Today’s post is not a post involving Calgary, but our northern neighbours in Edmonton. I felt the need to write a little bit of commentary on people’s reactions to the Edmonton Oiler’s 7-1 loss to Chicago Blackhawks this weekend. If you’ve been following this 2014-2015 NHL hockey season this year, you’ll know that the Oiler’s have been struggling for some time. At the bottom of the barrel this season with six losses in a row, the fans haven’t been happy, and they were very vocal about it following this weekend’s loss.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNfwfJ7aRPI
Looking at it as an observer, you’d perceive this as an unjust treatment by the fans. Sports fans are supposed to cheer for their teams, and not put them down like this. While I’d have to agree this is true, I, as someone who isn’t that much of a hockey fan and feeling quite unsettled by their reactions, decided to look into it.
Based on the comments I’ve seen on the video, on the fans side, their reaction is the result of pent up frustrated emotions. Fans pay hundred of dollars a season to see good games being played-they pay for merchandise, food, drinks, tickets, all to support their favorite team, and for what? Only to see them lose time and time again, for the past eight years? The Oilers have been unable to qualify for the playoffs for eight years now, and the fans are getting tired. The fans pay for quality products and results, when they see good things, they cheer, but when it gets bad, they voice their displeasure. They want results, and so far, there have been none. They feel like they have been taken advantage of, having their money taken without getting much good in return. All this displeasure on the performance of the team leads to something like this. When things go wrong, and people get angry, they tend to take it out on others, as seen here. It’s tough love, in a way.
Do fans really have the right to boo a team? Justifiably speaking, I’d say it could go both ways, depending on how you look at it. The fans of the team want to find something to blame for the bad performance, so they take it out on the players. It doesn’t mean it’s wholly their fault. If there’s anything to blame, it might as well be the management of the higher ups. But that doesn’t mean that the fans should just completely deprecate the players like that, if they’re already feeling down, why make them feel any lower?
Then what truly is a sports fan? To me, being a sports fan means supporting teams in the good and bad times, no matter how hard it gets. I understand how patience during bad times can wear thin, putting fans in a precarious position, such as the Oiler fans right now. How should fans react to seeing their team lose again, crushed 7-1 ,with a six point goal difference? With silence, support, or anger? In this case it was the latter, and although I understand and see the reasons why, I really don’t think people should voice their opinions in a way that would put down others so badly.
A fan is a spectator, one who faithfully watches a game, anticipating a good show. For them, good games give them joy, and repeatedly bad games a make them angry. I just don’t think fans consider the players feelings during bad games as much. Seeing all the people expecting them to do well and letting them down must feel horrible for them. They’re under pressure and expectations, and if they don’t fulfill them people get mad. The goalies for the team have already voiced their feelings on their failed responsibility, and the management team have fired their goal tending coach as well, so things could be looking up. The Oilers is a team in need of serious reform, and I think they need their fans support more than ever. Just look at our own team, with some of the best fans I know. We’ve supported the flames through thick and thin, and now, in a state of reform we’re doing better than ever before. If you’re a fan displeased by the performance of the team, please don’t boo them. That’s hurting more than helping anything, and really doesn’t reflect the spirit of the sport. Booing doesn’t show any good sportsmanship, and takes away from what sport really is: people getting together to watch something they enjoy.