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Big Fan: Two Friends, 82,490 Miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love
New York Times bestselling authors Mike Schur and Joe Posnanski travel the world in a hilarious and heartwarming celebration of fans and the things they baseball, basketball, chess, darts, football, futbol, Indigenous North American stickball, pickleball, WWE, Taylor Swift, Star Wars, and more.
Two great friends. Lots of frequent flyer miles. And a bottomless appetite for experiencing sports. That’s what BIG FAN is all about.
Bestselling authors and podcast hosts Joe Posnanski and Mike Schur love games—almost any game!—and they bring readers to the front row (and sometimes even right onto the field). Whether ringside at WrestleMania in Las Vegas, singing along with the maniacs at the World Darts Championships in London, or just watching eight straight hours of football at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Dallas, they bring us to the very heart of what it means to love something so much it hurts.
Through crushing defeats and glorious wins, whether cheering penalty kicks with 65,000 fans in Liverpool or beholding a chess master castling in dead silence, BIG FAN is about why we love what we love and how fandom connects us in a time when so much else pulls us apart.
Two great friends. Lots of frequent flyer miles. And a bottomless appetite for experiencing sports. That’s what BIG FAN is all about.
Bestselling authors and podcast hosts Joe Posnanski and Mike Schur love games—almost any game!—and they bring readers to the front row (and sometimes even right onto the field). Whether ringside at WrestleMania in Las Vegas, singing along with the maniacs at the World Darts Championships in London, or just watching eight straight hours of football at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Dallas, they bring us to the very heart of what it means to love something so much it hurts.
Through crushing defeats and glorious wins, whether cheering penalty kicks with 65,000 fans in Liverpool or beholding a chess master castling in dead silence, BIG FAN is about why we love what we love and how fandom connects us in a time when so much else pulls us apart.
Audible Audio
Published May 19, 2026
About the author
Michael Schur
8 books427 followersMichael Herbert Schur is an American television producer, writer, and character actor. He was a producer and writer for the comedy series The Office, and co-created Parks and Recreation with Office producer Greg Daniels. He created The Good Place, co-created the comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine and was a producer on the series Master of None. He also played Mose Schrute in The Office. In 2021, he co-created the comedy series Rutherford Falls.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
July 1, 2026
A Good Sports Conversation That Didn’t Quite Stick
★★★☆☆ (3/5 Stars) Audiobook
Big Fan: Two Friends, 82,490 Miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love is a heartfelt and often humorous exploration of why we invest so much of ourselves in sports, pop culture, and the communities they create. Co-authored by veteran sportswriter Joe Posnanski and television writer and producer Michael Schur, the book had all the ingredients I thought I would love.
One of my oldest buddies is a huge Joe Posnanski fan, while I’ve long admired Michael Schur. The Office and Parks and Recreation are two of my all-time favorite television series. I originally bought a signed copy of Big Fan as a birthday gift for my friend Dan. As it sat on my desk waiting for his birthday, I found myself paging through it, which led me to the accompanying podcast. I enjoyed the podcast enough that I spent an Audible credit on the audiobook.
As a whole, the book feels like spending time with two friends talking sports, fandom, and all the wonderfully trivial things that come with being a fan. There is certainly charm in that. My biggest disappointment, however, is that much of the material felt like a reheated version of the podcast. I’ve been burned by the “podcast turned book” formula before, and unfortunately this one reminded me why. I kept hoping the book would offer something substantially deeper or different than what I’d already heard.
That said, there are some genuinely delightful moments. I loved the challenges the authors assigned one another. Michael Schur’s adventures attending both a Dead & Company concert and WrestleMania in Las Vegas—events he expected to dislike but ultimately enjoyed—were among the funniest and most insightful chapters in the book. Their trip to the World Darts Championship was equally entertaining. Those fish-out-of-water experiences captured the joy of discovering why other people love the things they love.
Unfortunately, for me, those standout moments were too few and far between. Too much of the book settled into casual sports banter that never quite rose above what I’d already heard on the podcast.
In the end, Big Fan isn’t a bad book. If you enjoy sports conversations between friends, you’ll probably have a pleasant time. I certainly don’t regret listening to it.
What I love most is writing that can be heartwarming, intelligent, and genuinely funny—writing that makes you laugh out loud while also giving you something meaningful to think about. Knowing Joe Posnanski’s reputation and Michael Schur’s remarkable body of work, I expected more of that blend here. There are flashes of it throughout the book, but not nearly enough for my taste.
