Why Sports Fans Need Villains

Vassilis Dalakas, Ph.D., is a professor of marketing at Cal State University San Marcos and also a visiting professor of sports marketing at the Sports MBA program at San Diego State University. His research examines social identity and sports fandom including a focus on topics relevant to rivalries, Schadenfreude, and sponsorships. November is a sports fan’s dream. The baseball season is wrapping up, basketball is starting up, football is in mid-season form, and hockey is ready to go. With every sport comes the favorite to win the title, and most recently, the villain. Dr. Vassilis Dalakas shares what makes a sports team a villain, and if that a title that can be passed around from team to team.