Lectures on Tap-The Psychology of Sports Fandom: Rivalry, Tribalism & More

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🧠 Lecture: "The Psychology of Sports Fandom: Rivalry, Tribalism & More"

🎤 Speaker: Prof. Gina Antoniello

Why does beating a rival feel better than any ordinary win? Why can watching a hated team lose feel almost as satisfying as seeing our own team succeed? And why do otherwise reasonable adults suddenly become fiercely tribal the moment they put on a jersey?

Sports business professor and executive Gina Antoniello—whose career has taken her inside some of the world’s most iconic global sports franchises—takes us inside the psychology of rivalry, identity, and the powerful divide between “us” and “them.”

Drawing on social identity theory, fan psychology, and her experience working in professional sport, Antoniello explores why rivalries strengthen our sense of belonging, why fans experience real pleasure in an opponent’s failure, and how teams, cities, and historic grievances turn competition into something deeply personal.

Prof. Gina Antoniello is the Founding Director of NYU’s Women’s Sport Collective and a Clinical Assistant Professor at NYU’s Tisch Institute for Global Sport. A leader at the intersection of sport, culture, and social impact, she has worked with globally recognized organizations including the Golden State Warriors and the Brooklyn Nets.

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