Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Fandom

Fandom is an American for-profit wiki hosting service and online community platform founded in 2004 by Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia, and Angela Beesley Starling, specializing in fan-generated content about video games, films, television series, books, and other pop culture topics.^[1]^[2] Originally launched as Wikicities and restructured as Wikia before rebranding to Fandom, the platform enables users to create and edit collaborative wikis integrated with social features, forums, and multimedia, amassing over 400,000 communities and billions of monthly page views as of recent reports.^[3]^[1] The company's business model relies heavily on advertising revenue, which has drawn significant criticism for intrusive pop-up ads, animated overlays, and performance-degrading elements that prioritize monetization over usability, prompting major wikis such as those for Minecraft, The Legend of Zelda, and Hollow Knight to migrate to independent hosts.^[4]^[5] Fandom has pursued growth through acquisitions, including the 2022 purchase of sites like GameSpot, Metacritic, TV Guide, and GameFAQs from Red Ventures, expanding beyond pure wiki hosting into broader entertainment media aggregation.^[2] Backed by private equity firm TPG Capital since 2018, Fandom positions itself as the world's largest fan platform, though its commercial orientation has fueled tensions with volunteer editors who value ad-free, community-driven alternatives.^[6]^[7]

Definition and Scope

Core Definition and Historical Terminology

Fandom denotes the collective realm or domain comprising avid enthusiasts who share a passionate interest in a specific subject, such as a media property, celebrity, sports team, or cultural artifact, often manifesting as a subculture with shared practices, discourse, and community interactions.^[8] This encompasses not merely individual admiration but the organized or informal grouping of fans who engage actively, distinguishing it from passive consumption.^[9] The term "fandom" emerged in American English in 1903, formed as a portmanteau of "fan"—itself a shortening of "fanatic" dating to the late 19th century for sports spectators—and the suffix "-dom" denoting a collective state or domain.^[8] Its earliest recorded use appeared in a headline in the Cincinnati Enquirer on January 2, 1903: "Fandom Puzzled Over Johnsonian Statements," referring to baseball enthusiasts perplexed by comments from player or manager Ban Johnson amid league controversies.^[10] At inception, "fandom" primarily described the body of supporters for professional sports, particularly baseball, reflecting the era's growing commercialization of athletics and spectator culture.^[11] By the late 1920s and into the 1930s, the terminology extended to literary and media enthusiasts, notably in science fiction circles, where "fandom" captured the participatory networks of fans exchanging letters, producing amateur publications (fanzines), and forming clubs around pulp magazines like Amazing Stories.^[9] This shift marked a transition from sports-centric usage to broader cultural domains, emphasizing creative and communal engagement over mere spectatorship, a pattern that persisted as fandom proliferated across film, television, and other media by mid-century.^[12]

Key Characteristics and Distinctions from Casual Interest

Fandom entails a profound level of emotional and imaginative investment in a specific media property, cultural figure, or franchise, often extending beyond mere consumption to include interpretive reinterpretation and communal sharing of meanings.^[13] This active engagement distinguishes it from passive viewership, as participants construct personal interpretations that reshape the original text to align with their experiences and desires.^[14] Sociologically, fandom manifests as structured social practices where individuals form subcultural networks, fostering a collective identity tied to the object of affinity, which reinforces group cohesion through shared rituals and discourses.^[15] In contrast to casual interest, which typically involves intermittent enjoyment of content without deeper involvement—such as watching a television episode occasionally or attending a single concert—fandom demands sustained commitment, including regular interaction with fellow enthusiasts and production of derivative works like analyses or modifications of source material.^[16] Casual participants rarely integrate the interest into their self-concept or invest resources like time in community events, whereas dedicated fans exhibit heightened knowledge of intricate details, emotional loyalty, and participatory behaviors that blur lines between consumer and creator.^[17] This distinction arises from fandom's psychological underpinnings, where strong identification yields benefits like enhanced belonging and resilience, though it can verge into obsessive traits in extreme cases, such as compulsive collection or parasocial fixation, absent in casual engagement.^[18]^[19] Empirical observations in media studies highlight fandom's productivity, with fans not only consuming but circulating and remixing content to negotiate cultural tensions, a level of agency and interactivity that casual interest lacks due to its superficial, non-committal nature.^[20] Thus, while casual interest suffices for entertainment value, fandom represents a transformative cultural phenomenon driven by intrinsic motivation for affiliation and expression, often self-perpetuating through social reinforcement rather than external prompts.^[21]

Historical Origins and Evolution

Pre-Modern and Early Modern Precursors

In ancient Rome, enthusiasts of gladiatorial combats and chariot races formed organized supporter groups that exhibited behaviors resembling modern fandom, including vocal cheering, betting on favorites, and occasional riots. Gladiators, often branded with appealing stage names to highlight their physical allure or prowess, attracted dedicated followers who viewed them as celebrities beyond mere combatants.^[22] Chariot racing factions, such as the Blues and Greens, wielded significant social and political influence by the early Byzantine period, with supporters clashing violently in public, mirroring the tribal loyalties of contemporary sports fans.^[23]^[24] During the medieval period in Europe, religious devotion to saints paralleled fan-like veneration, as pilgrims traveled long distances to shrines housing relics, much like modern fans visiting sites tied to idols. These journeys fostered communal rituals, including processions and relic displays, which reinforced group identity and emotional investment in the saint's narrative. From the mid-13th to 15th centuries, secular enthusiasm for Arthurian legends manifested in "Round Table" festivals, where participants reenacted chivalric tales, debated character merits, and formed interpretive communities around figures like King Arthur.^[25]^[26] In the early modern era, literary admiration evolved toward participatory forms, with 18th-century readers in England and Germany producing unauthorized sequels and expansions of popular novels, laying groundwork for fan fiction. For instance, Samuel Richardson's Pamela (1740) inspired derivative works and fan correspondence, while Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy (1759–1767) elicited direct responses from readers who inserted themselves into the narrative or proposed plot alterations. These activities reflected emerging reader communities that blurred lines between consumption and creation, predating formalized clubs.^[27]^[28]

