Socialization From Peers and Family

     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.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0wYbEMVH5g

     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.

http://www.sportsnetworker.com/2012/02/15/the-psychology-of-sports-fans-what-makes-them-so-crazy/