Examining the Superstitions of Sport Fans: Types of Superstitions, Perceptions of Impact, and Relationship with Team Identification

The current work examined the superstitious behaviors of sport fans. A sample of 1661 college students completed a questionnaire packet assessing demographics, team identification, sport fandom, superstitions, perceptions of superstition impact and importance, and why they engaged in the superstitions. A total of 675 persons reported at least one superstition. Higher levels of sport fandom and higher levels of team identification correlated with a greater number of superstitions listed. Further, persons with higher levels of team identification reported greater perceptions of the impact and importance of their superstitions. The categorization of the superstitions revealed that apparel superstitions were most prominent. Other prominent superstitions included vocalizations, consumption of food/drink (nonalcoholic), watching or not watching the action, and good luck charms/superstitious rituals