Emergence in Science Fiction and Pulp Media (1920s-1940s)

The publication of Amazing Stories in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback marked a pivotal moment, as the first magazine exclusively devoted to science fiction stories, which included extensive letter columns that fostered reader discussions and correspondence among enthusiasts.^[29] These "discussions" columns encouraged fans to debate stories, suggest improvements, and connect with like-minded readers, laying the groundwork for communal engagement beyond passive consumption.^[30] Pulp magazines like Weird Tales (launched 1923) and Astounding Stories (1930) further amplified this by serializing speculative fiction on cheap wood-pulp paper, making it accessible to a growing audience during the Great Depression.^[31] Early fan organizations formed in response to this burgeoning interest. The Scienceers, established on April 11, 1929, in New York City by a group including Warren Fitzgerald and Philip Rosenblatt, is recognized as the first science fiction fan club, meeting to discuss pulp content and hosting amateur dramatic readings.^[32] This preceded the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society (LASFS), founded in 1934, which became a hub for West Coast fans and emphasized structured meetings around magazine reviews.^[33] Concurrently, the Science Correspondence Club, active from 1928, facilitated international letter exchanges, evolving into localized branches that produced the first fanzines—amateur publications mimicking pulps but created by fans. The Planet, the Scienceers' newsletter from June to December 1930, and The Comet (May 1930) by the Chicago Science Correspondence Club, represented these initial efforts, distributing 20-50 copies via mimeograph to share fiction, art, and commentary.^[34]^[35] By the mid-1930s, fanzine production exploded, with dozens of titles like Novae Terrae (1936, UK) and U.S. equivalents enabling "letterhacking" contests in pulps, where fans vied for publication of their critiques.^[36] Clubs proliferated, including the Futurians (formed 1938), known for leftist-leaning activism and internal schisms that highlighted fandom's nascent ideological tensions.^[33] The first informal U.S. science fiction gatherings occurred on October 22, 1936, in Philadelphia, drawing about 30 fans for talks and auctions, evolving into the inaugural World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) on July 2-4, 1939, in New York City, which attracted around 200 attendees for panels, costume displays, and auctions of rare pulps.^[37]^[38] World War II disrupted but did not halt momentum; wartime paper shortages curtailed some fanzines, yet clubs adapted with stenciled publications, and returning service members bolstered post-1940 growth, solidifying fandom as a distinct subculture rooted in pulp-driven escapism and intellectual exchange.^[39] This era's fan activities—focused on amateur publishing, club debates, and early conventions—distinguished organized fandom from mere readership, emphasizing creative participation and community formation amid economic hardship.^[40]

Post-War Expansion and Media-Specific Growth (1950s-1970s)

![The Beatles in 1964]float-right The post-World War II era witnessed a surge in organized fandom due to economic prosperity, suburbanization, and the proliferation of mass media, enabling larger audiences to form dedicated communities around science fiction, television, comics, and music. Science fiction fandom expanded through established conventions like Worldcon, which by the 1950s drew hundreds of attendees annually, fostering fanzine production and club activities that persisted from wartime foundations.^[9] The 1960s marked a pivotal growth phase, with convention attendance rising dramatically as pulp influences waned and broader cultural acceptance emerged.^[41] Television fandom crystallized around series like Star Trek, which premiered on September 8, 1966, and rapidly built a grassroots following through fan letters exceeding 1 million by 1967, prompting organized campaigns to extend its run beyond the 1968-1969 season.^[42] Early fan efforts included the Star Trek Welcommittee, established in 1968 by Jacqueline Lichtenberg to connect newcomers, and the publication of the first Star Trek fanzine, Spockanalia, in 1967, which highlighted communal creativity and advocacy.^[42] These activities laid groundwork for media-specific conventions, though the inaugural Star Trek-focused event occurred in 1972. Comic book fandom professionalized in the 1960s, evolving from science fiction circles via organizations like the Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors, founded by Jerry Bails in the early 1960s to promote scholarship and collecting.^[43] The first dedicated comic convention took place on July 25, 1964, in New York City, organized by fans to facilitate trading and discussions amid rising interest in Silver Age titles from publishers like Marvel and DC.^[44] By the 1970s, events like the New York Comic Art Convention attracted growing crowds, reflecting comics' shift toward serialized narratives appealing to adolescent and adult enthusiasts. Music fandom intensified with rock acts, particularly the Beatles, whose 1963-1966 Beatlemania phenomenon mobilized millions through spontaneous fan clubs across the U.S. and U.K., often coordinated via radio stations and the official Beatles Fan Club managed by secretary Freda Kelly.^[45] Devotees demonstrated loyalty by joining chapters that distributed newsletters and memorabilia, with peak hysteria evident at events like the February 9, 1964, Ed Sullivan Show appearance, viewed by 73 million Americans.^[46] This era's fan behaviors, including mass gatherings and merchandise consumption, prefigured commercialized participation while emphasizing emotional investment in performers' personas.

Internet and Digital Shift (1980s-2000s)

The proliferation of personal computers and early networks in the 1980s enabled the initial digital forays into fandom through Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) and Usenet, which allowed fans to exchange messages, artwork, and fiction asynchronously without physical proximity. BBS, emerging in the late 1970s but peaking in the 1980s, served niche groups like music enthusiasts—such as Grateful Dead followers sharing bootlegs and tour updates—and sci-fi aficionados discussing conventions remotely via dial-up connections.^[47] Usenet, operational since 1980, facilitated distributed newsgroups for fandom-specific debates; for instance, rec.arts.comics.dc hosted analyses of DC Comics' Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985–1986), drawing hundreds of participants into threaded discussions that presaged modern forums.^[48]^[49] These platforms, limited by slow modems and text-only interfaces, nonetheless expanded fandom beyond local clubs by connecting geographically dispersed individuals, though access remained confined to tech-savvy users in developed regions. The 1990s accelerated this shift with the World Wide Web's commercialization and broader internet adoption, transitioning fandom from isolated nodes to interconnected archives and lists. Usenet groups like alt.tv.twinpeaks (1990) enabled real-time episode breakdowns for Twin Peaks, amassing thousands of posts that influenced network decisions on the show's direction.^[50] Mailing lists and early IRC channels further empowered media fans, particularly women who imported print-era practices like slash fiction into digital spaces, fostering private, invitation-only communities for sharing works on properties such as Star Trek and The X-Files.^[51]^[52] By mid-decade, web repositories emerged for fanfiction distribution, with sci-fi enthusiasts leading the charge via Usenet alt.fanfic postings that evolved into static HTML sites.^[47] This era's tools democratized participation but introduced challenges like flame wars and copyright skirmishes, as fans navigated nascent moderation amid growing traffic—Usenet alone saw fandom-related groups exceed 1,000 subscribers by the late 1990s.^[48] Into the 2000s, centralized platforms solidified the digital infrastructure, exemplified by FanFiction.net's launch in 1998, which aggregated user-uploaded stories across over 40,000 fandoms and amassed millions of works by decade's end.^[53] Founded by programmer Xing Li, the site streamlined archiving previously scattered across personal pages and GeoCities hosts, enabling searchable databases that boosted fanfiction's output—Harry Potter alone generated over 300,000 entries by 2005. Early social features, like reviews and alerts, enhanced community bonds, while broadband diffusion post-2000 facilitated multimedia sharing, including fan videos and scans of zines. This period's innovations reduced barriers to entry, scaling fandom from thousands in offline circles to global networks of tens of thousands per property, though it amplified tensions over intellectual property as creators like Paramount issued cease-and-desist notices to fan sites.^[47] Overall, the 1980s-2000s digitized fandom's core—discussion, creation, and preservation—laying groundwork for participatory cultures that prioritized user-generated content over top-down media consumption.^[54]

Recent Commercialization and Global Spread (2010s-2025)

The proliferation of social media platforms in the 2010s facilitated the commercialization of fandom by enabling direct fan-creator interactions and targeted merchandising, transforming passive enthusiasm into revenue-generating ecosystems. Platforms like Twitter (now X) and Tumblr amplified fan campaigns, such as the 2012 Veronica Mars Kickstarter that raised over $5.7 million from fans to fund a film sequel, demonstrating how organized fandom could directly influence production budgets and profitability.^[55] By the mid-2010s, brands increasingly leveraged fan loyalty for sales, with merchandise and licensing revenues exceeding $350 billion globally in 2023, driven by dedicated communities around franchises like Marvel and Star Wars.^[56] Fan conventions exemplified this trend, with attendance at events like San Diego Comic-Con generating profits over $17 million in 2015 and rising to $19 million by 2017, fueled by corporate sponsorships, exclusive merchandise, and ticket scalping dynamics that underscored the economic scale of concentrated fan spending.^[57] This commercialization extended to music and gaming, where record labels pursued expanded rights deals to monetize fandom data and loyalty programs, as seen in K-pop groups like BTS, whose ARMY fanbase generated billions in concert and merchandise revenue through coordinated social media promotion.^[58] Esports tournaments, integrated with gaming fandoms, saw parallel growth, with Asian markets leading global expansions that blended competitive play with branded merchandise ecosystems. Deloitte's analysis highlighted "committed fans" exerting outsized economic influence, often spending disproportionately on premium content and events, which incentivized media companies to cultivate niche loyalties over broad appeal.^[59] Simultaneously, fandom achieved unprecedented global spread, propelled by digital accessibility and cross-cultural content like K-pop and anime, which transcended regional boundaries via platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. K-pop fandoms evolved from localized clubs in the early 2010s to transnational movements by the 2020s, with BTS's global tours and social media virality drawing millions of international participants, amplified by smartphone penetration in emerging markets.^[60] Anime's committed fanbase reached at least 60 million worldwide by the mid-2020s, with internet user engagement rising from 23% in 2020 to 26% in 2025, correlating with game-to-anime adaptations surging 137% year-over-year.^[61]^[62] Esports and K-pop fandoms from Asia further globalized, influencing consumer trends across continents through fan-driven content creation and streaming, as evidenced by Newzoo's 2025 gamer study tracking engagement with 42 franchises in 36 markets.^[63] This expansion was not without tensions, as hyper-monetization via immersive advertising sometimes strained community authenticity, yet it undeniably broadened fandom's economic footprint beyond Western-centric origins.^[64]

