Sports have the great power to bring people together. They allow people all over the world to celebrate all kinds of games. Whether it’s watching a high-stake basketball game, Sunday Night Football, an exciting World Cup match, or an intense game in the World Series, there are moments in these games that make us feel alive and beaming with excitement. Many people may feel that there is more to it than just the game—the team is your family and a sense of pride after a winning game.

In the world of passionate sports fans, there is a dark side that is often overlooked: The link between sporting events and domestic violence. While there are many fans that enjoy their sports teams for entertainment, fun, and for the love of the sport, sometimes a fan’s obsession can become harmful, destructive, and aggressive.

When it comes to being a hardcore fan, winning means a lot in sports. Winning can lead to the playoffs, championships, and other key achievements in sports. These wins can mean great things for a fan: earned winnings from a bet or positive emotions in general. A sense of anger or disappointment can occur when a team loses, causing emotions to boil over in very unhealthy ways, sometimes leading to violence, often domestic in nature.

A study by The National Incident-Based Reporting System found that every Sunday, there is an increased amount of calls reporting domestic violence during football season. These researchers examined data from over 700 counties and cities and found that there was a 10% increase in domestic violence incidents on an NFL game day. This spike also occurs when a team loses a game.

Now, sporting events do not cause domestic violence, but it does enable certain forms of violence. Alcohol-fueled celebrations, heightened emotions, and aggressive behavior like hegemonic masculinity, are three key points that create a “holy trinity” of risk factors.

Sports have a great opportunity to address the root cause of domestic violence. Because of its wide appeal around the world, sports outlets should encourage everyone, especially men, to reflect on harmful behaviors and attitudes while advocating for equality and respect. Using sports as a platform can help empower women and encourage equality while educating others and creating social change.

The National Organization for Women Foundation reports that at least 10 to 15% of American women experience intimate partner violence (IPV). Although alcohol is not a direct cause to domestic violence, it does play a part, creating aggressive tendencies, which may escalate violent behaviors. Alcohol can be used as an excuse for behavior which can cause abusive tendencies to be worse. This is also a factor in at least 40-60% of domestic violence cases.

I stated before that I think domestic violence from sporting events is overlooked, but it’s much more complicated than that. There are a lot of people that may not understand the extent of the behaviors seen from abusers. Cheering on a team is fine, but if a person feels the need to physically or verbally hurt someone, that is a problem. Because there isn’t enough understanding from the public on what counts as abuse, some victims begin to deny the abuse or blame themselves for what happened.

As a sports fan, I’ve seen firsthand at games where fans become overly rowdy in and out of the stadiums and start to show signs of aggressive behavior towards one another. Not only does this ruin the enjoyment of being at a game, but it raises alarms for me as a woman. If anyone is able to feel that comfortable in public, is their aggressive behavior worse behind closed doors?

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, it’s crucial to know that help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides 24/7 support through live chats, phone calls, or text messages. Their website offers valuable support, including safety planning, ways to recognize abuse, access to local resources, and guidance on how to help others in need. No one should have to face abuse alone, and these resources are there to help guide the way out.