I finished Big Fan feeling entertained, but not especially moved. For two seasoned and exceptionally talented storytellers, I came away hoping for something just a little more memorable.
★★★☆☆ (3/5 Stars) Audiobook
Big Fan: Two Friends, 82,490 Miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love is a heartfelt and often humorous exploration of why we invest so much of ourselves in sports, pop culture, and the communities they create. Co-authored by veteran sportswriter Joe Posnanski and television writer and producer Michael Schur, the book had all the ingredients I thought I would love.
One of my oldest buddies is a huge Joe Posnanski fan, while I’ve long admired Michael Schur. The Office and Parks and Recreation are two of my all-time favorite television series. I originally bought a signed copy of Big Fan as a birthday gift for my friend Dan. As it sat on my desk waiting for his birthday, I found myself paging through it, which led me to the accompanying podcast. I enjoyed the podcast enough that I spent an Audible credit on the audiobook.
As a whole, the book feels like spending time with two friends talking sports, fandom, and all the wonderfully trivial things that come with being a fan. There is certainly charm in that. My biggest disappointment, however, is that much of the material felt like a reheated version of the podcast. I’ve been burned by the “podcast turned book” formula before, and unfortunately this one reminded me why. I kept hoping the book would offer something substantially deeper or different than what I’d already heard.
That said, there are some genuinely delightful moments. I loved the challenges the authors assigned one another. Michael Schur’s adventures attending both a Dead & Company concert and WrestleMania in Las Vegas—events he expected to dislike but ultimately enjoyed—were among the funniest and most insightful chapters in the book. Their trip to the World Darts Championship was equally entertaining. Those fish-out-of-water experiences captured the joy of discovering why other people love the things they love.
Unfortunately, for me, those standout moments were too few and far between. Too much of the book settled into casual sports banter that never quite rose above what I’d already heard on the podcast.
In the end, Big Fan isn’t a bad book. If you enjoy sports conversations between friends, you’ll probably have a pleasant time. I certainly don’t regret listening to it.
What I love most is writing that can be heartwarming, intelligent, and genuinely funny—writing that makes you laugh out loud while also giving you something meaningful to think about. Knowing Joe Posnanski’s reputation and Michael Schur’s remarkable body of work, I expected more of that blend here. There are flashes of it throughout the book, but not nearly enough for my taste.
I finished Big Fan feeling entertained, but not especially moved. For two seasoned and exceptionally talented storytellers, I came away hoping for something just a little more memorable.
May 31, 2026
Imagine running around to games and competitions with two of your close buddies, discussing sports and other fun topics, sharing anecdotes of your experiences while making new ones, all while laughing until your ribs hurt because you're having so much fun.
That my friends is this book.
Embarrassingly, I'll admit I'm not a big sports fan, yet I still loved this book. There are the traditional sports here of course, and they even cover darts and pickle ball. Anything and everything you could possibly want to know about fandom is in here, all the while enjoying the journey.
A great and interesting read for sports fans yes, but also for anyone who simply enjoys reading a fun and interesting book.
Highly recommended!!
*As always this is just my opinion.
You may have a different experience/point of view, with any book I review. Please judge for yourself.
Thank you for reading!
*I gratefully received this book from the publisher and author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
That my friends is this book.
Embarrassingly, I'll admit I'm not a big sports fan, yet I still loved this book. There are the traditional sports here of course, and they even cover darts and pickle ball. Anything and everything you could possibly want to know about fandom is in here, all the while enjoying the journey.
A great and interesting read for sports fans yes, but also for anyone who simply enjoys reading a fun and interesting book.
Highly recommended!!
*As always this is just my opinion.
You may have a different experience/point of view, with any book I review. Please judge for yourself.
Thank you for reading!
*I gratefully received this book from the publisher and author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
June 1, 2026
Really fun read. Super cool to see how passionate Mike and Joe both are about things.
July 6, 2026
I wish this book went on forever. Stand up if you love the darts.
July 1, 2026
In April 2024, my son and I had the distinct pleasure of seeing my absolute favorite writer, Joe Posnanski, in person, while he was doing a book tour for his (also excellent) book "Why We Love Baseball".
Joe answered questions from the crowd, talked baseball, sports, life, etc. Afterward, he signed books, took pictures, and chatted with fans individually. Chatting with Joe and getting pictures with him for even just a minute was a personal highlight for me.