Forms of Participation and Community Building

Offline Engagement: Conventions, Clubs, and Gatherings

Offline engagement in fandom encompasses structured events where enthusiasts convene in person to share interests, exchange knowledge, and participate in communal activities centered on specific media, genres, or personalities. These interactions, ranging from large-scale conventions to intimate club meetings, predate digital platforms and have historically served as vital hubs for community formation, particularly in science fiction and pulp media circles during the early 20th century.^[9] Conventions emerged as the most prominent form of such engagement, with roots in science fiction fandom. The inaugural World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) occurred in New York City over the July 4 weekend in 1939, drawing about 200 attendees who gathered to discuss literature and meet authors. This event established an annual tradition, interrupted only by World War II from 1942 to 1945, and has since rotated locations globally while awarding the Hugo prizes for achievement in the genre. By contrast, smaller precursors like the 1936 Philcon in Philadelphia hosted just nine participants, underscoring the rapid growth driven by expanding pulp magazine readership. Modern iterations reflect commercialization and broader media appeal; for instance, Comiket in Japan, focused on doujinshi and anime, exceeded 500,000 attendees by 2004, making it the world's largest fan convention by participation volume.^[65]^[66]^[67] Fan clubs represent another foundational offline structure, often predating conventions and emphasizing sustained membership and localized activities. Organized clubs for movie stars proliferated in the 1920s and 1930s, with early examples tied to silent film idols; by the early 1930s, Shirley Temple's fan club had amassed significant followings through newsletters and events. Music fandom saw similar developments, as evidenced by Elvis Presley's United Kingdom-based club, which sustains approximately 20,000 members through gatherings and memorabilia exchanges. These clubs facilitated direct fan-to-fan and fan-to-creator connections, such as letter-writing campaigns or in-person appearances, fostering loyalty in eras without mass media amplification.^[68]^[69] Smaller gatherings, including meetups and informal assemblies, complement larger events by enabling niche discussions and personal networking. Local fan club meetings or ad-hoc meetups, common in genres like gaming and sports, often occur in community spaces and have shown resilience post-pandemic, with reports indicating surges in specialized events such as cosplay-focused assemblies increasing by 50% in attendance. Such venues enhance relational ties, as evidenced by studies linking offline interactions to heightened online community productivity and retention.^[70]^[71]

