentary intriguing, and perhaps comforting.
May 5, 2014
The informative parts were great, but nothing groundbreaking (I'd seen many of the studies in other books), while the anecdotal parts weren't particularly interesting in context. Felt more like a term paper than a book at times and wasn't something that screamed to be read from cover to cover. Overall, an okay book.
July 24, 2014
A very engagingly written overview of the current neuroscientific, social psychological, and anthropological research on sports fandom, affiliation, empathy, and why we care so much about something that really doesn't matter!
October 23, 2014
If you've ever been a fan or even hated others' fandom, read this book. It's a more complex scientific subject than most give it credit for. Simons' writing is tight and informative and not without good narrative threads to entice the reader to turn the page. I learned a lot about myself.
September 12, 2025
3.75, round to 4 stars. Research in the book was great, it really simplified a lot of the neuroscience and psychology for the average person. However it seemed to be stuck in this pattern of confirmation bias with discourse covering only men in their experiences with sports fandom.
January 22, 2014
Popular sciene analysis of sportfandom. Pretty informative and an interesting area of research not often persued.
February 9, 2016
Enjoyed this - could humorously see myself in several pieces of it.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews