Review by Booklist Review
For sports fans feeling even slightly guilty over parking themselves in front of a TV for a few hours to watch, say, a football game, this volume offers a winning counterargument: It's good for your health! Journalist Olmsted (Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Los Angeles Times) has done the research to back his case, interviewing sports psychologists, reviewing academic papers, and attending conferences. While some of his conclusions seem obvious--that sporting events can heal traumatized communities (Detroit after the 1967 riots, New York after 9/11, New Orleans after Katrina)--others are less so. For example, the straight line between Olympics coverage and increased sports participation, or how watching a sports contest can improve cognitive skills, or the startling healing power of the Make-a-Wish Foundation, in conjunction with sports teams, to speed the recovery of children with life-threatening conditions. As glib as it might first appear, Olmsted's study offers ideas fans would do well to take seriously.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Journalist Olmsted (Real Food/Fake Food) dives into the benefits of sports fandom in this ambitious if flat narrative. Drawing on the research of Daniel L. Wann, a psychology professor at Murray State University, Olmsted asserts that false stereotypes--such as "the corpulent lazy guy" sitting on the couch, or "the screaming, face painted, jersey-wearing maniac"--abound, when in reality, he writes, fandom helps to meet basic psychological needs, such as "higher self-esteem, less bouts of depression, less alienation; more friends; and higher levels of trust." He also discusses how sports can heal communities, citing how fans of the Las Vegas Golden Knights found a kind of solace in the hockey team's success after the mass shooting at the city's 2017 Route 91 Harvest Music Festival. As Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman told Olmsted, "The pain was so deep.... Then for the Golden Knights to have that season and start the healing process, the timing was incredible." Olmsted's points, individually, are intriguing, but the author hits home over and over again his premise that sports fans are more than just jersey-wearing followers, resulting in a fairly one-note and monotonous narrative. This isn't one to stand up and cheer for. (Mar.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
In his latest book, award-winning journalist Olmsted (Real Food/Fake Food) takes a deep dive into sports fandom and considers the psychological benefits of being a fan. To explore fandom, Olmsted visits sports bars across the United States and talks with a number of psychologists about how sports fans are studied as well as the mental health benefits and feeling of belonging that people can experience as fans of a particular team or sport. Additionally, the author cites studies that show how sports fandom has helped people overcome or better navigate personal loss. Notably, Olmsted writes about fans using sports to cope with tragedies following 9/11 and the 2017 Las Vegas shooting. Even though it is evident he spent a lot of time researching this book, Olmted writes accessibly, and his work will engage readers of all ages. Throughout, there are quotes from notable sports fans, such as Barack Obama and Bryant Gumbel, along with occasional fun illustrations. This fast-paced read has specific examples of the positive impact sports fandom can have on lives. VERDICT While there have been other books written about fandom, this is a quick read that even casual fans of sports may enjoy.--Pamela Calfo, Plum Borough Community Lib., PA
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The author of Real Food/Fake Food leads a book-length cheer for sports fans. That so many of us care--often intensely--about the outcome of games played by people we don't know is a decidedly good thing, writes journalist Olmsted in this compelling if contrived effort. Among his winning arguments: Sports fandom offers mental health benefits, especially a sense of belonging. To be a fan is to experience continual community. Also, watching and discussing sports can dissipate societal tensions; barrier-breaking athletes like Jackie Robinson and Billie Jean King changed not just their sports, but also the people who watched them play. The author is less convincing when he suggests that watching sports promotes physical health. In a largely anecdotal line of inquiry, Olmsted doesn't adequately address the obesity epidemic that has coincided with the increasing ubiquity of sports fandom. Throughout the book, the author uses a foil in the form of a conversation with a doctor friend. This approach, in addition to ample use of pull quotes, creates a narrative that never becomes dense despite Olmsted's reliance on academic studies. However, the conversation feels fabricated, and the author is unlikely to make fans out of nonfans. Given the considerable human and monetary capital consumed by sports, an examination of the watchers is certainly worthwhile. Olmsted's take could have been strengthened with further exploration of what's lost when people spend time buried in statistics or scrutinizing the fourth receiver on their fantasy football teams. While many readers will agree about the positive effect that comes from bonding with complete strangers over our favorite teams, is our obsession with sports one of the reasons we don't know our neighbors as well as we should? Die-hard sports fans will find some of the author's stories entertaining, but the sociological analysis could have been stronger. For readers seeking support for their sports-watching habits. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
