Adam Steele comes to us today with a philosophical question regarding the nature of fandom. We thank him for it.

After a weekend in which all four games were coin flips decided on the final play, I started thinking about how much the results actually matter to fans in the long run. We’ve had the primacy of titles drilled into our heads throughout our lives – hoisting the Lombardi trophy is why you play the game, there’s only one winner and 31 losers, etc. And sure, in the most literal sense, attempting to win a championship is the reason we hold a season every year.

But how much do championships really matter to fans? My sense is that they matter far less than you’d initially think. If you ask a group of fans to name their most cherished football memories, a majority of their answers will probably not be related to winning it all.

Think about all the amazing player seasons throughout football history. The vast majority of them did not result in a ring. Did fans of Randy Moss, Barry Sanders, Dan Marino, or J.J. Watt enjoy their heroes less because they don’t have the jewelry? Doubtful. It’s more likely that fans will wax poetic about how they got to watch these legends play.

In many cases, even average players and coaches on perennially losing franchises become local heroes in their communities. Fans fall in love with players they feel a connection with irrespective of the number of titles those athletes bring home. This is why long suffering fanbases of ringless teams often have the most loyal and devoted followers; it’s more about the journey than the destination.

Quantifying Fan Priorities

There’s actually pretty strong empirical evidence that championships are not the most important thing to fans. From 2003-2016, ESPN ran a series called Ultimate Standings (insert hyperlink ESPN The Magazine’s 2016 Ultimate Standings). They surveyed fans across all four major North American sports to come up with a formula for determining which teams reward their fans the most. The responses were whittled down into seven broad categories, weighted by importance:

Fan relations – 27%
Money spent per win – 27%
Players – 15%
Ownership – 13%
Stadium experience – 12%
Championships – 4%
Coaching – 3%

Well look at that! Championships are way down the list of things that fans consider important. Teams that make a genuine effort to connect to their communities engender loyal fans regardless of on-field results. Regular season wins matter but only if fans aren’t being gouged in the process; less frequent winning is acceptable if being a diehard fan is affordable for the average Joe. Players are judged by their effort and likability more than their performance. Having a solid ownership situation and a fun stadium to attend are also several times more important than past or potential championships.

Does this post resonate with you? What are your favorite memories as a sports fan? Would you trade those memories for a championship? Let me know in the comments.