Submission: 16

The Definition of Fandom
By:  M.K.
AkA: Indascreet

Today I was contemplating why every year like clockwork someone somewhere has to question Miami sports fans loyalty, or in better terms Fandom? Jets fans love to question our Fandom, and why? Because Jets fans, Pats fans, and all the others pollute our streets and stadium with grown men that walk around in their team gear? Because they fork out triple face value for seats to a game while we reap the profits. It wasn’t our choice to make South Florida the transplant capital of the world. Why are we any different than everyone else?

So I ask what is the definition of a true Dolphins fan? Does it depend on how many times a day you check the teams website? Maybe how much NFL Network you watch or sports radio you listen to? Possibly it depends on how much money you spend to support the team or how many years you have been a season ticket holder? I would like to make this into a short case study!

Joe #1 is known as a huge Dolphins fan to all his buddys! He has been a season ticket holder his entire adult life. He owns every jersey imaginable, has a dog named Marino, and has a plethora of memorabilia littered across his home. Joe #2 on the other hand is not an outspoken fan. He makes it to 1 or 2 games (on a good year), he has one Miami Dolphins t-shirt, and the closest thing to memorabilia he owns is a Dolphins football he bought for his son.

At first glance most of us would assume Joe #1 as the most loyal fan, but this is not necessarily the case. We need to remember Fandom is not judged by how much money we are able to spend, especially in these trying economic times. Just because Marc Anthonyand Gloria Estefan have however many millions to spend to become a minority owner doesn’t make them more of a fan than you or me. Maybe Joe #2 works on Sundays and can’t catch the games because he has to support his family.

My 6 year old son doesn’t have anything to gain as a Phins fan, but he loves the Dolphins anyway. Even though they’ve failed miserably the majority of his life he can sing that fight song word for word and just purely loves this team. As long as we keep raising the future generations of Phin fans we will be blessed with a great fan base.

So what is Fandom? To be blunt Fandom is 100% truly and completely relative. Joe #1 is a loyal fan in his own way, Joe #2 is also a loyal fan, and my 6 year old die hard falls in line as well. True fandom can only be known by the individual and what is on his or her heart! My Fandom is defined by the fact that I live and die with every snap of the football during a Dolphins game, I go to every home game and never miss a road game, and to be blunt I was born to be a Dolfan (December 2nd 1985 if you aren’t sure of the reference, look up which game was played that day), but that does not make me more of a fan than anyone else who bleeds Aqua and Orange. We have great fans down here, who love this team and you need look no further than right here at Phinphanatic.

So what is the Perfect Dolphins Fan? It is someone who loves his team no matter what! Someone who sits through 1-16 and still comes back for more! Someone who cherishes the history and lives for the moment! Someone who hates Nick Saban and worships Don Shula! To finish it up…….

Someone who LOVES the Miami Dolphins unequivocally!!!!!

That is true Fandom!