Creative Productions: Fanfiction, Art, and Cosplay

Fans engage in creative productions by generating derivative works that extend or reinterpret original media content, including fanfiction, fan art, and cosplay. These activities emerged prominently within science fiction fandom in the mid-20th century, evolving into widespread practices facilitated by print zines, conventions, and digital platforms.^[72] Fanfiction involves fans authoring stories using characters, settings, or elements from established works, often exploring alternate narratives or relationships. Early examples appeared in Star Trek fandom during the late 1960s and 1970s, distributed via mimeographed zines at conventions.^[73] By the 1990s, online platforms enabled broader dissemination, with sites like FanFiction.net launching in 1998. The Archive of Our Own (AO3), established in 2008 by the Organization for Transformative Works, hosts millions of fanfiction works across over 75,000 fandoms as of 2025, serving as a nonprofit repository emphasizing user-generated content.^[74] Legally, fanfiction constitutes derivative works under U.S. copyright law (17 U.S.C. § 101), potentially infringing absent permission, though non-commercial, transformative uses are frequently tolerated under fair use doctrines rather than litigated.^[75] Fan art encompasses illustrations, digital drawings, and other visuals depicting fan interpretations of media characters or scenes. Recognition dates to science fiction fanzines of the 1930s, with formal awards like the Hugo for Best Fan Artist instituted in 1967 to honor such contributions.^[76] Digital tools from the 1990s onward, including platforms like DeviantArt (founded 2000), amplified participation, allowing artists to share works globally without physical distribution costs. While non-commercial fan art benefits from similar fair use arguments, commercial exploitation remains restricted, as evidenced by cease-and-desist actions against merchandise sales.^[75] Cosplay entails fans crafting and wearing costumes to embody fictional characters, often showcased at conventions. Practices trace to 1930s World Science Fiction Conventions (Worldcons), where attendees donned outfits inspired by pulp fiction.^[77] The term "cosplay," blending "costume" and "play," was coined in 1984 by Japanese reporter Nobuyuki Takahashi observing Worldcon attendees in Los Angeles.^[78] Its popularity surged in the 1990s through events like San Diego Comic-Con, with cosplayers investing in elaborate prosthetics, fabrics, and props; surveys indicate higher fandom engagement among cosplayers compared to non-participants.^[79] Like other fan works, cosplay skirts direct copyright challenges when non-monetized, though photography and convention policies often invoke implied licenses for personal use.^[75] Early online fandom interactions emerged through text-based platforms in the 1980s, with Usenet newsgroups and IRC channels enabling fans of science fiction, anime, and early media franchises to share discussions and analyses globally.^[48] These precursors to modern forums allowed asynchronous communication, fostering dedicated groups like those for Star Trek, where participants debated canon and speculated on future episodes without geographic constraints.^[47] By the mid-1990s, web-based bulletin board systems (BBS) and dedicated fan sites evolved into structured forums, such as those on GeoCities or early media-specific boards, where users posted threaded conversations, shared fan theories, and organized virtual events.^[80] The advent of social media in the 2000s amplified fandom scale and immediacy, with platforms like LiveJournal (launched 1999) serving as hubs for journaling-style posts, meme creation, and community tagging in fandoms such as Harry Potter and anime. Tumblr, peaking in the 2010s, became a visual and microblogging center for niche subfandoms, enabling rapid dissemination of fan art, GIFs, and discourse through reblog chains, though it faced challenges from algorithmic shifts reducing visibility by 2018.^[47] Twitter (now X), from 2006, facilitated real-time hashtag campaigns, such as #SuperBowl for sports fandoms or media-specific trends like #StarWars, driving viral engagement; by 2024, fandoms dominated cultural discussions on such sites, influencing entertainment releases and politics.^[81] Reddit's subreddit model, with over 100,000 active communities by 2023 including large ones like r/Marvel (3.5 million subscribers as of 2022 data), supported moderated discussions, AMAs with creators, and polls, though prone to echo chambers and toxicity like harassment campaigns.^[82] Collaborative platforms further enabled collective knowledge-building and content archiving, with wiki-style sites like Fandom.com (formerly Wikia, founded 2004) hosting editable encyclopedias for thousands of franchises, amassing over 250,000 wikis by 2020.^[83] The Archive of Our Own (AO3), launched in 2009 by the nonprofit Organization for Transformative Works, revolutionized fanfiction sharing as an open-source repository, growing to over 12 million works and 7 million registered users by 2023, emphasizing tagging for discoverability and resisting commercial pressures unlike earlier sites like FanFiction.net.^[74] Fanlore, a wiki project by the same organization started in 2008, documents fandom history and practices, preserving metadata on platform migrations and cultural shifts to counter ephemeral losses from site shutdowns.^[84] These tools supported co-creation, such as joint editing of lore or tagging systems, with data showing an 80% rise in interactive fan consumption from 2004 to 2024.^[83] Online interactions have boosted participation metrics, with 79% of global consumers identifying entertainment or gaming as a core passion driving platform use by 2025, yet empirical studies link heavy engagement to mixed outcomes like reduced loneliness via community bonds alongside risks of parasocial intensification and intra-fandom conflicts.^[56]^[85] Discord servers, rising in the 2010s, added voice and real-time subgrouping for gaming and media fandoms, hosting millions in persistent channels for strategy-sharing or live reactions. Overall, these platforms shifted fandom from isolated to networked dynamics, enabling scalable collaboration but exposing tensions from unmoderated anonymity and algorithmic amplification of divisive content.^[82]

Fandom Across Domains

Entertainment Media: Literature, Film, Television, and Music

Fandom in literature emerged as organized communities around specific authors and series, with the Baker Street Irregulars, the oldest Sherlockian society dedicated to Arthur Conan Doyle's detective, founded in 1934 by Christopher Morley in New York City.^[86] This group formalized scholarly discussions, annual dinners, and publications mimicking Holmesian lore, setting a precedent for literary societies that blend analysis with playful immersion in fictional worlds. Later examples include science fiction fandom, exemplified by World Science Fiction Society conventions starting in 1939, which drew enthusiasts for Hugo Award ceremonies and panel debates on speculative narratives. In contemporary literature, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series spurred global fan gatherings like LeakyCon, launched in 2009, where attendees engaged in house-sorted role-playing, trivia contests, and author Q&As, fostering intergenerational bonds through shared textual interpretation.^[87] Film fandom intensified with blockbuster releases, as George Lucas's Star Wars (1977) catalyzed mass attendance at San Diego Comic-Con starting that year, where preview footage screened to rapt crowds, evolving into dedicated Star Wars Celebration events from 1999 onward that attract tens of thousands for merchandise, cosplay, and franchise announcements.^[88] These gatherings highlight causal links between cinematic spectacle and communal rituals, with fans dissecting lore through fan films and prop replicas, though early enthusiasm sometimes clashed with studio control over intellectual property.^[89] Unlike literature's text-centric focus, film fandom emphasizes visual and auditory immersion, driving repeat viewings and home theater setups among adherents. Television fandom pioneered activist engagement, notably with Star Trek: The Original Series (1966–1969), where fans led by Bjo Trimble organized a 1968 letter-writing campaign that flooded NBC with over 100,000 missives, securing a third season despite low ratings.^[90] This effort, coordinated via fanzines and early newsletters, demonstrated fandom's influence on production decisions through demonstrated demand, spawning conventions like Shore Leave since 1977 that feature creator panels and episode analyses.^[42] Serialized formats sustain ongoing investment, as seen in Sherlock (2010–2017) communities debating adaptations on forums, though biases in media coverage often amplify selective narratives around fan creativity while underreporting internal disputes over canon fidelity. Music fandom exhibits visceral, collective fervor, epitomized by Beatlemania from 1963 to 1966, when The Beatles' tours drew screaming crowds of up to 70,000 at venues like Shea Stadium in 1965, alongside spontaneous fan clubs that distributed newsletters and organized listens.^[91] This phenomenon, rooted in live performances and media saturation, prefigured modern iterations like Taylor Swift's Swifties, whose devotion to her Eras Tour (2023–2024) generated over $5 billion in U.S. economic activity through ticket sales, travel, and merchandise, averaging $1,300 per fan in ancillary spending.^[92] Unlike static media, music fandom thrives on ephemeral events and social rituals, with empirical data showing inelastic demand—fans prioritizing concerts over substitutes—though this intensity can manifest in resale markets exceeding $1,000 per ticket due to scarcity tactics.^[93] Across these domains, fandom's core driver remains causal attachment to narratives or artists, evidenced by sustained participation despite commercial barriers.

