Peer groups and larger community

As the present above, all of our informants have a group of people which frequently interact with them around sport events during or after the game. In this part, we would further reveal the relationship facts between our participants and their sport peers, and to the larger community.

A. Interrelationship within peer group

a.1) Iterate discussion forming sport peers

Based on our informants’ report, the formation of the peers might once start as an occasionally talk which makes them know that both of them are interest in the same sport events or even the same team and player. Then, this would gradually become a common topic in their conversations and finally, with the Iterate talking reinforcement, build a stable relationship between them to form a peer group.

a.2) Common interests building closer relationship

Furthermore, if two peers in a same group shares more common interest about sport events, they tend to form a closer relationship and become a sub-group. The interaction between them might be much frequently than other peers in the same group.

“Although, we are three best friends on sport events, but he is closer to me, since both of us love to watch NBA and MLB, we have more common topic to talk and share with. In contrast, I could barely talk baseball with another one, because he only watches MLB games.” (P5)

a.3) Proximal distance building closer relationship

Our informants say many of their closest peers are actually live close with them now, or at least ever. This advantage brings a great opportunity for them to meet, so that they can frequently interact with each other to form a better relationship.

“My roommates are my best sport peers, we always watch the game together, and we both love basketball and baseball, it easy for us to talk around sport events.” (P4)

a.4) Peers with similar common sense of the game

Many informants reported that most of their peers’ understanding of the sport events is about at the same level as they are, and this helps them can immediately capturing what each other are talking about, further form a smooth and pleasure talking experience. On the contrary, if the gaps of understanding of the game are huge, it would bring a frustrating talking experience, since they would interrupt by keep explaining the rules and terms of the game.

“When I watch or talk tennis with my peers, the discussion would always be more analytical. I think it is because we are all tennis players so we could talk like that.”(P3)

Active interaction on favorite sport issues

Based on our informants’ report, different peers would take the actively role on the interaction around their favorite sport issue. For example, if someone in the group loved a particular player, he wound enthusiastically send invitation of his game, share the information about him, or even raise a discussion about the player while the group conversation.

“I think there is no such an active person on the interaction among the three of us.

Everyone play a dynamic role on the interaction of his favorite player or sport events.”(P6)

B. Enlarging the sport community

As we know so far, the sports fans would not only interact with their peers around sport events, but also the unknown stranger on the BBS board. In the interview, we also found some evidence that these peers and strangers would further affect their and viewing and social attitude around sport events

b.1) Sport events watching for common social topic

In the very beginning of the pair interview, two informants which are junior high classmate, both reported that the reason they start watching the sport events is because most of their

classmate watching and talking about it. For having a common topic to interact with, they turn on their TV and have their first experience of the game.

b.2) Attitude to sport events being affected by others

Many participants acknowledge that they might change their support attitude toward others.

For example, they might start pay attention to a player if the player himself is supported by most of his peers, friends, and family around them, or the player is so popular that they could see him everywhere frequently on TV, magazine or so on.

“I would usually support player or teams which being frequently broadcasted or loved by the mass population.” (P1)

“I loved Roger Federer just because my mom supports him” (P3)

b.3) Following the public viewing behavior

Some of our informants also referred that if they saw there are others, especially a group of others, are watching and exciting about a sport events, they would forward and watch together with them. They explain this offer an opportunity for them to talked to someone they are not familiar with, and even discover a new sport peers. One informant even explicitly expressed his expectation:

“I want to discover more sport peers form the friends around me, and I would also like to know more people who love the same sport events as I am”. (P5)

b.4) Open attitude toward unfamiliar supporter

In the interviews, our informants’ interactions are much frequent and openly with those strangers on the BBS boards which related to their favorite players or teams. Some informants even reported that they would add the players or teams’ fans blog. They are much willing to post comments, or even share information about the team they loved on to these social platforms.

“When I watch sport events alone, I would browsing the BBS board which related to the team I loved. Via staying on the board, I hope I could find people who are sympathetic to my opinion to discuss the game together.” (P1)

I would only occasionally share some interesting information to the BBS boards which related to my favorite players and teams. So far, most of the information I’ve shared are all have positive feedback. (P5)