When fandom becomes a problem: Development of the Problematic Celebrity Fanship Scale | Thetafan Intelligence

There has been considerable research interest in the personality characteristics and mental health of individuals showing excessive levels of celebrity admiration. However, the conceptualization and measurement of potentially problematic levels of engagement with celebrities remain unclear. This study introduces and operationalizes the concept of problematic celebrity fanship within the theoretical framework of behavioral addictions.

Staging the spectacle: the panoptic–synoptic dynamics of prosumer fandom in live PDC darts | Thetafan Intelligence

This article examines how the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) transformed live darts into a highly mediated, carnivalesque spectacle by mobilising the participatory energy of prosumer fans. It explores how surveillance, performance, and control intersect within a distinctive sport entertainment ecosystem.

Research: Brain Mechanisms across the Spectrum of Engagement in Football Fans - A Functional Neuroimaging Study | Thetafan Intelligence

What Happens in the Brain When Football Fans Win or Lose.

Football fandom is often described emotionally. Fans talk about joy, heartbreak, loyalty, and rivalry as if the game lives inside them.

New neuroscience research suggests that description may be more literal than metaphor.

A functional MRI study published in Radiology examined what happens in the brain when football fans watch their team score or concede against a rival. The results reveal how deeply fandom is wired into human emotional and social processing.

For organizations trying to understand modern communities, it highlights something important: fandom isn’t just cultural. It’s neurological.