Fanaticus

In Fanaticus, Justine Gubar takes the reader on an unforgettable exploration of the least understood, least appreciated and—occasionally—least defensible facet of our sports-soaked culture: the fans. Gubar skillfully peels back layer after layer of our fandom—the good, the bad and the ugly, from Pope John Paul II to beer brawls to burning couches and much worse—to explain why we care so much, and what happens when we do. Along the way, Gubar expels myths, digs up surprising truths, and explains a lot about human nature itself. The ride is equal parts fun and frightening, but always fascinating. After Fanaticus, you will never be able to look at your games, and the people who love them, the same way.
— John U. Bacon, bestselling author of Fourth and Long: The Fight for the Soul of College Football


Fanaticus is a riveting, well-researched look at one of the most interesting topics in sports today: the behavior—and misbehavior—of the modern sports fan. In her new book, Justine Gubar expertly leads us to an important national conversation about fans in the 21st century. Her timing is perfect. As sports become an even bigger part of our culture, the story of obsessed sports fans grows in importance by the day.
— Christine Brennan, USA Today sports columnist, ABC News and CNN commentator, author of Best Seat in the House


Fanaticus explores a place too-often ignored in sports reporting—the seamy world of miscreant fans. Justine Gubar’s powers of observation, combined with her reporting skills, make her the perfect tour guide.
— Tim Keown, ESPN The Magazine, co-author of three New York Times bestselling books


Justine Gubar's fearless brand of investigative journalism at ESPN has placed her in the crosshairs of many angry mobs who didn't want to know the truth about their favorite teams and players. That experience in the belly of the fan beast makes her the ideal author for this kind of book—she's been there and withstood that, and emerged with a great understanding of what makes the American sports fan tick. From her startling and disturbing first-hand experiences to an overview of fan behavior, she captures the essence of a fascinating societal niche in Fanaticus: Mischief and Madness in the Modern Sports Fan. For anyone who has ever gone to a game and wondered why the person next to them is behaving like a lunatic, this book helps provide the answer.
— Pat Forde, national columnist for Yahoo Sports


Combining the curiosity of a hard-charging investigator with the heart of a superb storyteller, Justine Gubar has written a fantastic book about fandom that will surprise and delight you. By tracing the roots of fans’ extreme behavior, from the mobs at the Roman Coliseum to the mobs now bellowing on social media platforms, Fanaticus will change how you view the way we cheer, boo, root and fight over our beloved teams. I love this book.
— Don Van Natta Jr., ESPN investigative reporter, Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author of First Off the Tee, Her Way and Wonder Girl


Sports is the great tent where society gathers—it’s where we cheer, it’s where we hope, it’s where we find common ground, and unfortunately, it’s also where some choose to get angry or even violent. Justine Gubar does a remarkable job unmasking the breadth and depth of sports fanaticism, and explaining how devotion can turn into obsession, and even into danger. Fascinating read—plus, how do you not love a book which has a first chapter called “And Then We Burn a Couch”?
— Rachel Nichols, CNN Anchor


Compelling. Powerful. Definitive. A must-read for anyone seeking a broader understanding of the nucleus of sports culture—the fan—against the larger backdrop of society. Thoroughly researched through a wide lens, this enlightening treatise starts strong and finishes strong...with so much thought-provoking material in between.
— Jarrett Bell, NFL columnist, USA TODAY Sports


With Fanaticus, Justine Gubar offers a fascinating glimpse into the psyche and history of sport’s lunatic fringe—from the fans who placed curses on rival chariot racers at Circus Maximus to the Ohio State faithful who practically stalked Gubar for investigating their beloved Buckeyes. Part personal exploration and part case study, Fanaticus transports readers deep into the world of sports fandom.
— Mark Fainaru-Wada, ESPN investigative reporter and co-author of the New York Times bestselling book League of Denial


This is an important and engaging work. In Fanaticus, Justine Gubar takes us inside the phenomenon of emotionally overheated fan misbehavior. It’s a trip you will not forget.
— Bob Ley, ESPN anchor


The life of a sports fan is an evolving one. One that has roots in overzealous passion. And one that has seen its passion take a dark turn into violence and crime. Justine Gubar does a phenomenal job of traveling the globe and shedding light on these fanatics, so that we can read about them, safely from our couches.
— Michelle Beadle, ESPN host


This book starts as a journey into the strange world of sports fandom and quickly becomes a journey into the myth of civilization, unwinding and uncovering the purest essence of ourselves and leading, ultimately, to a few simple truths: Love and hate are the same thing, and we all merely animals living on a rock.
— Wright Thompson, ESPN The Magazine senior writer


Justine Gubar was a splendid ESPN producer who went to Ohio, did some investigating and got some vile voicemails and emails. Now she’s a splendid ESPN producer who has been from Antwerp to Albuquerque and back to antiquity for this vital tour of our human lunacy.
— Chuck Culpepper, Washington Post sportswriter and author of William Hill award finalist Bloody Confused: A Clueless American Sportswriter Seeks Solace in English Soccer