Whether they helped bring down Jose Mourinho, led a march against their club owner or pushed back against plans to commercialize the game, fan protest stories remind us that football fans have a long history of turning their passion for soccer into a weapon in the fight for change. They’ve brought down managers, changed clubs and even convinced broadcasters to keep shows on the air. They’ve also prompted teams to change their minds on coronavirus ticket pricing and influenced decisions about player contracts.
During the Civil Rights Movement, Black fans turned their love of sports into a powerful tool for nonviolent protest. They boycotted professional sports teams that segregated seating and used their support to pressure city leaders to integrate housing, schools and businesses. Black newspapers kept fans informed of the latest boycotts, while newspaper columnists like Jim Hall, Marcel Hopson and Marion Jackson encouraged fandom to be a force for change.
Today, fans are still using their passion for football to drive change in the sport and beyond. They’ve helped bring down managers, protested a new league structure and swayed broadcasters to stay on the air. And while they’re often seen as a nuisance or a distraction, they are a crucial force for good.
This article suggests how to frame fan protests in ways that promote positive attitudes toward underrepresented groups and highlight their value in the larger activist community. It also explores how to use the Activism of Care model – an approach that is widely used in disability activism to de-stigmatize mental illness and celebrate neurodivergent participants – to improve communication between fandoms and their organizers.