There are thirty-two NFL teams in the US, and no one takes their team as seriously as the Pittsburgh Steelers fans. Heinz Field's atmosphere is incredible. My mom and dad were always big steelers fans so growing up that was the team we always watched. I remember seeing the crowd on TV wave their Terrible Towels, the stadium playing the famous Renegade song, and talking about sold-out home games.
I can say the Steelers were a lot better then than they are now but through good times and bad, I'll always cheer for my Steelers.
Fans Waving Terrible Towels (Figure 1)
The Pittsburgh Steelers fans are known for always waving their Terrible Towels (see figure 1). I remember my parents telling me when they got home from a game, it was like a sea of black and gold. Nothing else. Myron Cope created the Terrible Towel to "excite the team's fans during a 1975 playoff football game against the Baltimore Colts. Cope urged fans to take a yellow dish towel to the game and wave them throughout" (The Terrible Towel Legend, (n.n)). (n.d.)). Along with waving the towels during the game, whenever there's a field goal, fans hold their towel, twisted up horizontally with both hands, in hopes of making the field goal. I thought that was a neat way to get the fans and players pumped up. In October, the Pittsburgh Steelers and their fans honor Breast Cancer Awareness month by wearing pink and waving around pink Terrible Towels (see figure 2) (3). All the money that Pittsburgh makes from selling the Terrible Towel goes to the college. About $2.5 million was made (4).
Fans Waving Pink Terrible Towel (figure 2)
That's a great way to earn money for school. In October, the Pittsburgh Steelers and their fans honor Breast Cancer Awareness month by wearing pink and waving around pink Terrible Towels (see figure 2) (3). The Terrible Towel has become one of the most unmistakable items in professional football and I am always proud to twirl my towel.
Steelers' fanbase is so big that they have sold out every home game since 1972 (2). I can say my parents and I have been a part of those sold-out games. When I asked my dad about Steelers fans, he mentioned that a lady he worked with has been on a waitlist for season tickets for twenty years! He said just a couple months ago she got an email saying her season tickets were ready. In all honesty, I thought he was going to tell me they never came. I can't even imagine waiting twenty years for season tickets to go see my favorite football team. I guess if you are a true fan you'll wait as long as it takes to get those tickets.
Heinz field is the place to be if you're looking for a hype (but also respectful) football game. When I went there, everyone was so nice. It was very crowded but everyone understood the circumstances and just dealt with it. We made a great time out of it. When we finally got to our seats, and the players were warming up, a song called Renegade, by an American rock band was playing. This is a tradition they do at Heinz field and "began in 2002 when the team was behind in a playoff game against the Cleveland Browns" (1). I didn't get a chance to record the fans' atmosphere, but I found a video on youtube, Renegade Video. You could tell the players love when they do this and when they see their fans waving the Terrible Towels.
Fan going crazy at a game
When going to a Pittsburgh Steelers football game, it truly is an unforgettable experience. The way the fans just adore the players and how rowdy they get before, during, and after the game. The best part is watching the fans wave their terrible towels, hearing the traditional song 'Renegade' play, and just being a part of a sold-out home game. My suggestion for you is to eventually go to a Pittsburgh Steelers game and experience the fans, you won't regret it.
Depending on where you are from the NFL team you most likely support is based in your state. Supporters of NFL teams can be found wearing jerseys of their favorite players, attending games, or posting on social media about current player statistics. However, while all teams have their fans, the eagles have fans like no other. The Eagles were established in 1933 and have been growing their number of supporters and fans since then. Most of the fans who support the Eagles are hardworking members of society that use football to release themselves, sometimes to extreme measures. As the number of supporters for the team grew so did the reputation of the fans.
Appearance
The Eagles' colors are black, white, and midnight green, these colors are commonly found in Philidelphia, the home of the Eagles. Many fans take it farther than the team's colors on a jersey. Some people paint their faces or wear an eagle hat on top of their heads, some even go so far as to dress up as an eagle. No matter how silly they look to others, they find no shame in their apparel.
