Is Fandom the Cure for Male Loneliness?

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 — offer something more?

Hear from fans like James Eastman, Thomas “Grim” Brannon, Nafis Ricks, and Jaguars Fan of the Year Tyler Derby on how their fan communities became a lifeline. We also explore the “online disinhibition effect” — why fans sometimes attack their own — and how we can build more emotionally honest fan spaces.

💛 This episode is dedicated to Raiders fan Kelsey Ramos. Please consider donating to her family and to Grim’s cancer fundraiser via the links below.

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Donate & support featured fans:
→ https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kelsys-kids-through-their-loss
→ https://gofund.me/ada6e76b

Learn more or share your own story:
→ heartofafan.org

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