ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves' wins of late are not only good for dedicated fans, sport psychologists say, it’s also good for the entire city.
There is research and history to prove it.
In 1991, the city of Atlanta was in one big, good mood. The Braves transformed from one of the worst teams in baseball to one of the best, skyrocketing from sports obscurity to the World Series.
Passive sports fans who’d ignored the Braves for years became fans and the city seemed to put petty differences aside to unite and enjoy the team’s sudden success.
In the world of sport psychology, it’s known as "basking in reflected glory."
“People who are sports fan, they wear their sports gear, they feel happy when the team wins,” explained Dr. Judy Van Raalte, professor of psychology at Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. “It even improves their own self-esteem, and they feel great about other people.”
Dr. Raalte points to a study conducted at by Dr. Bob Ciaidini, a psychology professor at Arizona State University. He noticed that when one of the university’s sports teams won, more students wore team gear and used the term “we” when discussing that win.
“This effect seemed to ripple through an area wider than just the devoted fans,” said Dr. Van Raalte. “What he noticed is that people felt great when the team won and that they were basking in the reflected glory of that win and that it made the whole campus feel good.”
Atlanta has grown accustomed to winning, at least when it comes to the Braves. The team, and the city, did go 26 years without a World Series Championship. Last season’s glory sent a good feeling rippling from one corner of the city to another.
We were all in a good mood, reminiscent of 1991.