Professional football games and sold-out concert tours have been a highlight of American entertainment for years. Those attending have so much in common that they go to the same stadiums to have the time of their lives whether it’s due to a win for their favorite team or seeing Beyoncé live.

Both are groups of fans decked out in team paraphernalia or artist merch. Both are wearing face paint in team colors or elaborate makeup looks. Both passionately scream or yell as surprise songs are sung and disagreeable calls are made. Both spent hundreds of dollars on their tickets. One is dramatic and one is justified—what societal expectations are creating a wedge between these two groups that seem so similar?

Last July, 144,000 Taylor Swift fans broke the stadium attendance record piling into Lumen Field awaiting the event of a lifetime: The Eras Tour. According to CNN, fans managed to cause a seismic event equal to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake. Meanwhile, in 2022, the average Seattle Seahawks football game brought in just over 69,000. 

The prevalence of fan culture in society has increased dramatically as social media apps like TikTok and X (formerly known as Twitter), have taken over the world. For many, one’s fandom is a critical part of their identity that allows them to find community and seek entertainment. These interactions happen daily, by sharing the latest NFL meme or posting a transition to Olivia Rodrigo’s new single.

In the Instagram bio of the Ida B. Wells quarterback and team captain, Quinn Richman, he labels himself as a “bigger Bronco fan than you” and his dedication to the team may surprise those unfamiliar with the NFL world. “I would sell my house to go to the Super Bowl if the Broncos were playing,” said Richman.

Football fans aren’t the only ones deeply invested in parasocial relationships, a one-sided relationship with someone they have never met. “In LA I spent $3,000 to go see him [Harry Styles],” said Emma Walsh, an avid fangirl and concertgoer, “I woke up at 4 am to wait in line. It was a whole experience.” 

And these students are not an anomaly. According to CNBC, 33% of Americans anticipated going into debt for their favorite sports team in 2022. Time Magazine found that the average amount spent to see the Eras tour was $1,300 and over 90% of those surveyed said they would go again. 

In addition to emptying out their pockets, fans have a particular image to uphold when at these events whether it means making sure their jersey is clean or dressing in the aesthetic of a specific album. 

“When I went to Harry Styles, people definitely dress[ed] a certain way for that tour,” said Sasha Dempewolf, music fan and senior at Ida B. Wells, “It was a lot of bright colors or specific things that Harry has worn before.”

Many agreed that when someone outwardly dislikes their favorite artist or team, it doesn’t change how they view them as a person. However, some felt that being an avid fan influenced their personal relationships.

“I feel like it’s hard to be friends with someone who avidly hates him [Harry Styles] because I bring him up twice a day at the very least,” said Walsh. “My brother hates him and if I talk about him at all he gets angry so I just don’t have conversations with my brother that much.”

Ultimately, both fandoms are built on a passion for what they love and that is something to be excited about. “Cheering for the team you love whether it’s for our high school or the Ducks is such a fun experience,” said Lucas Devlin, a football section leader and senior at Ida B. Wells.

Singing along or cheering are just a couple of the ways fans show their excitement at a concert or game. Not to mention, decorating signs, camping outside of venues, or making their own merchandise. 

Football and music fans both agreed they would go to great lengths to support their idols. “His name is Drew Lock. I once wrote a 2,000-word paragraph defending the situation he’s had to deal with,” said Richman, noting Lock’s injury in 2020.

This is similar to extremist music fans who are known for defending their favorite artists for not being vocal about social issues and surrounding themselves with problematic people. When blinded by passion for a person and their art or sport, many stop considering what is right. This is one of the ways fandoms can have dangerous dynamics that lead to the abandonment of core values and morals.

Students shared that they found themselves able to enjoy football games while maintaining their safety. That being said, violence between football fans has become increasingly common over the years. One of the most recent fights led to the death of Patriots fan, Dale Mooney on September 17, 2023, at Gillette Stadium. Events like this inaccurately paint entire fan bases as being incapable of expressing their feelings without hurting others. 

In fact, both groups are perceived as extremes especially when it comes to their demographics. “When looking at sports team fan bases and music concert fan bases, there is some sexism involved in how those are looked at,” said Alexa Kirk, a geometry and gameboard design teacher at Ida B. Wells High School. 

Students agreed that age or gender could impact why music fans are less respected for their involvement as a fan. “Olivia Rodrigo probably isn’t tailoring to 50-year-olds, but football might be,” said Peirce Meyers, a football fan and senior at Ida B. Wells. 

Music fans felt that their interests were reduced to teenage hormones when it came to their favorite music artists. “In America, if you like football it’s like you’re a big strong man,” said Walsh. “If it’s me going to see the Jonas Brothers then it’s like you just like them because they’re hot and you don’t actually like their music.”

This is far from the only area where women’s passions are seen as unimportant. Not only does this teach young women that their opinions don’t matter but it negatively affects men by encouraging them to feel shame for showing interest in activities that are considered more feminine by society. This reinforces the idea that to be interested in the things that women enjoy is immature or embarrassing.

However, the gender difference in these groups is much smaller than one might think. For example, Forbes found that only 52% of adult Taylor Swift fans in the United States are female yet listening to Swift’s music is seen as a feminine interest. This is the same for American sports fans. According to USA Today, 46% of NFL fans were women or girls in 2021.

Fandoms will always be a critical part of American culture and there are more similarities between them than gender norms lead one to believe. These events give fans the opportunity to make core memories whether it means arguing with friends about which team is better or trading friendship bracelets outside of concert venues.