Online Appearance
One man has become popular on the social media platform, TikTok, for dressing up in his Eagles' apparel and painting his face silver. He often posts videos discussing his feelings toward the plays of the team and mocking teams that lose to the Eagles. He has gained many other fans as supporters and even people who do not watch football, like his videos. His recent popularity does not diminish the fact that many supporters also post their own comments and feelings about the games. Others support the Eagles in sports betting and fantasy football. Fantasy football is a game that allows players to make their own team by drafting players before the NFL season begins. Then as the football season continues the real-life players earn the fantasy teams' points, based off of performance. Many fans of the Eagles will choose their favorite players from the Eagles team.
Characteristics
Though their clothing is just the beginning of their display of support. Eagles fans have certain characteristics that can be seen by anyone. Many outsiders who are not fully engaged in football find the Eagles' fans to act in a psychotic or immature manner. However many see the fans of the Eagles, as some of the "most loyal" fans of any NFL team (Goyette, 2018). No matter the losses that may be occurring their faith in the players will never be destroyed. Another known trait of the Philadelphia Eagles fan base is their passion. They have a passion for football, for the city, and for their team. They are never afraid to voice their opinion or "throw snowballs at a Santa" in reaction to referee calls (Sinclair, 2021). The last extremely known quality of Eagles fans is their deep hatred for the Dallas Cowboys (Goyette, 2018). Their rivalry is based on the fact Eagles compete in the same as the Dallas Cowboys division and ultimately end up facing each other for the championship. No matter what is occurring you can be sure the Eagles' fans still hate the Dallas Cowboys.
Reputation
The reputation of the Eagles fans is not based on other teams being sore losers, the Eagles' fans gained the reputation on their own. They have the reputation of being the; "worse fans of the NFL"(Goyette, 2018). After winning Superbowl VII the Eagles fans took to the street to cheer on their winners. This ultimately led to fans climbing light poles, even after many street workers attempted to prevent them from doing so (NBC Sports, n.d.). In another incident before kickoff, a fan punched a police horse in the face (Moselle, 2018). The reasoning for doing such an act is not known, but it can be said fans act wild on game day. In a game against the Dallas Cowboys, Michael Irving, a wide receiver suffered a spinal injury. While unable to move on the field the fans of the Eagles started cheering because he was injured (Pasceri, 2012). There are many more incidents that have occurred at the hands of Eagles fans.
Conclusion
It is safe to say no matter where you are from, everyone knows about the Eagles fans. It is even common to hear the "E-A-G-L-E-S" chant in grocery stores, bowling alleys, or at the game. The passion of the fans helps drive the players to victory. Yet, not everyone agrees with the acts of Eagles fans, but the fans wear the "psychotic reputation as a badge of honor" (Moselle, 2018).
Eagles Chant (Video)
References
Goyette, J. (2018, January 30). Explaining fans to Minnesotanm: We embrace our rough side. StarTribune. https://www.startribune.com/explaining-eagles-fans-to-minnesotans-we-embrace-our-rough-side/471771874/
Moselle, A. (2018, February 3). Despite colorful history, eagles fans call reputation overblown. Minnesota Public Radio. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/02/03/npr-eagles-fans-reputation
Pasceri, R. (2012, March 28). What makes philadelphia eagles fans most notorious in all of NFL. Bleacher Report. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1122166-what-makes-philadelphia-eagles-fans-most-notorious-in-all-of-nfl
Sinclair, L. (2021). 3 characteristics that define philidelphia eagles fans. Insidetheiggles. https://insidetheiggles.com/2020/12/16/characteristics-philadelphia-eagles-fans/
Rick and Morty going through an interdimentional portal.
Rick and Morty is an animated series about the adventures of Rick Sanchez an alcholic scientist and his grandson Morty Smith a high school student who travel around the universe and other realities. Throughout this animated series there is a huge fandom behind it that enjoys the adventures of Rick and Morty and each fan expresses in different ways their opinion and love for the series, but not all fans are like that, some are more quiet and others are more intense and I will describe all these types of fans. There are different types of fandom, the normal ones who like the series and have something related to rick and morty but don't give it that much importance, those who like the series so much that they seek to talk about it with others who also like it like them and are always active in any fan group, those who cosplay the series and go to events and see it as something mystical, and those who believe that Rick and Morty is the best thing that has been done on television and that nothing else exists and their level of toxicity is high.
