by Daphne Kelly

Baseball, basketball and football. Along with these sports naturally come die-hard fans who will be loyal to their teams– winners or losers. On the opposite side of the spectrum are fans who will only root for a team while they are on a winning streak.

These types of fans are called bandwagoners. A bandwagon is a  particular activity or cause that has suddenly become fashionable or popular. Or in other words, a trend. A simple fad that gains popularity abruptly.

Bandwagoning is the act of being part of said bandwagon. This is extremely evident during active sport seasons. No franchise is successful without them, however loyal fans greatly disapprove of these frauds. A lot of sports fans begin their allegiance for a team at a young age, it becomes a part of them and their lifestyle. Spectators spend entire lives rooting for a losing baseball team with a miniscule fanbase, however, the moment a glimpse of victory is seen, the fanbase multiplies to great numbers.

Often, accusations are made of false loyalty, resulting in feuds and rivalries being made. It can be hard to listen to these slurs and not take them to heart. If one is truly a fan of a team, learn to take the irritating accusations and brush them off.

A common rule of thumb is if a fan is not present during a team’s struggle, they shouldn’t be there during their success. But hey, if franchises did not have bandwagoners, would there be successful teams, would money be made, and could indecisive people afraid of commitments watch sports? Probably not. So be kind to bandwagoners, annoying as they may be. They only want to fit in and be as cool as a die-hard fan, even if only for a single season.