In August, I spent a week in Vienna, Austria. A year earlier, our family had secured tickets to the Vienna leg of Taylor Swift’s hugely popular Eras Tour. Less than 24 hours before our concert, news broke of a foiled terrorism plot targeting the Vienna shows, leading to their cancellation. After looking forward to the concert for over a year, we were devastated. More critically, we were shocked, and relieved to be safe.

What happened in Vienna was a reminder to me of something increasingly evident in the world we live in: Fandom is everything, but also nothing.

Of course, fandom is not limited to “Swifties” (Taylor Swift fans), nor the music industry. Especially in the United States, fandom is most often on display in the sport industry, where many consumers’ lives revolve around support for their favorite athletes or teams. Look no further than fall weekends, where millions dedicate Saturday to watching college football, then wake up Sunday to do it again with the National Football League.

Researching sport fans over the years has deepened my appreciation for the joy fandom brings. Fandom creates community, gives a sense of identity and belonging, and provides an escape from daily stresses. Being a fan often increases life satisfaction and overall well-being. If you’re a sport fan, you can likely recall how fandom has brought you happiness.

However, evidence increasingly points to the fragility of fandom, and how it can mean so much and so little simultaneously. While fandom enhances our lives in many ways, it is not essential. In conducting research with fans during the COVID-19 pandemic, my colleagues and I found that people realized the relative unimportance of their fandom compared to health — fandom mattered less when weighed to life in totality. While obvious from an outsider’s perspective, the irrationality of fandom means it did actually take a global pandemic for many people to realize this. Fandom can easily cloud our judgment, making us believe supporting a sport team (or a popstar) is integral to living.

And it doesn’t end with a global pandemic. Fans are recognizing the unimportance of fandom in light of other issues. In 2022, some fans set aside national pride, choosing to boycott the FIFA Men’s World Cup in Qatar due to human rights concerns. Our research with boycotting fans across the world revealed that, while incredibly difficult, the symbolism of not watching the World Cup — one of the most significant events in all of sport — was more important to them than supporting an event conflicting with their values.

In addition to human rights issues, sport fans are taking a stand on matters related to race, gender, sexuality, climate change, and more. In some settings, fandom aligns with these issues. For example, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has long been supportive of the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as women’s rights and LGBTQ+ inclusiveness. For those who value these issues, WNBA fandom can provide a unique synergy. Similarly, while many sport entities have struggled to integrate more environmentally sustainable practices into their operations, England’s Forest Green Rovers Football Club has gone all-in on the issue — the United Nations recognized the club as the most environmentally sustainable sport organization in the world. As a result, the club has attracted fans across the globe who love football, but also care deeply for the environment.

Unfortunately, these examples are exceptions rather than the rule. In many settings, fandom conflicts with social issues that matter to fans in their everyday lives, and this speaks to a mounting tension for both fans and the organizations they support. As consumers increasingly look for brands that align with their values, it is becoming more difficult for athletes and teams to “stick to sports,” as fans (and other stakeholders) look to them to speak about important issues. Research shows that Gen Z consumers, who comprise 40% of the global consumer population, make value-based consumption decisions, prioritizing brands that align with values such as diversity and sustainability.

Fans seem to be as wise as ever, fully aware of the impact they can have not just on business bottom lines, but also on global issues. For some, this means walking away from a favorite team — and all the joy it brings them — if it betters their own lives, or those of others. While this presents a financial burden for organizations, it is a psychological burden for fans.

The day of our cancelled Eras Tour concert, we walked the streets of Vienna with thousands of others who had traveled from around the world to see Swift. We were complete strangers, but there was a pointed sense of community. Conversations focused not only on our shared interest in Swift, but also in the tragedy we avoided.

That’s the fascinating aspect of fandom: it can be everything, but in comparison to our livelihood and pressing matters, it is also nothing.

Liz Delia is an Associate Professor in the Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management and Director of the department’s PhD program.