There is absolutely no reason, excuse or rationale for being a band-wagoner. They are disgraceful and an utter disrespect to all true sports fans.

Bandwagon fans are defined as “sports fans” who have shown absolutely no prior loyalty to a team, and only support a certain team when they are doing well or it is popular to do so. Bandwagons are the epitome of “snakes” in the sports fandom world. For example, Kevin Durant and his weak decision to go to the Golden State Warriors: He is known not just a snake; but the snake of the NBA. Fans see how much respect he receives from players amongst the league-close to none. This is how a band-wagoner is seen in the world of sports fans, no respect to be found.

Being classified as a band-wagoner is a reputation that nobody should be proud of. 

But year after year, band-wagoners of all forms become more prevalent. The culture of authentic sports fans is now tainted by the ever growing bandwagon culture.

Crazy fan costumes, premeditated championship tattoos, weird superstitions, tailgating, fantasy sports and the roller coaster of emotions watching your team play—win or lose— are all part of a sacred thing real fans of sports have the pleasure of claiming as their own.

While most of us haven’t participated in activities like team tattoos, we still love the culture. Being part of a fanbase and connecting with a clique of people that have one common interest is an experience that shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Vince Lombardi once said, “The man on the top of the mountain didn’t just fall there.” One of the best to ever coach football has even addressed the bandwagon epidemic and its major faults.

Here’s the deal, true sports fans understand their respective teams will not always be on the top, but they know the wait will be worthwhile when they finally are. They also know supporting their team through thick and thin makes it feel more satisfying when they eventually do win a highly coveted championship.

There’s a level of respect true sports fans have for one another regardless of their team affiliation. They may hate each other on game day, but there is an honor associated with fans who are loyal to their team. Band-wagoners do not deserve that respect. They don’t understand the hardships or the crushing feeling of defeat, or even the loneliness of watching other teams in the playoffs and championships year after year. But most importantly, they can’t fully experience the joy of winning.  

Since being a band-wagoner means jumping from team to team like a dolphin out of water, they’re likely always on a winning side. Because band-wagoned teams are always winning, you don’t realize that it’s a challenge to accomplish, especially replicating consecutive wins. Top franchises like the New England Patriots, Golden State Warriors and Alabama all had to start somewhere.

They might not grasp the reality of winning, but band-wagoners are losing out in every aspect. A loyal team supporter comprehends that going to the “dark side” is a place only the worst of sports-beings go.

Unfortunately, band-wagoners are becoming progressively prominent in today’s sports society. It is harder to stop, mostly because of increased acceptability of bandwagoning. This needs to end. These mindless fans have to be educated and reprimanded for their actions. The integrity of being a sports fan as a whole is being tarnished.

So, in wake of the scourge of band-wagoners, the following tips have been shared for the real fans of the sports world to either share with their local bandwagoning associates, or for the band-wagoners themselves. These are guaranteed to enhance your sports experience as a whole by 120 percent.

If you’re a band-wagoner sticking to your gutless side, at least help everyone else out. Here’s how to be a better band-wagoner, so you can save the rest of us a headache and let the real sports fans do what they love in peace.

1. Trash talk: For anyone who has ever experienced it, trash talk from a bandwagon fan is the absolute last thing you want to hear. It is always laughable, idiotic and most definitely unhearable. Whatever the bandwagon fan is talking about definitely has no real merit, seeing as they don’t have an authentic knowledge of their team. This is backed by the fact they switch teams as much as Brett Favre comes out of retirement, which everyone knows was way too many times.  At the end of the day, nobody wants to hear the blab of a bandwagon talk sports.

2. Watching the actual games: If you’re a band-wagoner, just do everyone else a favor and watch your games alone, or at least with other bandwagons and not with people who truly care.  No real sports fan wants to hear your pointless fake cheering and fabricated “oohs” and “ahs” during the game.This will help because people won’t grow as tired of you in general and you won’t be regarded as a disrespect towards sports.

3. Social media: There should be strict and limited social media activity when it comes to your “team”. If you’re a bandwagon fan , you’ve probably already let everyone know who you “support.” Therefore, no one needs nor wants to see or hear about your experience. Side note: Obviously, it’s understandable to want to post a picture of oneself at a game once in a while, going to games is awesome, but not all the time and ESPECIALLY not scores after each game. This is extremely ill-advised. That is why I suggest  “limited” social media activity about your band-wagoned team.

4. Denial: Absolutely, positively, do not try to deny your band-wagonism. It is one of the most ignorant things you can do as a bandwagon fan. The more you try to deny it, the deeper you fall into your obscene ways.  The deeper you fall, the more you commit the offenses listed above. You know it, and everyone else knows it. The first step to becoming a better sports fan is first admitting your faults as a band-wagoner.

Following the above steps is the only way to become a better sports fan. Bandwagoning is totally and utterly shameful and should never be condoned. So please, if you’ve ever thought about it, don’t buy that jersey of a team and don’t post about that team you just saw win the championship.

Unless you want to be know as THAT guy, or girl, stop the bandwagoning.