It would be an understatement to say that sports fandom is not tied to identity. After all, sports teams are anchored in cities, in communities, in places where people live. They are, in many ways, an important part of civic pride, and they are definitely a part of a city’s identity. New York isn’t quite New York without the Yankees. Green Bay isn’t Green Bay without the Packers. Sports fans experience other cities through their sports teams, and vice versa. The world is a big place, and shortcuts are necessary.
Because this is so, sports are also uniquely familial and communal.