Do the characteristics defining the culture and acculturation of new members to the Texas football fan base create a subculture within a greater local culture? The fan base of the University of Texas football program displays the essential intangibles of a subculture, in its shared values, norms, culturally accepted behaviors, and material environment. Both the material and non-material aspects of the Texas football fan base create a unique and matchless subculture. These aspects range from the values, beliefs, and social norms constituting the non-material culture to the staples of its material culture: decorations, mascots, buildings, clothing, and symbols.
In order to recognize the UT fan base as a subculture, one must look objectively at the group as a whole and examine its familiar practices. Using the sociological imagination helps uncover what makes these practices strange and how they unite the fan base into an explicit subculture. The Longhorn football fans exhibit ethnocentrism in their convictions. With the belief that other programs fail to measure up to what the Texas football program and the collegiate community itself have to offer, this subculture sees itself as superior.
The socialization of those affiliated with the subculture is influenced by family, peers, and media, whom are already acculturated. With a deeper analysis of these aspects of socialization, we are able to pinpoint which of the influences impacts this subculture's members most. Is it the influence from parents during childhood, peers at school, or the media we see and read each day that impacts us most?
When defining the University of Texas fans, most would argue the group as a mob of individuals.Upon further analysis, outsiders realize the 102,000 fans packing Darell K. Royal (DKR) Stadium are more than individuals, but rather a distinct and prevalent subculture amongst the culture of the larger university.Previously defined, culture is a set of beliefs, behaviors, traditions, and practices a specific group of people uphold.Culture displays actions or beliefs that are learned, invoking engagements seeming both natural and normal.Like any other studied culture, the University of Texas is selective and has a common set of beliefs, binding men and women together.Within the larger culture is a definite subculture, the football fans.Through exclusive cultural values and behavioral patterns, this group is united by values, symbols, and shared attitudes, distinguishable from the larger culture and society.
At the Cotton Bowl, Texas fans fill the stadium for Texas-Oklahoma weekend. After a win, university tradition states all fans stay after the game and sing the fight song, "The Eyes of Texas" in unison with the team, band, and cheerleaders. In these two minutes, all the hard work by the team is acknowledged with loud fans, in harmony, singing in appreciation. Each individual holds their “horns” up and supports the beliefs and customs of the university fan culture. Whether it is an individual’s first game or twentieth season in attendance, each fan becomes aware of “in stadium” customs and realizes the importance of chanting, screaming, and yelling as encouragement for the Longhorns. We also see a prevalent and common hatred on display as the fans in the video scream “Give ‘em Hell, Give ‘em Hell, OU Sucks.”Everyone in the culture disregards acquaintances and joins other fans in expressing their hatred of of Texas' main rivals, the Oklahoma Sooners. The fans show their ethnocentrism by chanting in a way that implies they are better than OU and any other team. The following video incorporates a common hand symbol, the “horns” of your index and pinky fingers and also distinct chants and fight songs that are a distinguishing characteristic of the Texas Longhorns. http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/hookem-horns.html
In order to quantify the extremity of your commitment to the University of Texas team, one must look at the actions not only in the stadium or at home watching the game, but elsewhere as well.Your devotion is said to be on display at all times.For example, on www.upperdeckblog.com, UT fans claim to bleed burnt orange, have burnt orange as a staple color of their wardrobe, and have even named their pets Bevo. Participating in any of these actions places you as an active member of the University of Texas football fan subculture. This blog builds upon the previous clip by defining the colors of the UT fan culture and what is widely accepted as dress code amongst its members.
Matthew McConaughey, ex UT student but current Longhorn, explains what is expected and needed from the fans of the UT football program.He first recognizes the high expectations and standards held by the fans, especially after coming short the previous season.After a brief introduction, McConaughey sells his pitch by encouraging the fan culture to come back out in support of the team we love.He claims this can be demonstrated by showing up, wearing our colors, waving our flag, and exhibiting our spirit.The fan culture is later pronounced to have character, integrity, values, legacy, tradition, and history, all of which are on display by the masses rather than any one individual.With a previous foundation of particular chants, fight song, colors, and rivals, McConaughey adds the assertion of a distinct team flag, long lasting tradition, and legacy.
The fans proclaim the fourth quarter as “ours.”No team is permitted to come in and be louder, cause more havoc, or dominate “us”, when confined inside DKR Stadium.The following video, played in between the third and fourth quarters, declares anyone in the culture is allowed to get his or her Bachelors Degree, Masters, or PhD but everyone must “Get Your Horns Up.”This takes individuals and bonds them as a unique and uniformed subculture, within the confinement of the Austin area, showing the passion and unity amongst these fans.
