Heart of a Fan

What does it mean to be proud in a stadium where you’re not always welcome?

In this special Pride Month episode, we sit down with LGBTQ+ fans who are reclaiming space in the stands—even as the world outside grows more hostile. From grassroots movements like PrideRaiser to the deeply personal weight of safety, inclusion, and chosen family, this episode explores what it means to show up when you’ve been pushed out.

Guests include:

• K...

What do sports fandom and religion have in common?

In this episode of Heart of a Fan, we explore how faith shows up in sports—from game-day prayers to lifelong belief in a team that keeps letting you down. With Pope Leo XIV—a Chicago native, Villanova alum, and White Sox fan—now leading the Catholic Church, the line between spiritual devotion and sports devotion feels thinner than ever.

We’re joined by:

• Dr. Jeffrey Scholes, profes...

In this special episode of Heart of a Fan, host Matthew Barry sits down with Rebecca Davis—co-director of the Netflix documentary Join or Die—to explore the power of community, the decline of civic life, and why sports fandom might be the last great space for belonging in modern America.

Based on the groundbreaking research of Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam (Bowling Alone), this conversation dives into what we’re really l...

Men are lonelier than ever — and often afraid to talk about it. Could fan communities be part of the cure?

In 2023, the NYT asked: Is the cure for male loneliness out on the pickleball court?
It sparked a meme. But behind the jokes is something serious: men struggling with connection, stigma, and silence.

This week on Heart of a Fan, we ask: Can sports fandom — tailgates, group chats, road trips, and emotional highs and lows — o...

What does it really mean to make sports fandom accessible? In this episode, we sit down with three powerful voices—disability advocate and hockey fan Chanel Keenan, KultureCity Executive Director Uma Srivastava, and Raiders superfan Keith Smith—to explore the physical, sensory, and emotional barriers that can keep fans from fully joining the stadium experience.

From navigating stadium layouts and sensory overload to rethinking outda...

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 wom...

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...

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....

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 a...

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/187794...

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 ...

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 cons...

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...

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...

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 f...

The WNBA’s rise isn’t just about one team — but the 2024 Liberty brought it to life.

 The WNBA has been building something special — and in 2024, the New York Liberty brought that momentum to a full roar. This episode of Heart of a Fan explores how the league’s growth, culture, and community have evolved over time, and how the Liberty’s championship run became a touchpoint for a generation of fans.

From merchandise to media coverage,...

86 years of heartbreak. One unforgettable championship. And a fanbase that changed forever.

 In this special 20th-anniversary episode, Heart of a Fan reflects on the 2004 Boston Red Sox and what it meant for fans to finally see the curse broken. From decades of pain to the pure catharsis of that October run, this episode is a tribute to the generational suffering — and generational joy — that made it all matter.

Whether you lived thr...

What happens when the internet turns your fandom into content — and your pain into punchlines?

 In this episode of Heart of a Fan, we explore the culture of being a New York Mets fan in the age of memes. Through humor, heartbreak, and hard-won loyalty, we reflect on what it means to support a team that’s often the butt of the joke — and how fans reclaim the narrative on their own terms.

From viral gifs to emotional investment, this i...

In the heart of every fan is a special bond that they share with their loved ones over a team. In this episode, we’ll be looking at one bond between a mother and her daughter over the Boston Bruins, and how that bond is continuing to inspire.

If you are able to, please consider making a donation in honor of Shannon McCarthy to:

Hockey Fights Cancer: https://www.v.org/campaigns/25-years-hockey-fights-cancer/