The idea behind healthy competition is that two teams comprised of similarly talented athletes face off against each other with fair officiating and safe playing conditions. Ideally, sport leagues are set up to give all teams a fair shot at success, and designed to create parity rather than one team dominating the league. Obviously creating competitive balance does not always happen, and in pro sports (and now college), teams with a big market share and more money to spend often end up with advantages over the competition. Still, as we strive for fairness in competition, we generally guard against immoral, unethical, and illegal behaviors that give one team a distinct advantage over another. But is this is how all sport fans think? Today’s focus is on us, the fans, and what we will and will not tolerate from our favorite team as they strive for victory.
What some fans will tolerate for a “winner”
I think a good majority of sports fans want to win, but for their team to do it the right way. What this means is that they expect their team to abide by the rules, discipline players who cheat and/or break rules, and always prioritize fairness and integrity over cheating. These fans want to win, but they don’t want to cheat to win, and sportsmanship is baked into their worldview on sport competition.
But what about sport fans who want to win so badly that it really doesn’t matter how? In some cases you will hear these fans speak openly about not caring what their players do, so long as they win. Use steroids, accept bribe payments, lure players away from other teams by offering shady incentives, etc. Who cares, I just want to WIN! Is winning really that important that it literally does not matter how you win?
While everyone likes to be a part of a winner, is it really “winning” if your team is breaking the rules? What are we modelling for kids when we want to win at any cost — including if it means cheating? And for each of us individually, what void in our psyche is so big that only being part of a “winner” (regardless of how) can fill it? Think about the contrast in how fans support their respective teams — some fans simply will not accept a win if it is tarnished by means of unethical play, while other fans don’t care what their team has to do to win — just WIN!
Sharing success with a sports team can be a lot of fun, but the success rings hollow when you have to cheat. While there will be unfair advantages with sport competition, efforts should always be made to close those gaps when possible, not create even bigger differences between teams by breaking the rules. “Winning” is not the same when you have to cheat, and efforts should be made to help kids focus on fair, healthy competition whenever possible.
Final thoughts
Cheating in sports has always been around, but it is how fans respond to sports cheating that varies dramatically. While playing fair and with respect for the game and opponent are messages most coaches send to their teams, when it comes to fan support not all fans hold those same values. Perhaps some rules in sports are unnecessary, maybe even silly, but abiding by rules and prioritizing fairness are qualities that bring out the best in sport competition. If rules have no place and winning at any cost is the goal, it might make sense to take pause and revisit why being a part of a “winner” means that much?
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