7 ways to be a better sports fan

Although it has probably always been so, fandom, whether it be for sports or video games or Game of Thrones, seems especially competitive these days. In the wonderful digital age we live in, with endless information right at our fingertips, there is no excuse (besides laziness and apathy) for not gobbling down as much knowledge as possible regarding the object of your fandom, not if you want to keep from falling behind the pack. When you are a fan of something in 2015, it is important that you interrogate yourself and engage in some hard-hitting self-analysis: Am I truly giving it my all out there? Am I cutting corners and settling for mediocrity? Am I living up to my full fandom potential, or am I content with simply getting by? After all, we all know that there is nothing more enjoyable and fulfilling than turning a fun hobby into stressful work.

When it comes to sports, there are numerous ways to make yourself a better fan, but many of those methods are sport-specific. For example, if you love Major League Baseball, dusting off those ol’ math skills and embracing sabermetrics is probably a wise call. With football, making yourself a better fan includes disabusing yourself of the garbage notion that “toughing it out” through a concussion should at all be encouraged. When it comes to NASCAR, well, the best improvement you can make is probably no longer watching NASCAR, and instead taking an interest in something far more thrilling, like watching paint dry. (Just kidding, NASCAR fans! You keep doin’ you.)

This guide, however, is not sport-specific. It is for fans of all sports — fans who want to maximize their fandom abilities across the board. There is a little something in here for everyone, so dig in and begin that self-improvement kick that you were totally going to start on New Year’s Day (but, you know, you were hungover and there was football on).

Next: 1) Be patient with new fans