Link to My Data Page: My Data Page.
Bandwagon Fans and their Effect on Sports
A common theme of successful sports teams is the idea of so called “Bandwagon Fans,” people who support a team only due to its success, without any real connection to the teams. As a lifelong fan of the San Francisco Giants and the San Francisco 49ers, I have seen the Bandwagon Effect in real life. With the advent of Google Trends, a simple program is able to track browsing statistics going back over fourteen years. With that said, I thought it would be interesting to see if there is data within google trends to back the Bandwagon Effect. Let’s take a look.
Sources: Hue Jackson Article.
In this article, the effect of the Bandwagon superstition is made evident in the NFL. Hue Jackson, the coach of the Cleveland Browns, is frightened that such a monstrous effect will overtake his team due to their recent success in light of decades of subpar play. Clearly, this article shows that the Bandwagon Effect has a major presence in the NFL.
In this article, a self admitted bandwagon fan of the MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers asserts proudly that she is a bandwagon fan, and that she knows many bandwagon fans as well. She raises a clear point in the article- that bandwagon fans buy lots of team merchandise and tickets- fueling the profits of the teams. However, she also proves that bandwagoning is not only real, but a very popular affair. This article, written by a contributor to the San Jose Sharks wing of SB Nation, gives a step by step guide on how to effectively bandwagon the team this season. With step by step guides on bandwagoning out, it’s clear that bandwagoning is a relevant and major trend in sports.