Shared Sports Fandom Powerfully Reduces Partisan Animosity

Abstract

Shared sports fandom powerfully reduces interpersonal partisan animosity. While traditional civic bridging institutions are in decline, sports fandom remains widely held and politically cross-cutting: 76% of American adults identify as sports fans and team fanbases are politically diverse. Across a nationally representative survey and nine pre-registered experiments, we demonstrate that this shared identity tempers hostile partisan attitudes and behavior as much as—and often more than—shared religion, race, socio-economic status, or geographic region. These effects hold across genders and political parties. Sports fandom remains one of the few social institutions capable of bridging partisan divides in everyday life.