During the Q&A portion of the evening, Joe was asked what he was working on. He was finishing up his "Why We Love Football" book, but also getting ready for another project. After swearing us to secrecy, he told us that Mike had recently suggested a book idea that would involve them traveling the world to research what it means to be a fan. They didn't have (or couldn't share) the details just yet, but I was ecstatic about the possibility of these two writing a book together. I am an avid listener of Joe and Mike's podcast, The Poscast. The unofficial tagline of The Poscast is "Sports and Nonsense" and while it fits that tagline sometimes, these guys bring you so much more than nonsense. It's a celebration of sports and fandom from two guys who love sports and obviously love spending time together. And this book is the full-blown exploration of that love. It's incredible.
I love this book. It's the most excited I've ever been about a book and it actually outperformed my wildly, impossibly high expectations.
I've rarely read a book twice in one year. I just finished reading this for the second time in 6 weeks. I recommend it as much or more than anything I've ever read.
Joe answered questions from the crowd, talked baseball, sports, life, etc. Afterward, he signed books, took pictures, and chatted with fans individually. Chatting with Joe and getting pictures with him for even just a minute was a personal highlight for me.
During the Q&A portion of the evening, Joe was asked what he was working on. He was finishing up his "Why We Love Football" book, but also getting ready for another project. After swearing us to secrecy, he told us that Mike had recently suggested a book idea that would involve them traveling the world to research what it means to be a fan. They didn't have (or couldn't share) the details just yet, but I was ecstatic about the possibility of these two writing a book together. I am an avid listener of Joe and Mike's podcast, The Poscast. The unofficial tagline of The Poscast is "Sports and Nonsense" and while it fits that tagline sometimes, these guys bring you so much more than nonsense. It's a celebration of sports and fandom from two guys who love sports and obviously love spending time together. And this book is the full-blown exploration of that love. It's incredible.
I love this book. It's the most excited I've ever been about a book and it actually outperformed my wildly, impossibly high expectations.
I've rarely read a book twice in one year. I just finished reading this for the second time in 6 weeks. I recommend it as much or more than anything I've ever read.
May 28, 2026
A thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable examination of what it is to be a fan.
First, it should be said that these guys are truly, legitimately funny, and the humor they bring to this subject goes a long way in propelling the reader through the chapters about things in which they might have less interest.
I’m a former sports analyst and a huge baseball fan, so I was thrilled to see so much of this dedicated to baseball, but found myself laughing and engaged even with segments on subjects that aren’t normally of particular interest to me, like darts and professional wrestling.
As a fellow former Clevelander and Guardians fan now living in Boston, it was a particular treat to get a book like this from the perspective of a Guardians fan and a Red Sox fan. I love that these guys don’t apologize for their fandom of particular teams and sports, but still display genuine respect and curiosity for teams and fandoms which aren’t their particular bailiwick.
And of course I’m now convinced that any good literary travelogue on fandom should end with a quest to hug Mookie Betts, who (I thoroughly agree with the authors) is probably our best human.
I thought I was completely burned out on sports and sports related books, but this one brought me a lot of joy.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
First, it should be said that these guys are truly, legitimately funny, and the humor they bring to this subject goes a long way in propelling the reader through the chapters about things in which they might have less interest.
I’m a former sports analyst and a huge baseball fan, so I was thrilled to see so much of this dedicated to baseball, but found myself laughing and engaged even with segments on subjects that aren’t normally of particular interest to me, like darts and professional wrestling.
As a fellow former Clevelander and Guardians fan now living in Boston, it was a particular treat to get a book like this from the perspective of a Guardians fan and a Red Sox fan. I love that these guys don’t apologize for their fandom of particular teams and sports, but still display genuine respect and curiosity for teams and fandoms which aren’t their particular bailiwick.
And of course I’m now convinced that any good literary travelogue on fandom should end with a quest to hug Mookie Betts, who (I thoroughly agree with the authors) is probably our best human.
I thought I was completely burned out on sports and sports related books, but this one brought me a lot of joy.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
June 9, 2026
If I could give this book more than five stars, I’d do it in a heartbeat. There is so much humanity and truth in these pages, that I just didn’t want it to end. Well, well worth a read!
Read
June 5, 2026My ONLY note is: more Ivy commentary next time pls !
