The Career of the Sport Supporter: The Case of the Manchester Storm

Abstract

This article presents a theorization of the induction and patterns of behaviour of the sport supporter along a social and moral career path. I argue that too often theorizations of contemporary sport supporters have relied upon restrictive and rigid typologies or dichotomies based upon excessively subjective codes of authenticity. I suggest that what is required is a return to the Chicagoan concept of status passage and career, married with an understanding of the fluidity and temporality of many contemporary `communities'. Specifically, here I apply this model to the case of supporters of the British ice hockey team the Manchester Storm, but suggest that this theorization could be applied to many other supporter, enthusiast or fan `communities'.