The Experiences of Students Who Highly Identify with Their University’s Marquee Sports Team: A Phenomenological Analysis

Intercollegiate athletics have become well-entrenched in American higher education. This phenomenological analysis sought to discover the experiences of students who highly identify with their university’s marquee sports team. Students who are highly identified with Desert University’s men’s basketball team were interviewed. Utilizing social identity theory as a lens, students’ experiences were captured by five overarching themes: (a) unity and connectivity, (b) pride and good feelings, (c) characteristics of the ingroup, (d) ingroup and outgroups, and (e) emotional and psychological reactions to the game.