May 28, 2026
I'm already a big fan of both Mike and Joe and I even listen to every episode of their nonsense podcast (appropriately titled The Poscast). Joe wrote about the Royals for years and still writes so much about baseball. Mike has written for and created many of my favorite TV shows. So yes, I already knew I would like this book. But I didn't know how much I'd be invested in a silly midnight game in Alaska or in any of these other little stories. Being a fan of something is so much more fun than not participating. My only frustration was near the beginning when Joe called the Argentine soccer team River Pla-tay instead of River Plate (almost exactly like the English words) like how they say it in Argentina.
January 23, 2026
This is exactly as described - a fun bunch of essays about liking and enjoying things (mostly sports). Perfect dad book!
July 7, 2026
I need to start this review by saying that I’m a big fan of “Big Fan”. It’s a perfect summer vacation book that has laugh-out-loud moments amid fabulous storytelling.
I was expecting for the book to be exclusively about sports, but it was enhanced by showcasing fandom in other topics including music (Taylor Swift, Grateful Dead), puzzles/games (chess, NY Times crossword) and non-traditional sports (darts, WWE wrestling, and Indigenous Stickball). Each chapter with differing topic was a meal unto itself.
As the authors say about why we become fans:
1. Life is boring, and fandom provides entertainment.
2. Life is chaotic, and fandom provides order.
3. Life is lonely, and fandom provides community.
The other big positive for the book is that friendship between the coauthors radiates through the pages. Pure fun. Highly entertaining.
I was expecting for the book to be exclusively about sports, but it was enhanced by showcasing fandom in other topics including music (Taylor Swift, Grateful Dead), puzzles/games (chess, NY Times crossword) and non-traditional sports (darts, WWE wrestling, and Indigenous Stickball). Each chapter with differing topic was a meal unto itself.
As the authors say about why we become fans:
1. Life is boring, and fandom provides entertainment.
2. Life is chaotic, and fandom provides order.
3. Life is lonely, and fandom provides community.
The other big positive for the book is that friendship between the coauthors radiates through the pages. Pure fun. Highly entertaining.
June 28, 2026
Here is navel gazing of a particularly infuriating type. We are asked to believe this is a look at what it means to be a fan from two gentlemen who have the wherewithal to do the types of things that few readers would have the chance to experience.
Posnanski is too good a writer not to provide some depth to his work, and his chapters offer many examples of quality, particularly his visit to a hockey match in Montreal and his stories about Hank Thompson and a blind woman who learns to love NASCAR by listening to the radio.
Schur's contributions are almost completely worthless, filled with the kind of condescension that will remind you of his days running Fire Joe Morgan. Perhaps it says something that his most memorable contribution is a few short paragraphs about Amy Poehler meeting a young fan. The rest is more about his wealth and privilege and genius.
There are many things here to drive you nuts... the incessant footnotes come to mind... but the two worst examples are the account of Mike Schur getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the effort by the two authors to hug Mookie Betts. How either of these two things represent the fan experience is beyond me.
How one becomes a fan is usually keyed on certain things that happen when at a game or watching it on TV. The memory of those times is far more worthwhile than what you can find here.
Posnanski is too good a writer not to provide some depth to his work, and his chapters offer many examples of quality, particularly his visit to a hockey match in Montreal and his stories about Hank Thompson and a blind woman who learns to love NASCAR by listening to the radio.
Schur's contributions are almost completely worthless, filled with the kind of condescension that will remind you of his days running Fire Joe Morgan. Perhaps it says something that his most memorable contribution is a few short paragraphs about Amy Poehler meeting a young fan. The rest is more about his wealth and privilege and genius.
There are many things here to drive you nuts... the incessant footnotes come to mind... but the two worst examples are the account of Mike Schur getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the effort by the two authors to hug Mookie Betts. How either of these two things represent the fan experience is beyond me.
How one becomes a fan is usually keyed on certain things that happen when at a game or watching it on TV. The memory of those times is far more worthwhile than what you can find here.
June 25, 2026
If you're a Yankees fan don't bother, the author's Yankee hatred is akin to TDS which I'm sure he also hasIronically I'm reading the chapter on Wendy a week after Knicks in 5 and Wendy proved himself to be a truly dirty player. Mike Schur is very suspect in his opinions because he also gushes over Othani who was sheltered from prosecution and suspension because he's MLB's golden goose . Thank God for the public library. Saved myself 40.00
June 12, 2026
This book, co-written by awesome sports writer Joe Posnanski and your favorite sitcom writer of the 21st century, Michael Schur, is ostensibly (they use the word ostensibly a lot in this book and it seeped into my vocabulary (they also have a lot of footnotes)) a buddy road trip comedy through fandom in all its weird and wonderful forms. They’re hosts of what is mostly a baseball podcast, so it’s a lot of baseball. But it covers, World Championship Darts, Taylor Swift, the Dead Heads, Star Wars, College Football, Hockey, Magic, WWE, and so much more.
