Heart of a Fan

Want to grow a women’s sports team the right way? This episode gives you the blueprint.

With expansion on the horizon for leagues like the WNBA, NWSL, and PWHL, the real challenge isn’t just where the next team lands — it’s how to build a fanbase that actually sticks. In this episode of Heart of a Fan, Matthew Barry sits down with Lauren Teague, Dr. Ceyda Mumcu, Jennifer Garrett, and Shea Dawson for a crash course on how to grow women’s sports fandom with authenticity, consistency, and community.

From debunking outdated marketing tactics like “Pink it and Shrink it” to exploring Visibility Theory and Social Adaptation Theory, we unpack what’s working, what’s not, and what it’ll take to make women’s sports part of the mainstream — for good.

If you care about the future of sports, fandom, and representation, this is one you don’t want to miss.

Five years removed from empty arenas, we ask: what did we lose — and what did we learn?

The pandemic changed everything, including how we experience sports. In this special episode, Heart of a Fan reflects on the impact of COVID-19 on fans, teams, and communities — from the silence of canceled seasons to the surprising growth of online connection and fan creativity.

Through stories from across sports, we look back at how fans adapted, grieved, rebuilt — and what the future of community looks like in a world forever changed.

In this episode of Heart of a Fan, we dive deep into the emotional and social impact of the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl victory. This wasn't just a win on the field—it was a victory for a city, a community, and fans around the world.

We explore the powerful concepts of Collective Effervescence, Basking in Reflected Glory (BIRGing), and the Emotional Benefits of Shared Experiences, all through the lens of Eagles Nation. From fans celebrating with strangers on Broad Street to those honoring loved ones who couldn't be there, this episode captures the heart and soul of what it means to be a Philadelphia Eagles fan.

Join us as we share fan stories, expert insights, and a deep look into how sports victories create lifelong memories and a sense of belonging.

🎧If you have a story about how you’ve built a community through sports fandom or wish to record your own unique story of fandom,  please feel free to reach out to us at our website, heartofafan.org. If you’ve enjoyed what you just heard, please consider subscribing to get new stories in your inbox every other Tuesday.

🎧 New episodes every other Tuesday on Spotify, iTunes, or heartofafan.org.

What does it mean to build a Black-centered fan space — and what happens when you do?

 In this episode, Heart of a Fan features leaders from Black Diamonds and Comets SC to talk about what it means to center Black identity in soccer fandom. From challenging stereotypes to building joy-first spaces, this conversation unpacks the complexity, beauty, and resistance that lives at the intersection of Blackness and sports fandom.

This is about making room for everyone — and building new tables when the old ones don’t fit.

If you have a story about how you’ve built a community through sports fandom or wish to record your own unique story of fandom,  please feel free to reach out to us at our website, heartofafan.org. If you’ve enjoyed what you just heard, please consider subscribing to get new stories in your inbox every other Tuesday.

🎧 New episodes every other Tuesday on Spotify, iTunes, or heartofafan.org.

Here is what we've seen/received from the supporters groups and fan organizations of Los Angeles. Please give what you can to help those dealing with the effects of the LA Wildfires:

https://secretlosangeles.com/available-resources-for-those-affected-by-socal-wildfires/

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eaSXTYlLY_spJ-_w43ac55qu6X4YtgApgRGfads3cM4/htmlview#

https://x.com/Mosaic1781/status/1877948274990006732

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-luis-and-his-family-after-the-altadena-fire?attribution_id=sl:6474574e-ba2e-4b4e-8399-adc405077e4a&lang=en_US&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=twitter

https://x.com/LARoyalArmy/status/1878198780144586911

These fans don’t just wear the jersey — they’re enshrined for their dedication.

 Meet the Pro Football Ultimate Fan Association (PFUFA), a group of NFL superfans who have been recognized for their passion, character, and impact in their communities. In this episode, Heart of a Fan explores what it means to be “ultimate” — not just in gear or volume, but in how you show up for your team and the people around you.

It’s about more than face paint — it’s about heart.

If you have a story about how you’ve built a community through sports fandom or wish to record your own unique story of fandom,  please feel free to reach out to us at our website, heartofafan.org. If you’ve enjoyed what you just heard, please consider subscribing to get new stories in your inbox every Tuesday.

🎧 New episodes every Tuesday on Spotify, iTunes, or heartofafan.org.

To kick off the new season of #HeartOfAFan, join Matthew Barry as he shares some notes with you on the project's first year and what we have planned for this upcoming year!

If you have a story about how you’ve built a community through sports fandom or wish to record your own unique story of fandom,  please feel free to reach out to us at our website, heartofafan.org. If you’ve enjoyed what you just heard, please consider subscribing to get new stories in your inbox every Tuesday.

🎧 New episodes every Tuesday on Spotify, iTunes, or heartofafan.org.

Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/i5jcVc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartofafanpod/

Twitter: https://x.com/HeartOfAFanPod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeartofaFanPod

If you are interested in donating to the Maldonado family, please click on the link here: https://mealtrain.com/zrm14d

The beauty of college football isn’t just the playoff — it’s the chaos, the culture, and the Sickos who love it.

 In this episode of Heart of a Fan, we dive into the wild world of college football fandom with Matt Brown (Extra Points) and representatives from the Sickos Committee. From obscure bowl games to online inside jokes, we explore how fandom thrives in the margins — where chaos reigns and community builds.

This is a love letter to the diehards, the late-night watchers, and anyone who knows there’s more to college football than just the bluebloods.

If you have a story about how you’ve built a community through sports fandom or wish to record your own unique story of fandom,  please feel free to reach out to us at our website, heartofafan.org. If you’ve enjoyed what you just heard, please consider subscribing to get new stories in your inbox every Tuesday.

🎧 New episodes every Tuesday on Spotify, iTunes, or heartofafan.org.

Across the pond, football means something different — but no less passionate.

In this episode, Heart of a Fan explores the NFL’s growing fanbase in the UK through the lens of the London Games. From lifelong British supporters of American teams to new fans just finding their footing, we dig into how the NFL has built community far from home — and why it’s working.

This is a story about time zones, tailgates, meat pies instead of wings, and how fandom translates across borders.

If you have a story about how you’ve built a community through sports fandom or wish to record your own unique story of fandom,  please feel free to reach out to us at our website, heartofafan.org. If you’ve enjoyed what you just heard, please consider subscribing to get new stories in your inbox every Tuesday.

🎧 New episodes every Tuesday on Spotify, iTunes, or heartofafan.org.

A fanbase in mourning. A team forever changed.

 When Columbus Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau tragically passed away, the entire hockey community was shaken — but none more than the fans who had grown with him, believed in him, and called him one of their own. In this episode of Heart of a Fan, we explore how grief ripples through a fanbase and how people process loss when it’s tied to someone they may never have met, but deeply felt.

This is a story about collective heartbreak, the intimacy of fandom, and what it means to find comfort in the crowd when words fall short.

If you have a story about how you’ve built a community through sports fandom or wish to record your own unique story of fandom,  please feel free to reach out to us at our website, heartofafan.org. If you’ve enjoyed what you just heard, please consider subscribing to get new stories in your inbox every Tuesday.

🎧 New episodes every Tuesday on Spotify, iTunes, or heartofafan.org.