Sports, Gaming, and Esports

Fandom in sports manifests through intense loyalty to teams, athletes, and leagues, often expressed via stadium attendance, chants, supporter clubs, and rituals like tailgating or ultras groups that organize displays of allegiance. Association football (soccer) holds the largest global following, with an estimated 3.5 billion fans, driven by events like the FIFA World Cup that drew 5 billion cumulative viewers in 2022. Basketball follows with over 2.2 billion fans worldwide, per 2024 Nielsen Sports data, while American football's NFL engages about 180 million U.S. fans annually through regular season games averaging 17 million viewers per match in 2024. These communities emphasize tribal identity tied to geographic or cultural affiliations, with economic impacts including $150 billion in annual global sports merchandising revenue largely from fan purchases.^[94]^[94]^[95] Video gaming fandom revolves around participatory immersion in virtual worlds, where fans form communities around specific titles through modding, speedrunning, lore discussions, and user-generated content. Major franchises like Minecraft and League of Legends sustain millions of active participants; for instance, Minecraft's community has produced over 1 million mods since 2011, enabling customized gameplay extensions. Online hubs such as Discord servers and Reddit subreddits host tens of millions of members—r/gaming alone exceeds 40 million subscribers as of 2024—facilitating theory-crafting and collaborative projects. Cosplay exemplifies creative output, with conventions featuring elaborate recreations of characters like Jill Valentine from Resident Evil, underscoring fans' drive to embody game narratives physically. About 21% of global consumers in 2024 identified video game fandom as central to their personal identity, higher than for many traditional media.^[83]^[96] Esports fandom integrates gaming enthusiasm with spectator competition, mirroring sports leagues but via streamed tournaments featuring professional players and teams. The global audience hit 575 million in 2024, with projections reaching 640.8 million by 2025, including 318 million dedicated viewers who follow circuits like League of Legends' Worlds, which peaked at over 6.8 million concurrent viewers in 2023. Prize pools exceeded $200 million across major events in 2024, fueling fan investment in team sponsorships and in-game skins tied to pros. Unlike traditional sports' locale-based rivalries, esports loyalty often centers on individual stars or guilds, enabling borderless communities that engage via live chats, predictions, and virtual watch parties.^[97]^[98]^[99] Key distinctions arise in demographics and engagement: traditional sports fans skew older (average age around 50) and geographically rooted, while gaming and esports draw younger cohorts—over 70% under 35—with interactive, on-demand viewing via platforms like Twitch, which logged 1.86 billion hours watched in Q3 2024. Esports growth outpaces declining traditional viewership among youth, as interactive elements like real-time stats and player cams enhance immersion over passive broadcasts. Fan identity in esports predicts higher engagement frequency, with tribal affiliations reinforcing "in-group" status among skilled players versus casuals.^[100]^[101]^[102]

Non-Entertainment Spheres: Politics, Brands, and Personalities

Fandom extends beyond entertainment into politics, where supporters form intense, identity-driven communities around leaders or ideologies, often mirroring behaviors seen in media fandoms such as merchandise sales, rallies, and defensive online advocacy. The Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement surrounding Donald Trump exemplifies this, originating from his 2016 presidential campaign slogan and evolving into a subculture with millions of adherents who attend large-scale rallies—such as the January 6, 2021, event at the U.S. Capitol—and maintain persistent loyalty despite legal and electoral setbacks, as evidenced by Trump's 74 million votes in the 2020 election.^[103]^[104] Academic analyses describe this as "political enthusiasm as media fandom," where followers treat politicians like celebrities, with Sarah Palin in 2008 translating voter-politician dynamics into branding logic through personal narratives and merchandise.^[105] Such fandoms drive mobilization but can foster polarization, as seen in surveys showing MAGA supporters' distinct beliefs on elections and public health, diverging from broader public opinion.^[106] In branding, fandom emerges when products embody lifestyle or tribal identity, leading to organized communities that amplify loyalty and word-of-mouth promotion. Harley-Davidson exemplifies this through its Harley Owners Group (HOG), established in 1983, which by 2023 encompassed over 1,400 chapters worldwide and hosted events like the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, attracting hundreds of thousands and generating economic impacts exceeding $800 million in 2022 alone.^[107]^[108] Apple's ecosystem fosters similar devotion, with fans queuing for product launches—such as the 2023 iPhone 15 release drawing overnight lines in major cities—and participating in online forums that defend the brand against competitors, contributing to repeat purchase rates where 92% of iPhone users remained loyal in 2024 surveys.^[107] These communities enhance brand value through user-generated content and advocacy, though they risk insularity, as critics note Harley enthusiasts' resistance to corporate changes in the 1980s nearly bankrupted the firm before a buyback stabilized it.^[109] Fandom around non-entertainment personalities often centers on business or political leaders perceived as visionary disruptors, cultivating followings through personal branding and social media engagement. Elon Musk has drawn a dedicated base since Tesla's early days, with supporters forming "Tesla meetups" and online groups that defend his ventures amid controversies, as observed in 2025 analyses of crypto and SpaceX enthusiast networks numbering in the tens of thousands active on platforms like X.^[110]^[111] This mirrors personality cults in politics, such as those around Vladimir Putin in Russia or Xi Jinping in China, where state media and rallies reinforce leader-centric narratives, but in democratic contexts like Musk's, it relies on voluntary affinity tied to achievements like SpaceX's 300+ successful Falcon launches by 2024.^[112] Such dynamics boost innovation funding—Musk's fans invested billions in Tesla stock post-2020 tweets—but invite scrutiny for echo chambers that overlook risks, as seen in disillusionment among some early adherents by 2022.^[113]^[114]

