Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Fanlands: Football Supporter Map of London

"Football isn't a matter of life and death, it’s much more important than that,” is a quote often attributed to Bill Shankly, the legendary manager of Liverpool FC. As exaggerations go, this one gets pretty close to the truth. Millions of fans identify intensely with the highs and lows of their favourite sports team, perhaps a modern substitute for the tribal loyalties of bygone days.

Fandom is a bit more complicated than mere tribalism, though. Which team you support is the result of an intricate compound of ancestral, regional, social, and sometimes even religious loyalties. And, of course, personal choice. However, this map of London seems to indicate that geography is a major factor in fan loyalty.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I prefer Barcelona -- how about you?