Abstract

Sports fandom, despite being one of the most significant phenomena in contemporary society, is also one of the most misunderstood. Research in this area has typically followed traditional research methodologies and has been typified by quantitative based methods (Jones, 1997). While quantitative methods may be able to explain the overt behaviours of sports fans as an entity they do not allow the experiences of individuals and the meaning which they place on these experiences to be truly understood. Attending a live sporting event can be an incredibly moving experience with almost unlimited emotions. As such this aspect of social science lends itself towards a performative approach which allows the audience to engage in the experience. This performative piece will be based around an autoethnographical account of attending a Premier League football match by a fan of Liverpool Football Club. This performance will take the shape of a creative monologue inviting the audience to engage with the personal and collective emotions which are felt before and during the match.