Help me out with the definition of a bandwagon fan. I have always thought

[paleoorthocock]

that a bandwagon fan was a fan who throws their support behind a team when the team is doing well and pretends that they have been a fan all along when they have not been.

So, for instance, with women's basketball, a bandwagon fan would be somebody who suddenly acts interested and puts on like they always have been following the team when they have not.

But what about somebody - like myself - who is a graduate, pulls for USC sports in general, but mainly pays attention to football, baseball, and men's basketball (in that order) and will quickly tell you that they have never really paid much attention to women's basketball but are enjoying it now because it's a lot of fun and a great story and they want the girls to succeed?

Is the latter also a bandwagon fan? If, for instance, he makes no effort to put on like he knows anything about women's basketball and will admit that he has never watched a game until this year but is simply enjoying it because he pulls for the Gamecocks?

I don't really care. I'm just bored and I'm just curious what you think of when you think of that term. I have said that I'm bandwagoning the girls' team this year, but that made me curious as to the meaning of that term.

Regardless, I'll be watching tomorrow! Ha!

 

[ReadR00ster]

That is not a bandwagon fan you are describing, that is what is called a "fair weather" fan, which 9/10 fans are fair weather fans since most fans can't stomach to waste their precious time watching their team be inept and noncompetitive.

A bandwagon fan has no real loyalty to the team at all, they just kind of want to be part of the party and act as if they are just as passionate as the rest.

 

[RayGilda]

Your definition of yourself sounds just like me. I am a graduate, focus on football, baseball and men's basketball. In addition, a 40 year member of the Gamecock Club.

I would say that I am a "bandwagon" fan of the girl's basketball team.

I support them, and hope that they win, but I would feel that I would be a hypocrite if I professed to knew much about the team or women's basketball in general.

I do not even know if it is politically correct to call them "ladies", "women's" or "female Gamecocks." However, I will admit that I remember when they were called "The Biddies."

We have purchased season tickets for football, baseball and basketball for 40 years. Next year we are considering buying season tickets to basketball, played by female Gamecocks..!! Even then, I think that I would consider myself a "bandwagon" fan.

 

[paleoorthocock]

Yeah, Ray, that's pretty much me.

And maybe fair weather is the right term.

Regardless, these girls are a lot of fun to watch and always seem to get it done! Dawn Staley has really built something here.

 

[fightingcock103]

A bandwagon fan is a fan that pulls for a team just because they are good. Not because they have any connection to the team. I think if you're going to be a bandwagon fan, the Harlem Globetrotters are the way to go. This weekend you will see a lot of Duke fans for instance that didn't go to the school, don't have family that went to school there and aren't from Durham, but they are a fan. Why are they a fan? They became a fan when the team was good because they wanted to pull for a team that was winning. Thus they just hopped on the bandwagon.

 

[pepsicock]

I pull for the Mets so I am classified as a diehard fan. I went to the girls games when they were not good . We only had about 300 fans Dawns first 3 years

 

[4thgengamecock]

That's actually a pretty good question. What exactly is the distinction between a "fair weather" fan and a "bandwagon" fan? If you ask me, a "fair weather" fan is someone who has a connection or other good reason for supporting their team, but only does so when said team is competitive. Reasons might include being a graduate of a school, supporting the hometown team, or following a favorite player. To give you an example of a "fair weather" fans, look no farther than Miami sports. The Hurricanes, Dolphins, Heat, Marlins, doesn't matter. If the team is a contender, they sell out every night, but as soon as they revert to mean the stadium becomes a ghost town.

"Bandwagon" fans, on the other hand, are those with no connections to a team who support that team for no other reason than that they happen to be good at the time. Probably the most famous "bandwagon" fans are Cowboys fans. I also think Oregon has a large number of "bandwagon" fans; I see people all over the place wearing Oregon football t-shirts who have no possible connection to the school, but claim to be fans because Oregon has a good squad, wears flashy uniforms, and scores lots of points.

In my opinion, it's okay to be a "fair weather" fan, but not okay to be a bandwagon fan. If you don't really support your local team when their down, I think that's okay. You're not really getting a good return on your investment dollars if you do, so not showing up is understandable. "Bandwagon" fans are just all around slimy, though.

 

[sumterboy]

Yeah, I've watched way more of our girls' games this year than I

ever have before. I have always wanted them to win, but I think I've been much more tuned in and excited this year than in previous years. I don't know what that makes me, but I do know I'm doggone proud of our girls and Coach Staley.

 

[chick75]

I actually think that all of us tend to pull for a team harder when success

is being achieved. It's easy then. But you have been around long enough, and you have earned "full fan status." Pull hard for me too. I'm flying and should be into ATL about half-time. Very nervous, though. The air gets pretty thin up here. But it's sweet!

GOCOCKS! BEATND!

 

[PanamaCityGamecock]

Don't call me bandwagon or fair weather. Yes, I'm paying more attention to women's basketball this year. But win, lose or draw - I have always been and will always be... a GAMECOCK and that's all you need to call me.

 

[Bleedgandb3334]

There's a guy around Lexington that's a Kensucky basketball fan and a Clemsux football fan. To me, that's bandwagon written all over it.

 

[Judge Gaffney]

It's an easy answer. A bandwagon fan is most of the thousands who attended the ladies basketball home games this year. A diehard fan is one of those thousands who've been attending for years. I might add that any athletic program need both types of fans if it is to survive.

 

[Judge Gaffney]

I believe that guy is actually anti-USC and that's all. He wants to parade around as a Ky basketball fan to rub it in your face because it's a team we aren't likely to beat right now. Then, he pulls for Clemson football because of their win over us last November and their historical successes. Give him a break. He's been pretty miserable for 5 of the last 6 years.