Game attendance may be in decline, but sports fans are still as passionate and engaged as ever. Whether it’s live-streaming a game or following a team on TikTok, there are so many ways to be a fan. Canvas8 spoke to sports psychologist Dr. Dan Wann to understand how sports fandom is evolving.

Why is optimistic advertising so appealing? How are people defining the ‘American Dream’ for themselves? And could breaking the fourth wall to subvert hard-selling win over new fans? Canvas8 unpicks the behavioral themes present in 11 notable campaigns from the 2020 Super Bowl.

With digital channels offering them increased access to their heroes, casual supporters and ‘stans’ alike are embracing novel ways of showing their devotion to celebs and sports teams. How are these passionate individuals forging new cultural tribes and changing expectations of fan interactions?

The weekly pilgrimage to a stadium may have defined football fandom in the past, but people nowadays have a breadth of ways to engage in the beautiful game. From ‘dark social’ discussions to artsy magazines, passionate support goes far beyond simply spectating.