Sports Fans

Sports fans exist in every country around the world, and, depending on their sport of choice, are seen in waves throughout the year. With the football season into gear and the Super Bowl approaching, more and more football fans will be spotted in the streets of New York, wearing their favorite player or team jersey, heading to a variety of sports bars that broadcast the game of the day.

From what I’ve heard over the years, many people, mostly men, crowd the bars on Sunday afternoons to have a few drinks, some snacks, and cheer on their team with a group of friends. Out of habit, many will return to the same place week after week, thus forming bonds and relationships with the other fans who flock to the giant screens and alcoholic beverages.

It is those people that I want to capture, that community of loyal and dedicated fans that I want to expose through pictures and words. By going to bars known for their high attendance on sports events, I hope to observe the fans, talk to them, and take their pictures.

I am hoping that the former two will help me to understand the passion and the dedication of those fans, as well as establish the rivalries and rituals that are involved in the games. I also expect to find multiple generations, sometimes father and son groups, who have been coming to the same places for months, if not years.

After getting some good pictures and information from sports bars around the city, I will try to go to an actual game, though perhaps not actually enter the stadium. But arriving before a sporting event and walking around the parking lot is sure to provide me with many images of tailgate parties, people who have camped out, barbecues, and, I assume, fans dressed or painted in the colors of their team. This will fit in nicely with the other part of my project, the bars, and I think my subjects will be more than happy to talk about their traditions and teams.