Technological Evolution

Transition from Analog to Digital Tools

Prior to the digital era, fan communities primarily utilized analog tools for interaction and content creation, including printed fanzines and postal correspondence, which dominated from the 1930s onward in science fiction and media fandoms. Fanzines, amateur publications featuring fan art, stories, and commentary, were produced via mimeograph or offset printing and distributed through mail networks or sold at conventions, limiting reach to localized or dedicated enthusiasts due to production costs and logistics. These methods fostered intimate but resource-intensive exchanges, with media fandom branching into fanzines by the 1960s for properties like Star Trek, where issues could take months to circulate.^[115]^[116] The shift to digital tools commenced in the late 1970s with bulletin board systems (BBS), dial-up networks allowing users to post messages, share files, and engage in real-time discussions via modems, marking an early electronic alternative to print. BBS emerged around 1978 and proliferated in the 1980s, with niche fan applications such as the furry fandom's Tiger's Den BBS in 1982, which hosted discussions and content sharing among hundreds of users before broader internet access. By the early 1990s, Usenet—launched in 1979 as a distributed network of newsgroups—facilitated fandom's migration online, enabling asynchronous global conversations; for instance, science fiction and Star Trek fans utilized groups like rec.arts.sf.star-trek for debates and early fanfiction postings starting in the late 1980s.^[117]^[49] The 1990s World Wide Web expansion accelerated the transition, replacing analog distribution with websites and email lists that offered instantaneous access and scalability. FanFiction.net, founded in 1998, centralized fanfiction archiving, hosting millions of stories across thousands of categories and attracting over 12 million users by hosting user-uploaded works without physical constraints. Complementing this, LiveJournal's 1999 launch provided blogging tools for serialized fan content and friending-based communities, which by the early 2000s became hubs for media fandoms, enabling rapid feedback loops and collaborative editing absent in print formats.^[53] This analog-to-digital pivot, driven by falling computing costs and internet penetration—which rose from under 1% global access in 1990 to over 50% by 2005—democratized participation by reducing barriers to entry, allowing non-professional fans to produce and disseminate content at scale, though it also amplified issues like unmoderated discourse and archival fragility compared to durable print media. Empirical analyses indicate digital tools boosted fan productivity, with online platforms enabling communities to grow exponentially beyond analog limitations, as evidenced by the proliferation of fan works from hundreds in zine eras to millions digitally.^[47]^[118] Social media platforms have transformed fandom by enabling rapid dissemination of content and formation of global communities, often through features like hashtags and real-time interactions. For instance, K-pop fandoms, such as BTS's ARMY, leverage platforms like Twitter (now X) to coordinate mass streaming and hashtag campaigns, which propelled BTS to top Billboard charts in 2017 by influencing algorithmic visibility and user feeds.^[85] Empirical research indicates that these interactions foster collective identity, with fans using pronouns like "we" to perform identity work across transnational networks, enhancing community cohesion but also tying personal well-being to group dynamics.^[119] ^[120] Algorithms on these platforms amplify fandom engagement by prioritizing content with high interaction rates, such as likes, shares, and comments, which signals relevance to users' interests. A 2023 analysis of sports fandom showed algorithms curating personalized feeds that increase time spent on platform-specific content, with engagement metrics directly boosting visibility—e.g., Instagram's algorithm favors posts eliciting quick responses, sustaining fan loops around events like matches.^[121] ^[122] In creative fandoms, core fans organize collective actions to "game" recommendation systems, as seen in a 2025 study of 43 fan groups where coordinated behaviors manipulated algorithms to elevate niche content, thereby expanding community reach.^[123] This mechanism drives virality but incentivizes sensationalism, as platforms optimize for retention over diversity of viewpoints. However, algorithmic curation often entrenches echo chambers within fandoms, where users receive predominantly reinforcing content, limiting exposure to dissenting opinions and exacerbating insularity. Studies on short-video platforms demonstrate that such effects accelerate the spread of homogeneous narratives, with fans in celebrity communities intentionally curating feeds to align with preferred interpretations, as in Chinese fandoms managing information flows to counter external critiques.^[124] ^[125] In media fandoms, this dynamic can intensify gatekeeping and polarization, where algorithms amplify intra-group conflicts over canon or creator decisions, as observed in online reading communities where recommendations reinforce narrow author preferences.^[126] While boosting loyalty—e.g., through trust-building social interactions—algorithmic biases toward engagement metrics have been linked to heightened toxicity, underscoring a causal tension between platform incentives and balanced discourse.^[127]^[128]

