It was halftime at ASU's third home football game this season. I was walking to go get some kettle corn with my friend while the marching band played. As I was walking to the snack bar, I noticed a man in an ASU t-shirt yelling at a huge storm of fans already leaving the game, as the Devils were losing 24-10 to the Cal Bears.
The man kept yelling out, “Fair weather fans!” The loyal fan was letting everyone know that he was disappointed in the lack of support that the fan base was showing. This was the first time I really noticed how many people left so early.
"ASU I think, at least historically has kind of been a fair weather fan thing," nursing senior Marc Costello said. "I can see why it can be frustrating because we have really high expectations and even though this year was supposed to be a down year we fooled ourselves into being kind of unrealistic."
ASU came back to beat the Golden Bears as they scored 41 points in the second half. Everyone who left missed an amazing second half and an incredible comeback. The team made fans look foolish for leaving and giving up on them so early in the game.
ASU fans aren't the only fans that have been caught leaving early and then missing great comebacks, but all fans who leave and then miss the highlight of the season sure do look dumb. Miami heat fans were guilty of this in 2008 when they left game 6 of the NBA Finals early and then missed Ray Allen's historic three pointer to tie the game in the final seconds and send it to overtime. The Heat went on to win in overtime and force a game 7.
What many people don't understand is how much the football players really build off the fans and how important they are to them.
“When they do the kickoff and run to the end-zone where the student section is, they like to get in our face and pump us up,” nursing junior Sarah Wolfus said. “They’re excited that we’re there and we’re excited that they’re playing and also it’s nice to have that big crowd.”
However, just as the team builds off the fans when it’s packed, they definitely notice when they leave.
Last season, running-back Kallen Ballage noticed the fans leaving after a tough game and made a post on social media calling them “fair-weather” fans.
When people leave the game early it’s basically giving up on our team. The amount of work that the football players dedicate to entertain the fans and represent the team positively should be treated with endless support and respect from the fans.
“I think that the players work really really hard to get out there ... they practice and spend their whole summer as they dedicate all this time and effort for us the fans,” said Costello. “So for fans to only spend 30 minutes and then just leave it really is just us turning our backs on them."
What many people don't fully understand is that the people on the field are more like us then we realize. They feel when we leave and it can hurt them too.
"I think what people really forget is that those athletes playing out there are the same age as us and they’re going through the same things as we are," Marc Costello said. "You wouldn’t do that to one of your friends so why do you do it to someone else?”
Cleveland Cavalier fans waited 46 years to see them finally win it all. Many Cubs fans stayed loyal their entire lives before actually seeing them come out on top. The least we can do is watch our fellow Sun Devils battle it out on the field once a week as we support them for four full quarters.
The last home game of the season for the football team will be played this Thursday against the Utah Utes. Hopefully everyone will go fill the stands, wear black, be loud and stay to support ASU the entire game no matter what.
Reach the columnist at kmarlin1@asu.edu or follow @kynan_marlin on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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