The UT fan subculture is an entity in and of itself that functions based on a regulated set of beliefs.This subculture has its own colors, attire, flag, songs, chants, passion, history, and between quarter motivation, linking each member, when inside the stadium.Rejecting the idea of a group of individuals, the UT football fan subculture has proven to be a distinct assembly, functioning on its unwritten principles.
The explanation behind UT football fans thoughts and actions, at football games, is a direct result of how they were socialized to behave. Factors such as the media, friends, and family draw an outline for how UT students should act in the rowdy Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.
Regional Distribution of UT Fans
The media plays the biggest role on UT student, football fans. The Texas Longhorns have
their own nationally televised network, The Longhorn Network (TLN). This program is hosted by ESPN and is
available nationwide. Longhorn fans not only have to
support the team to feed their personal satisfaction, but now have to
represent themselves as the rowdiest and most devoted fans on a network broadcasting at all times. Being the first college to have a nationally produced sports
television network, Longhorn fans feel obligated to show the country everything
truly is better in Texas, starting with the devotion of the football fans.
According
to data collected, from social advertisements on Facebook, a large number of Longhorn supporters live outside of Texas. With this knowledge, UT
students in attendance of a game must uphold the intensity of our fan base for the nation to observe. Out of state viewers must witness students living up to and exceeding the tradition UT fans have established during the existence of our program.
The
media became the largest force of socialization amongst football fans. With a
network expanding across the United States, media access became attainable by
almost all individuals. Once socialization, by the media, convinces a
person to invest, this person is socialized to display devotion to a program,
such as the University of Texas Longhorns. In "The Psychology of
Sports Fans: What Makes Them So Crazy?", by Thomas Van Schaik, Van
Schaik proclaims after a win, "diehard fans are more optimistic about
their personal sex appeal and their ability to perform well at mental or
physical tests. When the team lost, that optimism evaporated." This notion
proves a team's success or failure has direct affects on fans performing
everyday actions. By developing a connection between a sports team and
fans, the media shapes the way individuals' perform in future endeavors.
Another
factor contributing to the socialization of UT football fans is the
atmosphere of the game created by peers. Almost every student attending a UT
football game wears burnt orange in support of their school and team. When individuals fail to wear the team's colors or logo, students make derogatory comments or avoid engagement with them. When touchdowns are scored, fans high five and
celebrate, showing their devotion to the fan subculture. Dressing in unison allows UT fans to feel a bond and connection with their peers and fellow subculture members. Team apparel, high adrenaline levels, and rowdy cheering contributes to a feeling of group identity. "The normal constraints on behavior, such as long-term norms, self monitoring, and self-awareness, are no longer present, causing fans to act on the basis of their immediate emotions and motivations, without considerations that might otherwise prevent their behavior" (Van Schaik). This aversion to atypical behavior at UT football games can be contributed directly to the desire of fans to associate with a group. These fans constitute a subculture within the stadium and each person, within the subculture, behaves to represent themselves as a functioning member amongst the masses. Fans lose their sense of individualism at football games, becoming part of a subculture trying to out cheer the other team's fans. After a victory, the subculture shares the mindset, "we won." As fans, we are not playing on the team, but we associate ourselves as one with the football team because of the effort we displayed in the stands.
This
video demonstrates the intense atmosphere created by UT football fans. In the
video, the entire stadium is chanting “Texas Fight.” Students become responsible for starting the chant and maintaining it over time. The spirit displayed by students encourages entire stadium participation, making DKR deafening to the opponent. As the stadium begins amplifying, more people join the chant, not wanting to be excluded from a tradition of the subculture.
As Americans, we desire inclusion, which is represented in something as simple as chanting in unison.
Family members also have tremendous impacts on the socialization of football fans. A child typically is capable of becoming emotionally attached to a sports team around the ages of eight or nine. This is the age where family members make their mark, engraining their sports knowledge and beliefs. Encouraging support for a certain team, at an early age, generally resonates with a child for a lifetime. If a father expresses his love for UT football in a very enthusiastic manner, he is acculturing the child to develop parallel emotions. The child is socialized to become a part of the UT fan subculture, altering the child's beliefs about sports. UT fans are taught at an early age, "OU Sucks." New members to the subculture accept these beliefs, having no choice but to associate with those involved in the large-scale subculture of Longhorn football. The following video expresses the desire for some parents to socialize their kids to root for a certain team and to dislike its competitors. By degrading other teams, you are placing your team at the forefront. Having played at The American Airlines center in Dallas, this clip proclaims the Dallas Mavericks to be superior to the Los Angeles Lakers, urging children to "grow up to be Mavs fans." In correlation, this video could have been played at DKR, influencing the next generation to become Longhorn fans, instead of Aggies or Sooners.
