Whether it’s helping bring down Jose Mourinho, marching against club owners or pushing back against plans to commercialize football, fans often use their passion as a tool for change. Whether they’re in the stands at a stadium, at a bar or watching on television, it might not be noticeable if one fan boos but hundreds or thousands can sharpen the attention that dissent receives.
This special issue of Sport & Society is dedicated to exploring these moments of fan protest. It looks at the specific meanings ascribed to the leisure life of fandom – in particular, the ritual of football watching inside the stadium – as well as the ways in which specific forms of fan activism agitate these meanings, creating spaces for fan protest, unrest and resistance.
It also examines the ways in which the gendered performance of fandom and the search for authenticity and legitimacy amongst networked fan actors shape the nature and dynamics of these leisure activist movements. Finally, it explores how the construction of these leisure activist identities enables fan protest to have wider social implications beyond football itself.
While it’s not the same as the mass protests that helped topple Mourinho and ushered in a new era for United, the Holmesdale Fanatics’ show of support was a reminder of how important it is for fans to express their concerns about the way their club is run. Their march and the chants of “Levy out” and “Enic out” demonstrated a deep anger at their club’s current ownership and direction under Daniel Levy, who have brought financial growth but sporting decline.