Posnanski and Schur see more incredible fan experiences in the year or so they wrote this book than many of us will see in our lifetime. They’ve also seen an incalculable amount of insane sporting moments in their lives and met more famous celebrities and athletes than random fans will ever hope for. But, the beauty of this book, is that they’re such genuine guys, they treat every moment and event with joy (except for Pickleball, Joe really hates pickleball).
There a lot of stories in this book about how people fell in love with sports or re-fell in love with sports. When I listened to Posnanski’s books “Why We Love Baseball” and “Why We Love Football”, I fell in love with my favorite sports all over again. These guys, and my other favorite podcast, Casuals with Katie Nolan which I skipped for like 3 weeks listening to this book, are must listens for anyone who is casual fan of sports. Also, Mike and Joe are guests on the day this review is being written on. Both are a breath of fresh air in a sports landscape that wants you to yell hot takes, ignore women’s sports, and gamble your house away.
I am sure the book in physical or digital is great, but the audiobook is incredible. Check it out.
Posnanski and Schur see more incredible fan experiences in the year or so they wrote this book than many of us will see in our lifetime. They’ve also seen an incalculable amount of insane sporting moments in their lives and met more famous celebrities and athletes than random fans will ever hope for. But, the beauty of this book, is that they’re such genuine guys, they treat every moment and event with joy (except for Pickleball, Joe really hates pickleball).
There a lot of stories in this book about how people fell in love with sports or re-fell in love with sports. When I listened to Posnanski’s books “Why We Love Baseball” and “Why We Love Football”, I fell in love with my favorite sports all over again. These guys, and my other favorite podcast, Casuals with Katie Nolan which I skipped for like 3 weeks listening to this book, are must listens for anyone who is casual fan of sports. Also, Mike and Joe are guests on the day this review is being written on. Both are a breath of fresh air in a sports landscape that wants you to yell hot takes, ignore women’s sports, and gamble your house away.
I am sure the book in physical or digital is great, but the audiobook is incredible. Check it out.
July 5, 2026
Just a total palette cleanser, such a fun book
July 11, 2026
This book perfectly describes my daily life
June 20, 2026
You know what I’m a big fan of? Anything that Joe and Mike do. So it was no surprise that I loved every minute of this book, exploring fandom and why we love the things we love. This is sports focused for sure, but really explores many kinds of fandom - music, magic, TV, puzzles. They helped put words and reasoning to something that often seems unexplainable and I know I’ll be using their words to explain my own fandoms in the future.
Like anything these guys do, this book is equal parts funny and tender, with a touch of profound, and just full of joy. In a time where a lot of things suck, there’s not much I enjoy more than these guys geeking out over the things they love.
Like anything these guys do, this book is equal parts funny and tender, with a touch of profound, and just full of joy. In a time where a lot of things suck, there’s not much I enjoy more than these guys geeking out over the things they love.
June 24, 2026
4.5 stars.
Super fun and feel good read. Got a little slow in the second half but that’s okay.
Really enjoyed the chapters about the darts, sports on radio, pickleball, Liverpool, crosswords, Grateful Dead, wrestlemania, the masters, hockey, mookie betts, and Alaska.
Always have a high appreciation for Posnanski.
Super fun and feel good read. Got a little slow in the second half but that’s okay.
Really enjoyed the chapters about the darts, sports on radio, pickleball, Liverpool, crosswords, Grateful Dead, wrestlemania, the masters, hockey, mookie betts, and Alaska.
Always have a high appreciation for Posnanski.
June 15, 2026
This will land best with people that are already familiar with the Poscast — they could have called this “Poscast - the book” and it wouldn’t have been far off. What the Poscast sometimes misses though is that heart that both Posnanski and Schur bring to their respective work. I think any sports fan, or a fan of either gentleman’s work, will find much to love in this book.
Side-note - I generally feel like I’m cheating a little when I listen to a book like this as an audio book. I finished the back half of this book when I decided I wanted to “read” while taking a walk, and in this case, it really holds up. The authors narrate themselves, as you’d probably expect. As a fan of the Poscast, I was already hearing their respective voices as I read, but the actual audio is just as good. Also, when Joe’s daughter recaps her Taylor Swift concert experience, it got me a little choked up.
