Dr Braccio & Dave Akerly of 1320 AM discuss WHY SPORTS FANS ARE SO PASSIONATE AND EVEN FANATICAL AT TIMES 11-2-21 Anyone who saw the Michigan State University and University of Michigan football game this past Saturday realizes the amazingly great passion that both fan bases showed in Spartan Stadium before the game,at the game and the all day electrical environment that was East Lansing,Michigan. Both the GAMEDAY and Fox Big Noon Kickoff crews were on campus as tens of thousands of fans paraded by them and everywhere else. The game itself resulted in the largest television audience for a college game on all networks this season. With that game and the fan bases as examples of many others throughout the country, the following would be reasons why sports fans are so passionate. 1.Identification with the team they feel a part. 2.Connection with other persons both physically and emotionally. 3.Conversation starters and “enders” in long and short conversations. 4.Fun trash talking with rivals. 5.Family unifiers. 6.Shared memories over the years. 7.Building family traditions with tailgating, going to games, watching games on TV and ongoing discussions about the games through the years. 8.It is just plain fun and entertaining for everyone including persons who live an otherwise super boring life. 9.A reprieve from reality for a period of time that the only thoughts are on the game.