What constitutes being a supporter of a club ?

[Ragingbull]

20 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

When did the streak start ?

Last one i missed was May 10th 2013.  Which was  London away on a Friday night in the Chalenge cup. 

Ive done every friendly, league game, every format of play off,  challenge cup and  1895 cup game home and away since.   (With the exception of the behind closed door covid games)

Some absolute fantastic times  and some absolute dark terrible ones as well. Enough stories and memories to last more than a lifetime.  Most of my friends and family question my sanity regularly. 

 

Edited January 13, 2023 by Ragingbull

[Jughead]

2 hours ago, Exiled Townie said:

Great picture, that. It’s being doing the rounds this week. 

[Snowys Backside]

Through thick and thin !!!!

[Gerrumonside ref]

38 minutes ago, Padge said:

Supporters provide financial support to a club, be it by attending (and paying), buying merchandise or supporting lotteries etc.

Fans follow a clubs fortunes but do not provide direct financial suport from their own pocket.

 

I get the argument, but surely all Sky subscribers are ‘supporters’ using this logic as the TV deal is so critical to the game of rugby league in the U.K.

I think those who follow loyally through thick and thin are the ‘fans’ to be honest as it really is an abbreviated way of saying fanatic.

Generally though these debates might appear to show some in a positive light regarding their fanaticism towards their club, but many will argue that time and money are commodities precious for all aspects of life, perhaps spending so much of either on one thing is unhealthy?

 

 

[Padge]

16 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

I get the argument, but surely all Sky subscribers are ‘supporters’ using this logic as the TV deal is so critical to the game of rugby league in the U.K.

I think those who follow loyally through thick and thin are the ‘fans’ to be honest as it really is an abbreviated way of saying fanatic.

Generally though these debates might appear to show some in a positive light regarding their fanaticism towards their club, but many will argue that time and money are commodities precious for all aspects of life, perhaps spending so much of either on one thing is unhealthy?

 

 

On the sky subscribers point, I am a supporter, I wouldn't have Sky Sports without RL. My next door neighbour subscribes to Sky Sports but never watches RL. The difference is the reason for the subscrition. I am supporter, he is not, since his primary or even secondary reason for having Sky Sports  is not RL, if he decides to watch any its a freebie, a bit like being invited to watch a game by a sponsor when you couldn't really care less.

 

 

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 minute ago, Padge said:

On the sky subscribers point, I am a supporter, I wouldn't have Sky Sports without RL. My next door neighbour subscribes to Sky Sports but never watches RL. The difference is the reason for the subscrition. I am supporter, he is not, since his primary or even secondary reason for having Sky Sports  is not RL, if he decides to watch any its a freebie, a bit like being invited to watch a game by a sponsor when you couldn't really care less.

 

 

I think you’re right about that distinction with Sky.

My overall feeling is that EVERYONE on this forum is a supporter/fan as they’ve taken the trouble to actually sign up and talk about their club/sport.

I would imagine most people would fit into a category that said follow/read/watch/attend matches on a sometime/semi-regular/regular basis.

There’s going to be very few ever present match goers over a long period of time and it’s of dubious status anyway I think!  Not all bad, but not all good either.

Bit cautious of excluding those too who might temporarily or permanently not have the financial or physical means to follow their club.  I wouldn’t want to criticise their ‘support’ (I know that’s not your intention).

Finally I do think that RL is a sub culture when it comes to fans (a good one too) and these kind of debates sap away at unity amongst people who like the sport (be they fanatical or a financial supporter).

 

[Gerrumonside ref]

47 minutes ago, Ragingbull said:

Last one i missed was May 10th 2013.  Which was  London away on a Friday night in the Chalenge cup. 

Ive done every friendly, league game, every format of play off,  challenge cup and  1895 cup game home and away since.   (With the exception of the behind closed door covid games)

Some absolute fantastic times  and some absolute dark terrible ones as well. Enough stories and memories to last more than a lifetime.  Most of my friends and family question my sanity regularly. 

 

Fair play!

[SalfordSlim]

Ok so being a Salford lad, born and bred I've never understood people supporting a team from the other side of the country. It's always been Man Utd, Salford Rugby, Lancashire Cricket & Salford City FC for me. I've had/got season tickets for all of them over the years and they've all had success (of sorts) at some point in my life but then there's always been long spells of mediocrity to balance things out! The fact I'm single means a fair portion of my disposable income gets spent watching my teams home & away to varying levels but does that make me any more of a fan than other fans? Nah, I don't think so. 