MEMES
Jerry Smith father of Morty
We will talk about the quieter part of the community which are the memes.these can be found on fan made pages on any platform,facebook and instagram being the most famous and accessible to the community.on Rick and Morty Public Posting(1) they share different variety of memes about the series using pesonages that only a fan could understand,some are very normal and others are a bit bizarre.
THEORIES
Another way in which fans express their opinions about theseries are the theories. The
Morty being harassed by a beanman
community likes to discuss the progress of the series as well as create speculations about what will happen in future episodes and even seasons, for example, who will be the new villain, or what consequences will bring some event of the series? There is a page called Fanpop (2)where there is a group dedicated to this type of theories called "Rick and Morty Club" here you can find things you should know about a season, or curiosities of each episode or characterS.
Digital fanart of Morty by @leegan_art
FANARTS
Art is the most beautiful way we have to express ourselves, and this community creates many works of art symbolizing the love and inspiration that the series gives them. The artists recreate their favorite characters with their techniques to create impressive works of art, whether whether digital or traditional art. These are shared in community groups for fans to show their support and influence them to continue creating illustrations to support
the artistic talent of this community.(3)
Rick and Morty in a cuddly universe
COSPLAY
Cosplay is another form of representation of their affection for the series and this occurs at convention venues like Comic-Con where fans dress up as their favorite characters and wear the most realistic and creative costumes to wow the entire community. Ankur Chopra says the popularity of "Rick and Morty" is something that speaks for itself and has its credentials all over the place when it comes to a solid fan base (4). Throughout the series he has bonded new people to this world of Rick and Morty and in these types of events is where the community comes together the most and they come together to represent the best of the series and show the world all these interesting characters from the series, some are a little simple but realistic and others are of some(4) rare characters.
TOXIC FANDOM
Rick and Morty cosplay at Comic-Con
Just as there is a good part of the fandom, there are also people who do not live together in a healthy way and it gives a bad image to the community. As Amy Lamare says "the fan who sees the program not as a simple satire or an absurd comedy with deeply unpleasant, but as a life bible and a manual on how to behave, and that's the problem" there is a small percentage of the community that idolizes the series more than it should, they believe that their opinion is above others and that they can do any toxic act to anyone who disagrees with them. In 2017, fans of the show were not happy with the direction the third season was taking. Rather than wait like normal, patient fans of a TV show, these disgusting creatures blamed the female writers added to the staff after two years of an all-male writing team for their distaste for the stories.(5).This It is one of the things that these toxic
Scary Terry cosplay at Comic-Con
people do if they are not satisfied with the series, giving stupid excuses like blaming the writers just for being women just because the episodes were not up to what they already consumed. And not only They did this according to Amy Lamare. They complained on Twitter and then took their fight to 4Chan, where these fans posted the personal information of the Rick and Morty writers (5). It got to the point that they made the writers quit just on the whim of these people who only had a male and not a female point of view. Fortunately, the directors were able to resolve this situation and they themselves have criticized their fans saying that this type of or people do not represent their ideals and that they only act like ignorant children with nothing good to do. Unfortunately, nowadays these types of people follow the networks, but it is only a small part of the community, these people do not represent the whole rick and morty fandom is why every day they strive to give a better image of the series and clear the name of the community.
Basically all this is made up of the Rick and Morty community with some negative aspects but a large part of the fandom without counting the toxic ones, they are a great community with a wide variety of fans who respect each other and lean on them, to that everyone feels united by this great series that is not a big deal but represents much more for some people, and I would like to end by recommending that you give this series a chance if you have not seen it, if you like black or absurd humor, adventures action, and stories that don't make much sense but are well developed, this would be a suitable series for you and if you like to enter and be part of this community that will receive you as one of its own.