Side-note - I generally feel like I’m cheating a little when I listen to a book like this as an audio book. I finished the back half of this book when I decided I wanted to “read” while taking a walk, and in this case, it really holds up. The authors narrate themselves, as you’d probably expect. As a fan of the Poscast, I was already hearing their respective voices as I read, but the actual audio is just as good. Also, when Joe’s daughter recaps her Taylor Swift concert experience, it got me a little choked up.
June 25, 2026
Big Fan of this book. Mike and Joe bring a joy and enthusiasm for sports and fandom that is simply contagious. Really enjoyed this one.
June 13, 2026
I love this book as Mike Schur loves Payton Pritchard’s half-court buzzer beater in Game 2 of the NBA Finals (I am also obsessed with Payton Pritchard’s half-court buzzer beater in Game 2 of the NBA Finals). I cried when Mike went to Anfield for the first time and I cried when their daughters wrote the Eras Tour chapter and I cried again when they hugged Mookie Betts.
It helps that I a) love everything Mike Schur writes and b) have the exact same taste in sports teams as him, but I just thought this was awesome from start to finish. Truly believe this is required reading if you are a fan of sports (or a fan of anything really). So glad I picked this up!!!
It helps that I a) love everything Mike Schur writes and b) have the exact same taste in sports teams as him, but I just thought this was awesome from start to finish. Truly believe this is required reading if you are a fan of sports (or a fan of anything really). So glad I picked this up!!!
May 26, 2026
One of my favorite subgenres of nonfiction is People Nerding Out About Something So Much That It Makes Me Nerd Out About It Too. Hanif Abdurraqib is great at this, as are Shea Serrano and (in a completely different way but also somehow in this same made-up subgenre) Patrick Radden Keefe. I love a deep dive into niche topics. Mike Schur and Joe Posnanski are - and I say this with so much love and respect - giant nerds who have accomplished that same feat of making me care about things I previously just didn't think much about. This book helped me appreciate and understand fandoms better, even if they're for things that I personally don't have a ton of interest in. I will probably never go to a dart competition, but reading about their experiences at one made me get why people love it and made me want to know more. There's something really fascinating about reading about the human experience through this lens.
This book is obviously filled with lots of great sports-related anecdotes and thoughts, but it also touches on other types of fandom, including card collecting and TV show fandoms. It explores a lot about why we become fans of certain things, how those experiences shape us, and the larger role that fandom can serve in our society. Mike Schur has been largely responsible for a lot of the TV shows I grew to love during my 20s and 30s, so he personally has definitely shaped some of my own fandoms, but hearing his insight into fan experiences was really cool. I wasn't as familiar with Joe Posnanski's work, but he's funny and witty and so, so knowledgeable. Both of them have excellent, conversational writing styles that make the book really accessible without being surface-level or fluffy.
If you have ever loved a sports team, book series, TV show, super-niche hobby, or have been a fan of literally anything, this book is a really enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
This book is obviously filled with lots of great sports-related anecdotes and thoughts, but it also touches on other types of fandom, including card collecting and TV show fandoms. It explores a lot about why we become fans of certain things, how those experiences shape us, and the larger role that fandom can serve in our society. Mike Schur has been largely responsible for a lot of the TV shows I grew to love during my 20s and 30s, so he personally has definitely shaped some of my own fandoms, but hearing his insight into fan experiences was really cool. I wasn't as familiar with Joe Posnanski's work, but he's funny and witty and so, so knowledgeable. Both of them have excellent, conversational writing styles that make the book really accessible without being surface-level or fluffy.
If you have ever loved a sports team, book series, TV show, super-niche hobby, or have been a fan of literally anything, this book is a really enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
June 6, 2026
Why are we fans? Why do people love the Minnesota Timberwolves, REM, or Rubik’s Cubes? This fun exploration of fandom is a real page turner from two of the smartest, funniest, and just flat out awkward dads walking these United States. The footnotes may be a bit maddening, but lighten up a bit and enjoy. Fun book!
May 29, 2026
I am not a sports person. I am, however, a hopeless addict to the dopamine of being a Big Fan of most other things.
This is a heartwarming book of infectious fandom. Posnanski and Schur are earnestly curious, and their fun with this project leaps off the page. They have packed an enormous range of topics in this book — from sports everyone knows to the ones I’ve never heard of, with different subcultures thrown in.
Each topic is treated with love, respect, and an open mind. I laughed, I got misty-eyed. It’s a fantastic celebration of feelings, fandom, and friendship.