The only sports I don't support "local" teams is with American sport. But even there I've stayed loyal to one city, Chicago. Started with the Bears in the mid-80's (Waltor Peyton/William "the fridge" Perry), then the Bulls as I started getting into Basketball when Michael Jordan was around and then more recently the Cubs in baseball.

I'm happy to say I've never "glory-hunted" which is what a lot of fans of non-local clubs do. I've just been lucky enough to have seen a few trophies down the years (although obviously nothing major with SRLFC... YET!)

[Pulga]

14 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

I care not what the dictionary says , support is offering ' support ' , if it's a proffessional club that means supporting them financially , a fan is just interest 

If you think you're in any way more a supporter because you buy some kit or watch a game live you're kidding yourself.

 

You're as much a supporter of your team as you are of Coca-Cola because you bought a drink.

I don't really support any clubs in any traditional territories. Used to be a Brisbane Broncos fan but I feel the top level of the game is the tail wagging the dog.

[JohnM]

15 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

I care not what the dictionary says , support is offering ' support ' , if it's a proffessional club that means supporting them financially , a fan is just interest 

This financial support for a proffessional (sic) club: what should the profile look like?  Support financially for one match, one month, one season, two seasons, ten seasons, etc? Season ticket? Posh seats? Hospitality? Shareholder? Merchandise? 

As a Wigan follower, a Wigan fan and a Wigan supporter, I went to watch them some years ago at Hull. I paid to get in, I bought a burger and a pint. Does that make me a Hull supporter?

[Tommygilf]

22 minutes ago, JohnM said:

This financial support for a proffessional (sic) club: what should the profile look like?  Support financially for one match, one month, one season, two seasons, ten seasons, etc? Season ticket? Posh seats? Hospitality? Shareholder? Merchandise? 

As a Wigan follower, a Wigan fan and a Wigan supporter, I went to watch them some years ago at Hull. I paid to get in, I bought a burger and a pint. Does that make me a Hull supporter?

Depends if you had your fingers crossed!

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

10 hours ago, Ragingbull said:

Last one i missed was May 10th 2013.  Which was  London away on a Friday night in the Chalenge cup. 

Ive done every friendly, league game, every format of play off,  challenge cup and  1895 cup game home and away since.   (With the exception of the behind closed door covid games)

Some absolute fantastic times  and some absolute dark terrible ones as well. Enough stories and memories to last more than a lifetime.  Most of my friends and family question my sanity regularly. 

 

You missed the Broncos game??....Part timer 

People like you are killing the game 

[Adelaide Tiger]

TBH I don’t understand why some people need to categorise other people as supporters, fans, followers, part time supporters, glory chasers, plastic fan, armchair fan, sycophant, hanger-on, member, worshipper or whatever.  What is the point of it? 

Also IMHO If someone puts more money/invests into a club than the next person it does not mean that that person is a ‘better’ supporter?  I applaud people that do invest and they are extremely important to a club.  But it does not necessarily mean that their views on the game are more sound, more important or even more relevant compared to someone who attends infrequently.  

 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

10 hours ago, Jughead said:

Great picture, that. It’s being doing the rounds this week. 

Where/who is it? Odsal?

[gingerjon]

1 minute ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Where/who is it? Odsal?

Borough Park, Workington football.

[Harry Stottle]

7 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

TBH I don’t understand why some people need to categorise other people as supporters, fans, followers, part time supporters, glory chasers, plastic fan, armchair fan, sycophant, hanger-on, member, worshipper or whatever.  What is the point of it? 

Ask a club secretary/accountant/owner and he/she may well just tell you which one of those catagories they prefer and say which is better for the club.

[DoubleD]

Blaming the ref whenever he gives a decision against your team 

[Tommygilf]

32 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

TBH I don’t understand why some people need to categorise other people as supporters, fans, followers, part time supporters, glory chasers, plastic fan, armchair fan, sycophant, hanger-on, member, worshipper or whatever.  What is the point of it? 

