Being a fan is a lot like being in a relationship. You yell and scream, you get mad, you get hurt, you compromise, and you both love and hate at the same time (being in a relationship sure sounds like a fantastic time). Usually, you always come back: season after season and year after year. Why do you keep coming back? I know for me, it is because I have been in this “relationship” my entire life. For all the bad times I have experienced, the team has provided me with some of my best memories. However, in the case of the “bandwagon fan,” it is very different. The bandwagon fan is usually met with contempt; after experiencing the first playoff game at Barclays Center with the New York Islanders supporters group, the Blue and Orange Army, I think we can all take a lesson on how to handle these new ice hockey relationships.

I’ve seen many people look down on bandwagon fans, mostly because they haven’t been through the suffering that many of the life-long and die-hard fans have. They haven’t been waiting thirty years for a playoff series victory. They haven’t attended or even paid attention during a rebuild. I’ve heard this many times - “bandwagon fans aren’t real fans,” “they don’t understand hockey,” “all Blackhawks fans are bandwagon fans.” I get it. But, if being a fan is similar to being in a relationship, the bandwagon fan deserves a little more time to test out the waters of this newfound love.

For example, in college, I had a group of friends who never really watched ice hockey. The Stanley Cup Playoffs rolled around, and I convinced them that the cost of an overpriced playoff ticket would be worth going to a game. While I may not have converted all of them, two of them were hooked on hockey after that game. Some would consider them to be bandwagon fans, because they hopped on when the team was successful. The NHL is different. It isn't like the NFL or NBA where the coverage is everywhere. As a result, if you didn't experience it growing up, you probably didn’t get the chance to grow to love the sport. So, the chances of someone jumping into the world hockey is probably going to happen when the team is doing well. Guess what - that is okay.

In the age of the salary cap, maintaining a consistently great team has proven difficult. Those who jumped on during the quest for the cup may quickly experience a horrible season the very next year. As a result, the initial interest fades away. It is just like that new relationship - maybe the first date left them wanting more, but during the second date they realized that all the other person could talk about was their ex as the proceeded to get sloppy: the bandwagon fan feels let down and discouraged.

On the other hand, the lifelong fan who is well past the second date, is more likely to cut some slack when their partner overindulges during date night. Why? They have built that trust with them; they have confidence that this won’t happen too often in the future. If it does, they know that they will do what is needed to turn things around. This is a relationship that takes years to build; we can’t expect the bandwagon fan to have that same dynamic.

One great example is the Blue and Orange Army. The Islanders have had many “rebuilding” years. Despite those long seasons, a group of fans still developed a supporters group. They have spent so much time and energy supporting a team that was not in playoff contention for several years. Over the past few years, those tough times have taken a turn and the team is experiencing success. If anyone has a right to get annoyed at those dreadful bandwagon fans, it would be those original members of the Blue and Orange Army. Instead, they are the exact opposite. As I stood and cheered with them last night, no one looked down on me because I wasn’t with them the entire season; instead, they welcomed me into their home section of 229. As long as you are there to support the team, you are always welcome.

What is the worst that can happen by embracing bandwagon fans? They make the game day experience more fun? They bring their kids to games and expose them to the wonderful sport of hockey? Yes, maybe it is slightly frustrating to be around that person who is talking like they have been through everything. But, let them be excited about it. Don't be that person who yells at the kids to get off their lawn. I think NHL fans around the league can take a lesson from the Blue and Orange Army on how to embrace bandwagon fans and even convert them to lifelong fans.

About Jillian:

Jillian Fisher is a sport anthropologist who focuses on sport culture and fan culture. Growing up with three older brothers, sports have always played a large part of her life. While she enjoys all sports, hockey has always been her first passion. Jillian has traveled across the world - from the Philippines to Italy and across the US - studying the impact of sports, all while cheering for the home team and discovering what makes each place so unique, even being referred to as the Anthony Bourdain of sports. She is currently filming her own web series, Out of the Park, that highlights the different cultures surrounding our favorite sports across the country. Always in search of the next event, Jillian can be contacted on Twitter, Instagram, or emailed at jillianfisher00[at]gmail.com

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