Finally, there is a glaring omission of Cale Makar and my beloved Avs from this book. My DMs are open should the writers require help with fixing this in a later edition.
This is a heartwarming book of infectious fandom. Posnanski and Schur are earnestly curious, and their fun with this project leaps off the page. They have packed an enormous range of topics in this book — from sports everyone knows to the ones I’ve never heard of, with different subcultures thrown in.
Each topic is treated with love, respect, and an open mind. I laughed, I got misty-eyed. It’s a fantastic celebration of feelings, fandom, and friendship.
Finally, there is a glaring omission of Cale Makar and my beloved Avs from this book. My DMs are open should the writers require help with fixing this in a later edition.
May 23, 2026
An excellent blend of humour, sports writing, travelogue, and history. Mike Schur has had a hand in hundreds of hours of TV I’ve enjoyed, and Joe Posnanski reminds me of all the good sports profiles I’ve enjoyed over the years. You’re brought into their friendship, including all the silly arguments they get into, the inside jokes, and the teams and players they love. The theme, fandom, is broad without feeling woolly. (I’m reminded of another book I read on ‘gossip’ which came be as broad as simply ‘stories’.) I particularly enjoyed the chapters when they’re travelling together, as you’re brought into their banter, like you’re their silent third friend.
One testament to the quality here is when Schur goes to Wrestlemania in Las Vegas, and as a casual wrestling fan (now) I was able to appreciate how much he got correct. Maybe I’ve read a lot of writing about wrestling from outsiders who get the details all wrong.
You’ll likely find a chapter in here about a sport you like, plus many more about sports and fandoms that you have never even considered.
One testament to the quality here is when Schur goes to Wrestlemania in Las Vegas, and as a casual wrestling fan (now) I was able to appreciate how much he got correct. Maybe I’ve read a lot of writing about wrestling from outsiders who get the details all wrong.
You’ll likely find a chapter in here about a sport you like, plus many more about sports and fandoms that you have never even considered.
May 30, 2026
I LOVED this book! As someone who has been a sports fan their whole life, this book really is great! Joe and I share the same misery by being Cleveland sports teams fans, so I def related to him! Mike won me over when he said LeBron was better than MJ and honestly that’s facts upon facts! Just a really fun, well written book, that made me laugh a lot too!
May 25, 2026
I don't know if I've ever read a 400 page book this fast. I pre-ordered the moment I heard about it last September and the wait was worth it. Big Fan is just a celebration of fun and fandom and I laughed out loud multiple times and it made me appreciate all of the things I've been a fan of over the years.
May 19, 2026
Received as a giveaway on Goodreads….This book was like hanging out with good friends and hearing some amazing stories. Joe & Mike share what it means to be a “fan” of something and try to answer the question: “Why are we fans?” They explore fandom of sports, music, TV and a number of other topics with wit and humor. My favorite sections are where each author forces the other to explore the fandom of something they are utterly unfamiliar with (Pickleball for Joe, Grateful Dead and WWE for Mike). I couldn’t put this one down, highly recommend!
May 31, 2026
I subscribe to Joe's Substack and ordered an autographed copy from the Cincinnati bookstore that I guess is Joe's home store. Got both authors' autographs, though not lucky enough to get the random goodies included in a few copies.
After an opening chapter that made me apprehensive about the rest of the book--too many footnotes, too jokey--things settle down. The themes here are abundance and generosity, a small-d democratic interest in why people like the things they like: crossword puzzles, or the Dead, or WWE, or Liverpool, or close-up magic, or darts, or Greco-Roman wrestling. Their daughters each get to contribute a couple of pages on Taylor Swift, neither of which is great, but both of which fit the book's big-hearted aesthetic. At points you realize that these guys are big deals--Mike gets his star on the Walk of Fame and is acclaimed by Amy Poehler; it's mentioned that Joe has been to literally every big sporting event multiple times, and at the end their mission to hug Mookie Betts is eased by their connections--but a lot of this is out among the people. Metaphysical questions are raised: can you simply make yourself a fan of something.? They decide, randomly, on Idaho State women's basketball. What would Joe hate most? Having to not just go to but play in a pickleball tournament. Mike has to go to see the Dead at the Sphere and then Wrestlemania, night 2, which he's not that into. Also: asides on Regis Philbin, Mike's father-in-law and apparently an exceedingly generous human being in daily life. Why TV is the great American art form. (Collaboration and accumulative relation, Mike explains, with bonus forensic anthropology of how jokes get written. Interesting in that sense that the collective meaning-making of wrestling doesn't appeal to him, though he's alert to John Cena's mastery of the crowd, even during his brief, failed, heel turn right near the end of his career.) Joe's serendipitous discovery of amazing family color when covering Rulon Gardner's upset victory over Alexander Karelin in the Olympics.
