Just got this from that U of M study I participated in last season.
Study Objectives: The goal of the
Jets Fan Experiences Study was to learn about the experiences of Winnipeg Jets fans and how being a Jets fan affects people’s lives.
Methods: In this study, 418 Jets fans completed 3 online surveys throughout the 2021-2022 NHL Season. Each survey asked fans to report how they felt about being a Jets fan and their fan experiences throughout the season.
Preliminary Results and Implications: Our preliminary analyses revealed 3 key findings. First, levels of passion for being a Jets fan
decreased over the course of the season. This finding is interesting because, unlike emotional experiences, passion represents a relationship with an activity that is more central to people’s identities. Second, fans with high levels of obsessive passion at the start of the season reported feeling more negative feelings while watching the Jets play at the end of the season. This result supports the idea that supporting a team with high obsessive passion can lead to maladaptive outcomes. Finally, fans with high levels of harmonious passion felt more positive feelings while watching the Jets play and were more satisfied with their social life throughout the season. These results build on previous research showing that there are many advantages to supporting a team with high harmonious passion. We plan to conduct additional analyses and publish the results in academic journals.
For some reason, they seem to have ignored the cynical apathy that I contributed to the study. Puts a big asterisk on the findings, if you ask me.