Are You a Good Fan?

For those of you who don’t know, I am a Boise State alum. I moved to Idaho to attend the school, and I look back at my time on campus fondly. Before I moved to Boise, I rarely watched college football. Once I visited the school, I quickly fell in love with “the Blue,” and in turn, I became a college football junkie. As someone who follows and writes about college football, you get to see both sides of fans. After losing to San Diego State, I decided to write an article on what it means to be a good fan. This applies to all teams, not just the Broncos, so here we go....

Attend games regardless of record (or watch the game if this is not possible)

For the most part, college football games are relatively affordable. I paid $99 for each of my season tickets this year, and single game tickets can be found for as low as $19. I know for a fact, you can find tickets cheaper at many other Mountain West schools. I know that being at the game is not always possible, but this is the best way you can support your team/school.

BE LOUD

I have attended games at a few Mountain West conference games, and I feel like the environment is generally pretty tame. If you are at the game, cheer loud for you team and show some excitement. Don’t be that fan that asks others to sit down or tell them they are too loud. It has been a while since I went to a game and left with my ears hurting...

Watch your language

Remember, college football games are a family friendly environment. If you want to be the guy/girl that cusses all the time, go sit with the students. When I attend games, I look at it as an opportunity to share a special moment with my children. Don’t ruin that by being a jerk.

Don’t criticize attendance if you don’t go to the games yourself

If you can’t fill your stadium, there are issues. Especially if you are putting a good product on the field. However, you have no right to be critical if you are not attending the games yourself.

Be responsible on social media

I am going to spend a considerable amount of time on this one. After Boise State’s loss to San Diego State, a good portion of BSU twitter lost their minds. It sounds like common sense, but think before you Tweet. I see no issue with posting critiques on the game, play calls, officiating, etc. However, don’t tag the athletes or coaches! This is unacceptable and classless. Here are some general rules to follow:

• Don’t tag players or coaches. After the San Diego State game, I saw players tagging coaches and players in threads. Keep them out of it. You can get the people who are having the conversation in trouble. Some coaches and athletes block fans. Remember that.
• Watch your language. There is no need to get ugly. We all get upset, but control your emotions.
• Don’t criticize other opinions. One of the things I love about my Twitter followers is that 99% of the conversations we have are friendly and productive. Just because someone thinks differently than you, doesn’t mean you have the right to destroy their opinion.
• Be civil. Social media is a great place to share our opinions and engage in friendly discussion. Don’t be that fan who ruins it.

Don’t quit on your team

It is okay to be frustrated after losses (or frustrating wins), but don’t be a bandwagon fan that starts selling tickets when the team drops a game. Attend games. Watch games. Wear school colors. Do whatever you need to do to support your team.

Be careful what you wish for

Calling for coaches to lose their jobs or players to be benched is often a slippery slope. Fans do it all the time, and I am guilty of engaging in this. However, one thing I have learned is that the grass is not always greener (or bluer in some instances). I remember some Boise State fans being excited when Huff left for Washington. How has that worked out so far?

Is it okay to boo?

This is one I struggle with. Sitting at the BSU-SDSU game was painful. There were a lot of things happening on the field that I did not agree with. However, I have never booed, nor will I ever boo, the coaches or players. I am not a big believer in booing a bunch of 18-22 year-olds, and it is almost impossible to decipher when booing is directed at a coach. In general, not booing is a solid rule to live by,

This is such a broad topic, and this discussion could go on for days. Are you a good fan? What do you think makes a good fan? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.