Sports are an entity like no other. What other brand would have thousands of fans spending hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars on merchandise, tickets, beer, etc., to watch 10 people try to get a little orange ball into the hoop or stand outside in the middle of the winter to watch 11 men trying to get a brown ovalish ball into the endzone with 11 others doing everything to stop them? To be honest, sports are very similar to love, in the fact that they can make people do crazy and even sometimes seemly stupid things.
But who are the most extreme fans? Those of professional sports teams? The NFL is known to have some crazy fan bases. The Bills Mafia, also known as fans of the Buffalo Bills football team, have a reputation for being one of the most interesting fanbases in all sports. Yes, they paint their entire face blue and start tailgating 10 hours before games, but that’s no different than any other team. During their postseason run this year, a Bills fan accidentally fell into a very large pit that was formed during the creation of their new stadium. Since they won that game, every game after that at least 1 Bills fan had to “fall” into the hole or else the team wouldn’t win. You don’t see people jumping into pits in support of their favorite laundry detergent brand.
It gets better, though; the night before the Bills were supposed to host their Wildcard game, they were predicted to get a ton of snow and because their stadium didn’t have a roof, they were going to need a lot of help getting the stadium and field ready for the game, The Buffalo Bills were willing to pay fans $20 dollars an hour to help shovel. Without a doubt, once it was safe enough to travel, hundreds of fans arrived with shovels and spent hours clearing the 18 inches of snow that had fallen in the stadium.
Although that might seem insane to most people, there is an even larger group of people who arguably do even crazier things: college sports fans. The perfect depiction of college football fans is portrayed in Dr. Pepper’s “Fansville” campaign. This fictional town solely revolves around the sport of college football. Every person in the ad is a fan, dressed head to toe, face paint, and all in support of their team. All aspects of their lives showcase the sport. Why does the entire neighborhood hate the new people moving in? They are referees. Two kids can’t date because they go to rival colleges. Parents had to sit their son down because they found a soccer magazine under his bed, which was completely unacceptable for a football family. What seems like extreme personification isn’t as far off as one might think. College football fans know how to tailgate and have a good time. Their loyalty to their team is unmatched. These fans certainly have a reputation like no other, well, except for maybe college basketball fans.
When it comes to college basketball, you have to ask fans a question. What would you do to get a ticket to see a game? Pre-purchase in advance? Wait in line for a few hours? Camp outside for a month or two. Yes, you read that right. Students at Duke University camp outside Cameron Indoor Arena in “Krzyzewskiville” (named after the legendary Blue Devils head coach, Mike Krzyzewski) in the middle of the winter anywhere from 4 weeks to about 2 months just to get a seat at highly anticipated Duke matchups. Especially when the University of North Carolina Tar Heels come to town. What started as a way for a few students to get a guaranteed head start in line has now become a staple at Duke. Overseen by the athletic department, it has become a tradition for students. There are even strict rules that all tents must follow to remain eligible to earn seats to watch one of the greatest rivalries the sport has ever seen. There is a maximum of 12 occupants per tent. At all points during the day, there must be 2 people occupying the tent; at night, there must be 10. As if sleeping outside for weeks wasn’t bad enough, only 100 tents can camp out. That means if more than 100 registers (which is extremely common), they will hold a trivia contest. The questions are all based on the current Duke’s men’s basketball season. The highest scores can get to set up shop, the rest are waitlisted. Multiple tent checks happen at night to make sure each has the right number of students. It takes a special (and slightly crazy) fan to even attempt something like this.
Student sections create an unmatchable atmosphere. The energy and the emotions these fans bring help bring their stadiums to life. One of the most well-known student sections is Gonzaga’s “Kennel Club.” Not only do they arrive at 10 am for a 7 pm game, but from the moment they enter the building, not one student will sit. Jumping up and down, dancing, and creating an environment that makes it extremely hard for visitors to walk away victoriously. What sets these students apart is the amount of research they put in before games to come up with grueling chants. Only in college basketball do you see some of the most creative signs as well as distractions used to make the opponents’ foul shooting just much harder. College sports are truly an entity like no other.
So, the next time you feel like complaining because the line is so long and you are slightly chilly, remember the “Cameron Crazies” that spend days outside just to watch a basketball game that lasts roughly 2 hours and remind yourself that there really is no place like sports.