John Lindenau
I’m a Kansas City Chiefs fan.
When the Chiefs were 5-0 this season, I started seeing more fans come out of the woodwork on different forums and websites I follow.
When a team gets popular, people jump on the bandwagon so “their team” gets a chance to win a championship. Die-hard fans lament this. They claim people on the bandwagon haven’t had to suffer the years of bad performances and championship droughts they sat through.
But are bandwagon fans really all that bad?
These new people weren’t like the other fans that I had interacted with in the past: They were hopeful, excited and even a little fun. It was exciting to see new faces. I had become used to fans being Debbie Downers, pessimists constantly claiming the Chiefs can’t be relied upon when it matters.
Bandwagon fans give off a certain energy that really makes me excited to be a “true” fan again. Gaining a collective of them brings something special to this year’s season that I haven’t felt before, even during the 11-5 season with the 10 game winning streak.
Unfortunately, these fans aren’t always a good thing. Bandwagoners have high expectations — as soon as the team falters, anger and mass exodus sweep through the community. When the Chiefs lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this season, the post-game responses I read online made me close my tab within minutes.
People called for Andy Reid, the coach who brought the Chiefs back from the dead, to be fired. People called for Alex Smith, who led Kansas City out of it’s quarterback hell, to be cut. People called for Patrick Mahomes, the rookie quarterback completely unprepared for the NFL, to be a starting player.
All the reactionary nonsense makes me sick to my stomach. Long-time fans aren’t always innocent, but newer fans seem much more likely to speak out. Fans expecting constant success will not settle for anything less.
Getting caught up in the commotion isn’t worth it. You just have to put up with it and realize that those who leave after a few losses never cared about your team anyway.
Bandwagoners aren’t always a bad thing. They mean your team is doing something right. For years, the Chiefs held claim to the most boring offense in the NFL. The fact that they are now able to attract new people shows signs of improvement. If you are welcoming to new fans, no matter when they come, they might turn into lifelong fans — nothing wrong with that.
It all boils down to one common message: don’t be a gatekeeper. Don’t be someone who makes “a fan” recite historical facts. Don’t make someone prove they’re “a fan” if they say they are. Be “the fan” who welcomes everyone with open arms.
People will gain respect for the entire fan base. Your team might even end up with some extra fans on the other end of the season.
You can hate bandwagon fans. Sure, they can be annoying.
Just roll with the punches and ignore the extra noise. Your season is going to be something special.
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John Lindenau, ’20, is an associate sports editor for The Brown and White. He can be reached at [email protected].
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