Happy Valley, home of the Nittany Lions, one of the happiest places in Pennsylvania. Not only is this the home of the Penn State athletes and students, but also a second home to their fandom known as Nittany Lion fans. There are many things that are unique just to Penn State and their fandom. Some fans go all out to show their love for Penn State, but you do not have to be a super fan to be a part of the fandom, there are many ways fans can show their love for the teams. Penn State is mostly known for their football team and games and this is where most of the fans express their love. The football games are so big and well known, that you can ask anyone from all over the state if they know about Penn State football and they will say yes, because the games are huge and one of a kind.
Game Day Apparel:
Penn State "Big Uglies"
Many love all of Penn States athletics, but the biggest team sport Nittany Lion fans enjoy following is football. They express their love for the game and the team in many different ways from the extreme of wearing a full costume of a football player to just buying and wearing Penn State apparel. Some of the little things that many of the fans do is buying Penn State clothing from shirts and hoodies to hats and ear warmers with ears on them, the choices for apparel to show their love for the team is endless. Many fans even get jerseys of some of their favorite players to sport around. This is just the regular fashion of many fans and students that attend the games, but some fans decide to go all out. To take things to the next level some students paint their bodies, but the only correct way to do it at Penn State is by painting your body white and painting on the letters in blue (6). Some fans may even take it to the extreme of wearing costumes of dressing up as what are called the, "Big Uglies" at football games to show their love for the team.
Purchasing Tickets:
Just like any other college football team, the games can be watched by anyone on television, but many people that are part of the Nittany Lion fans buy full season tickets so they can be in the stadium cheering on their team at all of the home games. When it comes time to buy these tickets, students sit up late at night on their laptops waiting for the site to open so they can get their hands on a student tickets for the upcoming season. Not all fans feel the need to buy season tickets when they can happily watch their team at home from their couch, but instead, they will buy tickets for a game or two every season. The feeling of being in Beaver Stadium watching Penn State football is unmatched and should be experienced at least once by everyone. Not only do many fans rush to get tickets for games, but when they get the tickets they have no idea what the weather may be during these games. Penn State fans are like no other and will push through any type of weather to watch the team play. Heat, rain, freezing cold, or snow, nothing stops Penn State fans from watching their team play. When it rains, the fans come in ponchos to keep themselves dry and it is not a complete rainy game without the song, "Have You Ever Seen The Rain," being played through the stadium with the fans singing along (2).
Getting tickets for the season of football games is a big deal for the fandom, especially when it comes to the infamous whiteout game.
The Whiteout Game:
The Penn State whiteout game is one of the biggest well known games in the Big Ten conference and maybe in all of college football. This is what Penn State is known for and it is all thanks to their fans, because without them them, this would not be possible. During this game all fans are asked to wear white to the game in support of the team. The image of the stadium is out of this world, it looks like a sea of white and even the team sports an all white uniform for the game. Penn State does some other game themes such as a stripe out, where the fans dress in either blue or white to make the stadium look like stripes. Thanks to the help of the fandom wearing these certain colors to the games, it is a great way to intimidate the opposing team as they walk into a stadium full of Penn Sate fans all dressed in the same color and not a fan of theirs in site.
Fans and Game Day Atmosphere:
The atmosphere of a game day in Happy Valley is unique and like no other. Some fans and students camp out in tents outside of Beaver Stadium the week of the game, no matter who the opponent is. They have now named the spot for the campout Nittanyville (7). Before every home game everyone who is part of the Nittany Lion fans throw a tailgate in the intramural fields in preparation for the game they are about to attend. When you think of a tailgate you think of a small gathering, but Penn State tailgates are anything but small. Cars, RVs, and people fill multiple lots from the stadium, all the way over to a hospital that is by the campus. Penn State tailgates are some of the biggest tailgates around and this is because of the dedication and love the fandom has for their team.
You are not truly part of the Penn State fandom if the football team entering Beaver Stadium is not the first thing you think of when you hear, "Zombie Nation" (3).
