Personally, nationalism has nothing to do with the way I experience figure skating fandom, and I think that's true for a lot of posters here. I'm from the US and I don't feel any particular emotional pull to the American skating contingent right now. I root for whoever's skating speaks to me. I do think for maybe the broader figure skating fandom, nationalism has a lot to do with their inability to tolerate when their favorite loses, and social media has further emboldened people to put nasty comments and opinions out there without consideration for those who are on the receiving end.
I think the fact that getting to see a figure skating event in person isn't very accessible to a lot of people also contributes to the problem because it becomes that most people are interacting with the sport through a screen. I think we take for granted how easy it is to forget that these people we watch are real people with lives that are affected by their fans and not just "characters" we see on TV or via streaming. It's part of why I get so upset when I see most especially underage skaters being sexualized online or people writing fanfiction about skaters. They're real people who exist beyond the entertainment value they provide on the ice.
I've never understood the overwhelming intensity with which some people follow sports. I live in a city where football and hockey are king, and a lot of people take pride in the fact that fans from opposing teams don't like to come here because the fans here are so rabid and aggressive. Its disgusting that people treat each other this way over something in which they have no personal stake.
I think the fact that getting to see a figure skating event in person isn't very accessible to a lot of people also contributes to the problem because it becomes that most people are interacting with the sport through a screen. I think we take for granted how easy it is to forget that these people we watch are real people with lives that are affected by their fans and not just "characters" we see on TV or via streaming. It's part of why I get so upset when I see most especially underage skaters being sexualized online or people writing fanfiction about skaters. They're real people who exist beyond the entertainment value they provide on the ice.
I've never understood the overwhelming intensity with which some people follow sports. I live in a city where football and hockey are king, and a lot of people take pride in the fact that fans from opposing teams don't like to come here because the fans here are so rabid and aggressive. Its disgusting that people treat each other this way over something in which they have no personal stake.