Also IMHO If someone puts more money/invests into a club than the next person it does not mean that that person is a ‘better’ supporter?  I applaud people that do invest and they are extremely important to a club.  But it does not necessarily mean that their views on the game are more sound, more important or even more relevant compared to someone who attends infrequently.  

 

For some people, and this really does come out more in football but naturally has a subset in RL too, their club is literally everything to them. They wear items of clothing of their club, they go every week to see their club with other people, they talk about their club to others and debate why their club is best or not. They might even have tattoos related to the club on their body. Inducting their kids into the club and its traditions is really important to them. Its a defining characteristic of their whole being.

They are fanatics, almost in the religious sense. And like all fanatics, some element of that is a competition with other fanatics about who is most fanatic, it gives them a sense of validation. I'm sure most people involved in a club do this in some way to some extent.

[GUBRATS]

39 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

TBH I don’t understand why some people need to categorise other people as supporters, fans, followers, part time supporters, glory chasers, plastic fan, armchair fan, sycophant, hanger-on, member, worshipper or whatever.  What is the point of it? 

Also IMHO If someone puts more money/invests into a club than the next person it does not mean that that person is a ‘better’ supporter?  I applaud people that do invest and they are extremely important to a club.  But it does not necessarily mean that their views on the game are more sound, more important or even more relevant compared to someone who attends infrequently.  

 

It is if the club goes bust because they've got loads of ' fans ' who follow them from a distance ( a term of phrase , not a dig ) but nobody who actually financially ' supports ' them 

As for those who are fans of the sport ( all of it , not just one pro club ) then that's great , especially those that give their time 

In the context of the OP I was assuming he meant clubs in the proffessional ranks 

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, JohnM said:

This financial support for a proffessional (sic) club: what should the profile look like?  Support financially for one match, one month, one season, two seasons, ten seasons, etc? Season ticket? Posh seats? Hospitality? Shareholder? Merchandise? 

As a Wigan follower, a Wigan fan and a Wigan supporter, I went to watch them some years ago at Hull. I paid to get in, I bought a burger and a pint. Does that make me a Hull supporter?

Did you leave early ?

[JohnM]

5 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Did you leave early ?

 

[Adelaide Tiger]

21 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Ask a club secretary/accountant/owner and he/she may well just tell you which one of those catagories they prefer and say which is better for the club.

No doubt they will.  But I hope to God that the Club Secretary/Accountant/Owner understand that every person distributed through the categories that I mentioned is important to a club.  If they don’t then they are imbeciles.

But the point of my post was to ask why some people feel the need to categorise others.  Is it a need to feel superior, patronising or condescending to people who they believe are in a ‘lesser’ category?

It is so ironic that some people on here who do believe that they are in a ‘higher’ category than someone else means that their views are more valid may also be vehemently against the proposed IMG categorisation of clubs because they deem that unfair

[Tommygilf]

6 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

No doubt they will.  But I hope to God that the Club Secretary/Accountant/Owner understand that every person distributed through the categories that I mentioned is important to a club.  If they don’t then they are imbeciles.

But the point of my post was to ask why some people feel the need to categorise others.  Is it a need to feel superior, patronising or condescending to people who they believe are in a ‘lesser’ category?

It is so ironic that some people on here who do believe that they are in a ‘higher’ category than someone else means that their views are more valid may also be vehemently against the proposed IMG categorisation of clubs because they deem that unfair

Its a willy measuring competition that is important to people who are most likely in their own definitions to "win". Usually because its most important to them.

[Adelaide Tiger]

22 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

For some people, and this really does come out more in football but naturally has a subset in RL too, their club is literally everything to them. They wear items of clothing of their club, they go every week to see their club with other people, they talk about their club to others and debate why their club is best or not. They might even have tattoos related to the club on their body. Inducting their kids into the club and its traditions is really important to them. Its a defining characteristic of their whole being.

They are fanatics, almost in the religious sense. And like all fanatics, some element of that is a competition with other fanatics about who is most fanatic, it gives them a sense of validation. I'm sure most people involved in a club do this in some way to some extent.

You must know my brother

Season ticket along with other old mates at Leeds Utd for Donkeys years.  Followed them all over Europe and in the Third Division and christened my niece Elland, but we call her Ellie.

[Harry Stottle]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

Its a willy measuring competition that is important to people who are most likely in their own definitions to "win". Usually because its most important to them.

That's me out of the running then!