, Columnist
Soccer Makes Its Fans Unhappy. Here’s the Proof.
The results are in: The pain of defeat may outweigh the joy of victory.
The misery lasts more than a day.
Photographer: William West/AFP/Getty Images
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Many people feel devastated after their favorite team loses. Sometimes they have trouble sleeping. (Yes, I speak from personal experience.) That raises some legitimate questions: Why suffer? Is it even rational to be a sports fan?
Recent research suggests that it might not be. On average, soccer, the most popular sport on the planet, makes people a lot less happy. The lesson is that if you’re strongly attached to your local team, you might be better off if you decide to disengage — starting right now.