analysis 1: Rivalries
In all major sports, there are games that are just more intense than the others. It seems like the players are playing harder, the fans are more into it, and the atmosphere in general is just different from your average game. This is usually happens when two rival teams play each other, and soccer is no exception. As the game of soccer grew in popularity over the past century, historic rivalries between teams began to form. They are usually between teams that are from the same town or teams that are have always been at the top of the league table. With the intensity being upped at these games and everyone being on edge, it only makes sense that there would be more violence happening at these games.
Even though rivalries spur more hooligan group turnout than regular league matches, the area in which these rivalries take place will determine the level of activity these hooligan groups will get into. In a study done on the Watford Football Club, it was found that although hooligan groups exist there, there are rarely and violent outbreaks on their grounds. The club believes that since they attract a generally more affluent audience than other clubs, violence rarely becomes an issue. They stated that, “The kind of audience attracted by Watford is crucial in understanding the club’s non-hooligan traditions… producing a relatively sanguine and non-aggressive approach on the part of visitors to Watford (Spaaij, 9).” Other studies have shown that soccer teams with more of a working-class audience tend to have more hooligan violence occur during their matches. This leads me to believe that not only team rivalries spur more hooligan violence, but the economic status of the rival teams’ fans can determine the amount of hooliganism that will go on during the match.
Even though rivalries spur more hooligan group turnout than regular league matches, the area in which these rivalries take place will determine the level of activity these hooligan groups will get into. In a study done on the Watford Football Club, it was found that although hooligan groups exist there, there are rarely and violent outbreaks on their grounds. The club believes that since they attract a generally more affluent audience than other clubs, violence rarely becomes an issue. They stated that, “The kind of audience attracted by Watford is crucial in understanding the club’s non-hooligan traditions… producing a relatively sanguine and non-aggressive approach on the part of visitors to Watford (Spaaij, 9).” Other studies have shown that soccer teams with more of a working-class audience tend to have more hooligan violence occur during their matches. This leads me to believe that not only team rivalries spur more hooligan violence, but the economic status of the rival teams’ fans can determine the amount of hooliganism that will go on during the match.
Sources
Spaaij, Ramón, and Alastair Anderson. "Soccer Fan Violence: A Holistic Approach." International Sociology 25.4 (2010): 561-579. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 7 Sept. 2016.
Spaaij, Ramón, and Alastair Anderson. "Soccer Fan Violence: A Holistic Approach." International Sociology 25.4 (2010): 561-579. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 7 Sept. 2016.