Not all of it is great, but there's just so much of it, so much generous, sincere interest in people and the question of why they like what they like, so many places to go (Mississippi! Alaska? Australia! Paris!), so much appreciation for excellence and friendship and the arbitrariness of these affiliations (as with Mike's UM loyalty, despite having lived there for only the first year of his life), that you can't help but enjoy coming along for the rides.
After an opening chapter that made me apprehensive about the rest of the book--too many footnotes, too jokey--things settle down. The themes here are abundance and generosity, a small-d democratic interest in why people like the things they like: crossword puzzles, or the Dead, or WWE, or Liverpool, or close-up magic, or darts, or Greco-Roman wrestling. Their daughters each get to contribute a couple of pages on Taylor Swift, neither of which is great, but both of which fit the book's big-hearted aesthetic. At points you realize that these guys are big deals--Mike gets his star on the Walk of Fame and is acclaimed by Amy Poehler; it's mentioned that Joe has been to literally every big sporting event multiple times, and at the end their mission to hug Mookie Betts is eased by their connections--but a lot of this is out among the people. Metaphysical questions are raised: can you simply make yourself a fan of something.? They decide, randomly, on Idaho State women's basketball. What would Joe hate most? Having to not just go to but play in a pickleball tournament. Mike has to go to see the Dead at the Sphere and then Wrestlemania, night 2, which he's not that into. Also: asides on Regis Philbin, Mike's father-in-law and apparently an exceedingly generous human being in daily life. Why TV is the great American art form. (Collaboration and accumulative relation, Mike explains, with bonus forensic anthropology of how jokes get written. Interesting in that sense that the collective meaning-making of wrestling doesn't appeal to him, though he's alert to John Cena's mastery of the crowd, even during his brief, failed, heel turn right near the end of his career.) Joe's serendipitous discovery of amazing family color when covering Rulon Gardner's upset victory over Alexander Karelin in the Olympics.
Not all of it is great, but there's just so much of it, so much generous, sincere interest in people and the question of why they like what they like, so many places to go (Mississippi! Alaska? Australia! Paris!), so much appreciation for excellence and friendship and the arbitrariness of these affiliations (as with Mike's UM loyalty, despite having lived there for only the first year of his life), that you can't help but enjoy coming along for the rides.
July 7, 2026
Friendship and fandom go together so well in that often our friends are who share a fandom with us. This book weaves that sentiment as we have a sports writer and a television writer who share some appreciations but understand their lives fueled and driven by fandom. The push and pull of the book and the authors putting each other in awkward situations to further appreciate different types of fandom that they may not have previously understood. You are excited every time you get to the book as both authors feel like they could be friends and weekend dinner party guests. You also are reminded how great being a fan is. You always have something to look forward to and if you are doing it right, you are never bored. Athletes, musicians, actors feel like parts of your family in the admiration and love you have for them. In an awkward moment with future HOFer Mookie Betts, both authors experience that giddiness when we are in the company of our heroes which is the best chapter of the entire book.
At this point in my life, I have three stepsons (16, 13 and 8) and none yet have the fandom mentioned in this book. They like things but as casual observers. When I was their ages, I knew full rosters, stats, assigned real aliases to players in Nintendo/Super Nintendo Games and even could recite full album track orders. Perhaps it’s a sign of the times or just my bad luck but the key to effective parenting I have learned is don’t expect your kids to be a younger version of you. I do hope they find something to have that amazing and dedicated fandom to. As the authors say, being a fan is silly when really looking at what we invest in time, money and mental anguish but it is so awesome that it’s worth all of it!
At this point in my life, I have three stepsons (16, 13 and 8) and none yet have the fandom mentioned in this book. They like things but as casual observers. When I was their ages, I knew full rosters, stats, assigned real aliases to players in Nintendo/Super Nintendo Games and even could recite full album track orders. Perhaps it’s a sign of the times or just my bad luck but the key to effective parenting I have learned is don’t expect your kids to be a younger version of you. I do hope they find something to have that amazing and dedicated fandom to. As the authors say, being a fan is silly when really looking at what we invest in time, money and mental anguish but it is so awesome that it’s worth all of it!
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