In the wake of the Lote “just don’t tell my wife” Tuqiri firing, and the NRL’s tumultuous year, I can’t help but wonder how much this deviant behavior really effects fans. With the way sports have evolved since the proliferation of the media, the philosophy that “all press is good press” has never seemed so true.
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We stop and stare at car wrecks, we rush to see fights when they breakout at pubs, we watch sex-tapes, we rotate our heads uncomfortably when arguments fire up at sporting events, and we can’t help but ask “were they good?” when we talk about sex. It appears, in life, we are intrigued and fascinated by the devious.
It also appears, in sports, that as they increasingly become defined by their entertainment value – otherwise known as their ability to draw attention by appearing intriguing or fascinating– the need to stay relevant in the social conscience has become the number 1 priority. Consequently, the modern athlete has blurred the line between sports figure and celebrity.
Knowing this, I can’t help but wonder; do we (fans) secretly want and need athletes to behave in the deviant manner they do? Is that why we love certain sports? And more importantly, is that how we justify the time we commit to sports?
A celebrity is a commodity valued according to their cultural power. Their power hinges on their ability to create aspiration and sell their image through commercial products. It is the combination of a diverse range of social taboos and a seemingly unreachable level of stardom that keeps the public interested. As celebrities are always depicted engaging in elicit acts with limited consequence, they appear above the law, and as a result they represent a freedom and lifestyle we as a culture crave. The further they separate themselves from society the more unique and exclusive their image appears.
The more deviant a celebrity acts the more defined their image becomes. As their identity is defined further, and the values they represent become more explicit, they evoke a stronger reaction among the public. Whether or not you like them doesn’t matter; the fact is, they become more compelling.
Take the Paris Hilton sex tape for example: there is more porn on the internet then there are people to watch it, but EVERYONE has seen the Hilton tape. The only thing that separates her from any other D-grade porn “star” is she is Paris HILTON!!! She is compelling because she lives a (financially) free life that is foreign to 99.99% of the world; a sex tape of a person like this is unique, and therefore intriguing and fascinating.
The same principle applies to sport. In Australia there are copious options when it comes to sport (like with porn). Unfortunately a person only has so much money, time, and effort they can devote (like with porn), so they are forced to choose. To choose they need to justify to themselves why they should commit to one sport over another. People do this by arguing that one sport is more interesting and compelling then another.
They use lines like “its more tactical” and “the game has cultural significance”, but the truth is they follow the leagues, teams, and players which they can form an opinion of the best. These are the people they think they know the best. Otherwise known as those who are reported on the most. And those who are reported on the most are those who are the most deviant.
Willie Mason was hated by anyone who didn’t look like a “Fat Pizza” extra, but he turned the ’04 Bulldogs and the NRL’s into the most compelling story of the year. Wendall was outspoken, way past his prime, and more one-dimensional then Sam Kekovich but he made Super Rugby and the Reds compelling. Ben Cousins is a social dropkick and way past his prime but everyone followed his return to the AFL.
The idea that sports have a greater meaning is important to fans (myself included). They strive to justify this constantly. They have to. Because if they don’t, they just dropped 150 bucks and 3 hours to watch guys run into each other or kick a piece of plastic around.
So it appears: the more deviant a player acts, the easier it becomes for a fan to justify their love of sport.
By acting deviant they are reported on more. The more exposure they create defines them further and the more arguably “compelling” they become. The more compelling a league is, the more justifiably interesting it is. The more justifiable any hobby or purchase is (whether it be traded for in time, energy, or money), the less stupid a person feels.
Fans need athletes to behave in the outlandish way they do, the same way people need Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears to get high and crash their car every six weeks. It helps justify our commitment. So the next time Andrew Symonds gets drunk, or Wendall Sailor gets high, or Karmichael Hunt bangs a 19 year old in a public toilet, somewhere deep inside you will be smiling, because your league just got that bit more interesting.
Brisbane Sports Fan
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