Our culture accepts and glorifies an obsession with football (a mostly male interest) but ridicules liking kpop or Taylor Swift too much (mostly female interests).
It's football season here in the States, too - a different kind of football, but the same crazy obsessiveness (there I said it!). My hubby likes K-Pop and dance music (me, not so much, I'm more into old style rock - he's much more progressive than I am!) and can't stand spectator sports - it's one of the reasons I married him. ;) I'm not into spectator sports either, but American football is especially mystifying to me. During my first semester of college, my roommate forced me to go to my one and only football game. This was what I got out of it: A bunch of guys chase after another guy who's carrying a ball and they all pile up on him; then they all get up and chase ANOTHER guy until he gets buried in the other guys; once in a while the guy being chased manages to throw the ball to someone else or even into one of the goals for a touchdown. The only thing I liked about the game was halftime, when the marching band came out to do a show - they were pretty awesome! But I could not understand football at all and still can't.
The "big" football game is the Superbowl, when most of America is glued to their tellies to watch - a few years back, the cable station Animal Planet came up the idea of airing something called the "Puppy Bowl," which consists of a bunch of puppies chasing each other around a fake football stadium and playing with toys (or sleeping - these are baby dogs, after all!). Cute as all heck - THAT I can get into. :)
Whew, it's been a year since I meant to reply to this but I also find the level of sporty obsession a bit baffling. Over the last few months, I've been very interested to see how the media, sports fans, and TSwift fans have been responding to the Swift & Kelce dating thing.
The idea of Puppy Bowl is infinitely more alluring lol, I'm certain several people I know would happily tune into this. We only just watch the celebrity Superbowl performances & move on. :P
As a woman who loves both sports and pop culture, I don't know why I never thought about it this way before. However, you're right. Fandom is definitely perceived differently depending on if it has a primarily male or female base, and it is maddening in a lot of ways.
Yeah, it's not something we perceive as "similar" tbh. In the one year since you wrote this comment, it does seem like people are getting better at realizing the similarities of sports & concerts, perhaps that's mainly due to the influence of Taylor Swift, the whole thing with Travis Kelce, and the common aspect of (football) stadiums between them. Thanks so much for reading & commenting, Sarah! :)
I loved this and sent it to my daughter and dared her to have her partner read it and debate it. I just hope it doesn't break them up, because he does seem a nice enough chap.
It's football season here in the States, too - a different kind of football, but the same crazy obsessiveness (there I said it!). My hubby likes K-Pop and dance music (me, not so much, I'm more into old style rock - he's much more progressive than I am!) and can't stand spectator sports - it's one of the reasons I married him. ;) I'm not into spectator sports either, but American football is especially mystifying to me. During my first semester of college, my roommate forced me to go to my one and only football game. This was what I got out of it: A bunch of guys chase after another guy who's carrying a ball and they all pile up on him; then they all get up and chase ANOTHER guy until he gets buried in the other guys; once in a while the guy being chased manages to throw the ball to someone else or even into one of the goals for a touchdown. The only thing I liked about the game was halftime, when the marching band came out to do a show - they were pretty awesome! But I could not understand football at all and still can't.
The "big" football game is the Superbowl, when most of America is glued to their tellies to watch - a few years back, the cable station Animal Planet came up the idea of airing something called the "Puppy Bowl," which consists of a bunch of puppies chasing each other around a fake football stadium and playing with toys (or sleeping - these are baby dogs, after all!). Cute as all heck - THAT I can get into. :)
Whew, it's been a year since I meant to reply to this but I also find the level of sporty obsession a bit baffling. Over the last few months, I've been very interested to see how the media, sports fans, and TSwift fans have been responding to the Swift & Kelce dating thing.
The idea of Puppy Bowl is infinitely more alluring lol, I'm certain several people I know would happily tune into this. We only just watch the celebrity Superbowl performances & move on. :P
Thanks so much for reading, Jeannine! :)
You're very welcome! Time goes by quickly, doesn't it? It's almost time for another Puppy Bowl! 🐶
As a woman who loves both sports and pop culture, I don't know why I never thought about it this way before. However, you're right. Fandom is definitely perceived differently depending on if it has a primarily male or female base, and it is maddening in a lot of ways.
Yeah, it's not something we perceive as "similar" tbh. In the one year since you wrote this comment, it does seem like people are getting better at realizing the similarities of sports & concerts, perhaps that's mainly due to the influence of Taylor Swift, the whole thing with Travis Kelce, and the common aspect of (football) stadiums between them. Thanks so much for reading & commenting, Sarah! :)
Ha! And now I'm planning on writing a piece about how much I hate that I love football.
I would be super interested to read it, please link me to it when it goes live if possible! :D
Now that I'm remembering your article, I will!
I loved this and sent it to my daughter and dared her to have her partner read it and debate it. I just hope it doesn't break them up, because he does seem a nice enough chap.
Thanks, Mary, appreciate you reading & the comment! I hope your daughter & her partner are still together and stronger for it! :)