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The Why Factor: 16/10/2015 18:32 GMT: Why Do we Support Sports Clubs?

Why do we support sports clubs?

16/10/2015 18:32 GMT

16/10/2015 18:32 GMT: Why Do we Support Sports Clubs?

Why Do we Support Sports Clubs?

BBC World Service - The Why Factor, Why Do we Support Sports Clubs?

Why do sports fans follow club teams, even when they may live thousands of miles away?

Why do sports fans follow club teams around the world, even when they may live thousands of miles away? Is it about winning or a human need to belong?

Every week, hundreds of millions of people around the world surrender their emotions; leave them - for a while - in the hands of strangers. They might face dejection or, with luck, jubilation. The US National Basketball association say that less than 1% of fans globally will ever watch a game live. While the Premier League is played in England and Wales, almost half of the fans (470 million of them) live in Asia and Oceania. Mike Williams explains why sports fans do it.

(Photo: Sports fans pictured during a football match waving their flags. Credit: Getty Images)

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16/10/2015 18:32 GMT: Why Do we Support Sports Clubs?

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