As a true Nittany Lion fan you will be humming this tune for most of your life with only one thought in mind, Penn State football. The atmosphere in the stadium during one of these games is amazing and the noise is an extreme you will never experience anywhere else and this is all because the Penn State fandom is a community and there is unity between all fans, even if you have no idea who the person is sitting next to you. This is because no matter how different you are, everyone in that stadium has one thing in common, which is their love of Penn Sate football. Penn State fans are known for being one of the loudest group of fans, many of the teams in the Big Ten have to use all different tactics to get their teams ready to play in front of all the noise. The most used tactic to prepare these teams to play in front of the Nittany Lions fans is by using leaf blowers at practice, so it is hard for the players to hear what calls are being played and when to start the snap. This seems like a funny joke, but it is very true and it is all thanks to the fans who use their energy and noise to inspire the team and their fellow fans (6). Another unique event that occurs at the football games is when all the fans come together and do a wave around the stadium. This really shows the unity of the fans when you can get over a hundred thousand people to all come together to do the wave around the entire stadium, it is an amazing site to see.
How I Contribute to the Fandom:
My friend and I at a football game
I can remember even as a child, I always had a love of sports and then that turned into a love for Penn State. When I was younger I wanted to attend Penn State in college, especially after attending multiple women's basketball games and watching Maggie Lucas on that team who later became my idol when I started playing basketball myself. As I have gotten older, the love for Penn State has followed me. I went to a softball game at Beard Field as a child, also and during my junior year in high school, I had my dream come true by playing in a State Championship game on that exact field which is an experience I will never forget. I have also recently attended my first Penn State football game and the experience and atmosphere inside Beaver Stadium is out of this world. I have multiple Penn State clothing items and evens still have a Penn State beanie I used to wear as as child. One of the shirts I bought when attending one of the women's basketball games I got signed by a few of the players and also have a poster of the team from that season. I always try to watch the games when they are on television and am hoping to attend a women's basketball game soon, because Maggie Lucas has just come back from playing professional women's basketball over seas and is now the assistant coach of the women's basketball team. I may not be what you call a super fan, but I partake in the Nittany Lion fandom in small ways and will always have a love for the college team.
Beliebers Justin Bieber, a famous popstar from Canada, has a large fandom called beliebers. This fandom is mostly made up of females but there is also a large number of boy beliebers. Justin has a large following with 266 million followers on Instagram and 113.7 million followers on twitter. Justin Bieber’s fandom came about in 2009 when he was discovered by his manager Scooter Braun on YouTube. Before fame, Justin Bieber performed for his church and on street corners and uploaded these performances on YouTube. Beliebers are very loyal to Justin and have done some crazy things to prove it. Video of Justin Performing Before Fame Merchandise Justin Bieber releases new merchandise when he goes on tour and sometimes on other special
Fans camping out
occasions. This merchandise consists of many different products including clothing, perfume, bedding, and jewelry. When his merchandise is released, beliebers go crazy and begin buying as much merchandise as they can. Chen states “In a buyout, Beliebers descend in a biblical swarm on a store that sells Justin Bieber CDs. They buy out the entire stock, two or three copies per girl if they've got the cash” (1). The fans then normally donate the extra CDs or give them to friends. These buyouts are the reason Justin’s CD sales are always high. The buyout that Chen attended was organized by a fan page named “BieberArmy” (1). BieberArmy is a very popular fan page that I have been following since I’ve had an account. Many other fan pages host these buyouts all over the world.
