Canzano: Cost of die-hard sports fandom is skyrocketing
Dude Perfect... may be onto something.
My Italian grandfather was a big Steelers fan. In the late 1970s, a few weeks after Pittsburgh’s 35-31 Super Bowl victory over the Dallas Cowboys, he summoned me to his kitchen to see something.
It was a can of beer.
Iron City Beer created a commemorative beer can in 1979, celebrating the third world championship for the NFL franchise. My grandfather rotated the can in his hands, showing me the team photo printed on its side. He pointed out Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, and Franco Harris.
My grandfather grew up in a small steel town about 45 minutes outside Pittsburgh alongside a line of Italian, Irish, and Polish families. The Steelers were champions, and for immigrant families, I imagine being part of a title-winning fan base felt good. He loved rooting for a winner. And I can still remember him standing on the linoleum of his kitchen floor, holding that beer can, beaming with pride.
Are we making die-hard sports fans anymore?
Can everyone afford to be a fan?
I’ve had several discussions in recent weeks about the pressure that the sports world is putting on fans. It’s more challenging than ever. The industry is pushing hard, mining fans, asking too much financially and otherwise, and being shortsighted in its approach.