By: Erika Stevens
I was raised in a household of devout football fans. Truthfully I never cared too much about the game, but as an adult football does bring back fond memories of afternoons spent in front of the TV loaded up with snacks and reading a book while my dad and brother yelled at the TV. In our house no time was more exciting than the NFL playoffs which are in full swing this year. Since I continue to spend those family Sundays with my brother and dad I have watched them suffer this year as the team they are loyal to is …the Vikings.
This unfaltering loyalty, even during an awful season, made me realize that NFL fans are some of the most loyal fans with the stats to back it up. According to a poll by Harris Interactive over ½ of Americans follow professional football and 62% of Americans say they like professional football. The same poll gives the title of America’s favorite team to the Dallas Cowboys. The Facebook page for the NFL has 2,333,175 fans while each specific team’s Facebook pages generally have upwards of 500,000. America’s favorite team, the Cowboys, have 2,002,978 fans on Facebook.
Beyond the statistics is the commitment these loyal fans make to the sport. Visa has been running commercials for the Super Bowl featuring four older men who have been to all 44 Super Bowls. In the commercials the men describe the occasions they have missed because of this tradition.
Even though the price of tickets for a game increases yearly, NFL fans are willing to attend the games. According to FanSnap's blog attendance has dropped with this years increase of 64% but there are still a number of fans at every game. With this increase the average cost of a ticket for an NFL game is $252. Season tickets for the NFL can cost up to $6,000 dollars. Along with the tickets the cost of traveling, food, gear and dr
inks amounts to a significant financial commitment for fans.
The loyalty that sports teams cultivate is something businesses yearn for with their customers. While this specific kind of fanatic loyalty is probably unattainable for most businesses, what they do have are customers who love them. Although their fans might not be willing to stand in the cold shirtless, they are advocates for the business.
This intense loyalty will continue to baffle me as the NFL playoffs conclude and the Super Bowl draws near. I will watch everyone around me get worked into a frenzy over each of the games. As for me? I can’t say that I am completely neutral after being forced to watch so many games so I’ve always had a weakness for the green and gold. Go Packers.