Crazy Fandom Facts Beliebers have a history of doing insane things for Justin’s attention. One fan spent over $100,000 on plastic surgery to look like his idol Justin Bieber, this look took him 5 years to attain (3). Another crazy thing that Beliebers have done in the past is self-harming in an attempt to get Justin to stop smoking weed. Young fans posted the harmful images on social media and it quickly became a trend. O’Reilly stated, “The hashtag #cutforbieber began to trend on the site as dozens of gory images were posted by fans to the singer to appeal to him not to take drugs” (3). The fans posting these gory images were mostly minors, young girls. Some of the photos were from websites and were not real but there were a large number of photos that were legit. This trend came to a stop quickly and twitter took down all of the images. Stalking Just like every celebrity Justin is constantly being watched by fans and paparazzi. Justin Bieber has been harassed and stalked multiple times in the past which includes fans following his vehicle and even showing up at his house. Due to the constant presence of fans and paparazzi Justin has bodyguards with
Justin trying to eat while fans ask for photos
him 24/7. Justin's director of security states that “Bieber's fans have matured as they've gotten older and are now less likely to tear him limb from limb whenever they see him” (2). Most of Justin’s fans have stayed loyal throughout the years and grew up with him, as a result the fans are now more mature and act normal when they meet him. Although most of his fans are now more mature, Justin still finds himself dodging crazy fans weekly. How I contribute to the Fandom Ever since elementary school I have been a fan of Justin Bieber. I would beg my mom to buy me his posters and other merchandise. Growing up I continued to buy all of his merchandise and hang posters on my wall. I wore Justin Bieber clothes and decorated the inside of my locker with pictures of him. I know so many crazy facts about him after being a fan for so long like the time he was born and who his doctor was. I know his blood type when I don’t even know my own-crazy right? I don’t even remember how I learned these things, but I’ve known these crazy facts and many more since middle school. Of course, being such a die-hard fan came with some bullies, but I got through it. I am a member of many fan pages and I used to be in group chats with fans from all over the world. It has always been my dream to attend a Justin Bieber concert and it still is. My grandma bought me tickets to purpose tour in 2016 but unfortunately it was canceled due to Justin’s declining mental health. Today I am not really a belieber. I still listen to his music, but I am not a die-hard fan and I do not participate in buyouts anymore. It will always be on my bucket list to see him in concert.
References
1. Chen, A. (2011, December 2). The unstoppable rampage of the beliebers. Gawker. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.gawker.com/5864603/the-unstoppable-rampage-of-the-beliebers
2. Lloyd, B. (2016, November 8). Watch: Justin Bieber discusses crazy 'obsessive' fans in New documentary clipB. Entertainment.ie. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://entertainment.ie/music/watch-justin-bieber-discusses-crazy-obsessive-fans-in-new-documentary-clip-256777/__;!!I1GahPdV!dEC9zM1bXvUFXB31n-vYIkaMqX3lx-YRIXD_x2D5zjKuRbrEYXIpBf1lukhYKFK2y0m8cZR1j8g4uHdnALKHxXw8_fww-1v6Y6rV$
3. Locker, M. (2013). Justin Bieber’s Number One Fan Spent Life Savings on Plastic Surgery to Look Like His Idol. Time.Com, 1.
4. O'Reilly, B. (2013, January 22). Disturbing 'cut for bieber' trend on Twitter as fans self-harm to protest singer's alleged drug use. independent. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/disturbing-cut-for-bieber-trend-on-twitter-as-fans-self-harm-to-protest-singers-alleged-drug-use-28956213.html
Intro:Motley Crue has been a big part of the rock industry for a while now, going all the way back to the 1980s. This band was created by Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx (Figure 1), who started auditions for members
within their apartment complex. That's where they got the lead guitarist, Mick Mars, who showed up to one of the auditions, and got the part. Their singer, Vince Neil was picked up at one of his performances to be apart of the newly formed band, Motley Crue. Fans during the time would go crazy for performances with fire and crazy lights, so that is exactly what this band did. Most of their performances would be interacting with the crowd, allowing them to be apart of the craziness they called a concert. The fandom for Motley Crue is over the top, and something rock fans have never seen before, making this group stick out the most for bizarre fans.
History: Going a little back into their history more, Motley Crue is a band consisting on a singer, Vince Neil, Drummer, Tommy Lee, a lead bassist, Nikki Sixx and lead guitarist Mick Mars. The group started performing as a group in 1981, where they got their first gig in a bar, which happened to lead to their success. Study done by Idea Wiki stated that, "The band members are well known for their backstage antics, outrageous clothing, extreme high-heeled boots, heavily applied make-up, and seemingly endless abuse of alcohol and drugs as well" (9). Motley Crue is very well known for anything and everything they wear and do during every concert. Fans during this time were crazy for Vince Neil, with his bright blonde hair and the way he would sing. Many fans would ask him to sign parts of their body if they didn't have paper for the singer to use, which he would willingly do. Going through the years, this band had many ups and downs, but in the end, they grew rapidly and continued performing until present day, in which they performed in Philadelphia back in June while on tour across the world.
