¿Cuál es su equipo?

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Soccer as an Identity: Good or Bad

This is a topic that deserves far greater coverage than a 300 word individual blog. However, my discussion of this question will be based purely on my personal observations or conversations and as such is inherently under informed. The club Ferro is not the most well known team and nor was their rival that day, and neither team was vying for a title r award. Rather this was an ordinary team playing an ordinary game. But you would not have known that from the fan’s section of the stadium. They sang and jumped and cheered quite literally the entire duration of the game. You would be hard pressed to fine a fan of American Football with that kind of endurance this one team, a team that contributed to their very identity. The passion fans have for their teams, I believe is undoubtedly a positive thing. However, what are the consequences behind all of this enthusiasm. Why are there no opposing fans at the game? The answer to that question is that they are not allowed due to the fighting that occurs. Fans cannot attend away games at this level because of the violence that so frequently ensues, and does not exclude the occasional death. A closer inspection the stadium reveals security at the base of the Barra brava : police in full riot gear, fire hoses pointed into the stadiums. The kind of security I would only expect to see at a protest or riot over the most controversial or important of issues. But then to these fans this is the most important issue. And there was the security, as normal to these fans as their chants and songs. I found it impossible to deny that these things are negative effect on the people and also on the image of the sport. Finally the enthusiasm that draws people together with in the stadium also pushes people apart out side of it. I am not suggesting that a healthy competition between clubs is a bad thing. But today when such teams for a part of a person’s identity I feel it is prone to go above and beyond this “healthy competition.” Clearly this does not apply to all argentines or all fans. However, more than one person has noticed how there has been a shift from supporting your team to rooting against your team rival. In a theoretical or historical context I could certainly argue that the system of futbol clubs and their influence as identity was a positive thing given the instability of the country, both economically and politically. I wonder if it would be worthwhile to study the effects of soccer as an identity today and if they answer would be different.

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