Why do loyal fans attending a football game dress up in their favorite team’s hats, shirts and jackets and paint their faces with the team logo; and why do loyal fans stand as one, even among strangers, when they engage in the team cheers and fight songs? The answer may be found in the theory of anti-structure. In fact, loyal fans attending a football game may be one of the best examples of the theory of anti-structure applied to leisure behavior.

Victor Turner, a British anthropologist, originally created the theory of anti-structure in 1969 to explain the transformative experiences that occur during certain social rituals and events, such as the rites of passage found in some African tribes. According to his theory, during those transitional moments, individuals experience a temporary suspension of social norms, hierarchies and roles, leading to a sense of equality, solidarity and freedom. For example, he observed that among the Ndembu people of Zambia, young males undergoing the ritual initiation into manhood experienced something different from their everyday life, and they experienced a sense of communal bond with each other during the time they were separated from the rest of their tribe (Turner, Victor. The Ritual Process. London: Routledge, 1969).

The theory can also be used as one explanation for leisure behavior in........

© Sports Business Journal