Style: As discussed before, the rock band is known for their crazy style of clothing, wearing loads of baggy rock cloths and a lot of make-up, high-heels, and hair style. the way fans participate with the
Figure 2. Group of fans taking pictures at a concert
band is wearing the same style of clothes to every concert they attend (Figure 2). A study done by Houston Press states, "The band's huge teased hair, makeup and clothing that looked pieced together from leather, spikes, and bits of armor definitely put Motley Crue on the style map" (6). Many fans would copy this look, and wear the leather pants and especially the spikes all around the body to represent their support to the group. Some fans would even wear make-up to look like their favorite member of the group, or style the look of their hair to make it crazy for concerts. Fans for this group can get crazy at times, showing all forms of support for the group, going all the way to looking the same as the members performing on stage. Fans would copy this look, and wear the leather pants and especially the spikes all around the body to represent their support to the group. Some fans would even wear make-up to look like their favorite member of the group, or style the look of their hair to make it crazy for concerts. Fans for this group can get crazy at times, showing all forms of support for the group, going all the way to looking the same as the members performing on stage.
Loyalty: Being a real Motley Crue fan means being loyal to the group, pertaining to how well they follow the band around, and how much support fans give the group. To be a Motley Crue fans is to have them as your favorite band, and to try and go to as many concerts as you can, showing loyalty to the group. A quote given by one of their fans states, "If the music wasn't any good, they would not have stood the test of time like they have. Motley Crue is an incredibly relevant band today" (8). This group is a favorite for many people, so showing loyalty to them brings out the real form of a fan. Another way to show your loyalty to this group would be to stick by their side for the long run. Another fan of Motley Crue states, "It was interesting to find such a mixed audience, from older fans wearing their ancient Crue shirts to younger fans who looked like they had just cleared out the local Hot Topic" (8). Always staying with this group for all these years, even through old age shows your loyalty and support to the group, and shows how much of a fan you are to Motley Crue.
Performance: If you want to show how big of a fan you are, going to concerts would be the biggest thing you can do. Most fans that go to concerts scream and cheer for Motley Crue while they enter the stage, and go crazy when the performance starts. Every concert is always a big deal to those who attend them, so being at a motley Crue one shows your dedication to the group. A quote given by one person from one of their concerts states, "Permanent hearing damage in my right ear from the 1987 show at the Providence Civic Center. No regrets. I sang and screamed the whole show" (1). Going to one of Motley Crue's concerts is a life changer, and being a fan for this group changes everything portraying rock.
Figure 3. Drawing created by a Motley Crue fan
Fan Art: Motley Crue would not be the same without its fan art. Many fans like to create art for the band, like a title cover for their name, or drawings of the musicians (Figure 3). Some fans even go all the way to creating guitar picks for the band members to use during concerts. There are thousands of covers, drawing, portraits, animations, anything about this band. Motley Crue has such a supportive fanbase, full of fans that want the members to know how much they inspire them as Rockstar's.
How I contribute to this fandom: Ever since I was little, my dad would put Motley Crue on the radio since it was his favorite band from a young age. I would listen to the music in the car while my
Figure 4. Fans waiting for Motley Crue
dad would sing each song word for word driving to the store. Ever since he started playing Motley Crue, I became a fan for this group. I now listen to their biggest hits from the 1990s while I drive to my destination, singing my heart out to every song that plays in this album. One of my favorite songs from Motley Crue would have to be Kickstart My Heart, which is shown above. The beat and rhythm of this song just hits me differently than any of their other songs. This group really made me enjoy the music of rock, with their unique form of playing, the the kind of lyrics they use for each song they record, with a special meaning behind most of their songs. I still have yet to attend one of their concerts, but I continue to listen to different albums from them as much as I can (Figure 4). Everything about this group continues to amaze me on the work and progress they went through to get where they are today, and I am glad to be apart of this communities fandom.
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