Emerging Technologies: AI, VR, and Metaverse Integration

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has enabled fans to produce content such as artwork, fanfiction, and music covers at scale, transforming creative practices within communities. Tools leveraging models like Stable Diffusion or similar have been adopted for generating fan art and videos inspired by franchises, including AI-created trailers reimagining narratives in styles like Wes Anderson's for Star Wars.^[129] A 2025 study found mixed attitudes among fans toward AI-generated fan art and music covers of favorite artists, with concerns over authenticity but acceptance for supplementary uses.^[130] Platforms like Fandom have integrated AI for content moderation, using machine learning to categorize and filter images, which reduced manual moderation time by 74% as of 2023 implementations.^[131] In sports fandom, AI facilitates hyper-personalized engagement, such as real-time content delivery and fan-co-created storylines, enhancing emotional connections beyond live events.^[132]^[133] Virtual reality (VR) technologies provide immersive experiences that deepen fan participation, particularly in gaming, esports, and sports. VR enables virtual attendance at events, 360-degree match replays, and simulated front-row seating, fostering greater immersion and personalization.^[134] In esports, VR and augmented reality (AR) extend engagement through longer viewing sessions and interactive overlays, unlocking monetization via deeper interactions as reported in 2025 analyses.^[135] Research from 2023 highlights VR's role in replicating stadium atmospheres, allowing fans remote access to behind-the-scenes moments and player meet-and-greets, which boosts loyalty metrics.^[136] These applications have shown revenue increases through enhanced data visualization and fan retention in professional leagues.^[137] The metaverse integrates fandom through persistent virtual worlds hosting communities, events, and branded experiences. In platforms like VRChat and Roblox, fan-driven role-playing groups and metaverse events recreate franchise universes, such as shared RP communities under "Metaverse RP" terminology.^[138]^[139] Sports entities, including Manchester City, have deployed metaverse recreations of home stadiums since 2023 to globalize fan engagement via realistic virtual tours.^[140] Academic examinations from 2023 and 2025 indicate the metaverse alters sports consumption by enabling direct interactions with brands and avatars, potentially revolutionizing identity expression and loyalty but raising questions on accessibility and economic models like NFTs.^[141]^[142] Events like Second Life's Fandom Con in 2024 demonstrate charitable and social gatherings in metaverses, blending offline conventions with virtual participation.^[143] Collectively, these technologies amplify fandom's scale and interactivity while introducing challenges like IP tensions and dilution of traditional craftsmanship; for instance, generative AI's rise prompts debates on power dynamics in fan studies, as fans navigate tool adoption amid ethical concerns over originality.^[144] Empirical data from 2025 implementations underscore measurable gains in engagement, such as AI-driven personalization yielding higher retention rates in media and sports.^[145] However, causal factors like algorithmic biases in AI content generation and hardware barriers in VR/metaverse access limit equitable participation, particularly for non-Western or lower-income fans.^[146]

Economic Aspects

Merchandising and Direct Revenue Streams

Merchandising in fandom encompasses officially licensed products derived from popular franchises, generating substantial revenue through apparel, collectibles, and accessories tied to entertainment, sports, and music domains. Global sales of licensed merchandise and services reached $356.5 billion in 2023, marking a 4.6% increase from the prior year, with projections climbing to $369.6 billion in 2024.^[147]^[148] The Walt Disney Company dominated as the top licensor, with estimated retail sales exceeding $62 billion in 2025, largely fueled by properties like Star Wars and Marvel, where merchandise accounts for a significant portion of franchise earnings beyond box office or media.^[149] In sports fandom, jersey and apparel sales contribute billions annually; U.S. fans purchased between $3 billion and $5 billion in NFL and MLB merchandise yearly as of 2016, while NBA merchandise sales hit $5 billion in 2021, often amplified by player endorsements and team loyalty.^[150]^[151] Direct revenue streams extend to fan conventions and events, where ticket sales, exhibitor fees, and on-site merchandising create localized economic hubs. San Diego Comic-Con, a flagship event for entertainment fandom, reported revenues surpassing $19 million in 2017, derived from attendance fees, vendor booths, and ancillary sales like autographs from celebrities, who can earn hundreds of thousands per appearance.^[57]^[152] In music fandom, particularly K-pop, groups like BTS drive merchandising through albums, light sticks, and tour exclusives; HYBE Corporation recorded merchandise sales of 66.9 billion won (approximately $50 million USD) in Q2 2025 alone, a 355.9% surge year-over-year, integrated with concert ticket revenues.^[153] K-pop's broader ecosystem contributed over $1.4 billion to South Korea's economy in 2019, with fandom-driven purchases of memorabilia forming a key pillar.^[154] Fan creators pursue direct monetization via unofficial channels like cosplay commissions, prints, and artisan sales at conventions or online platforms such as Etsy, though these operate in legal gray areas due to intellectual property constraints. Anime and gaming fandoms see artists earning from custom work and booth sales, with some building sustainable incomes through viral commissions, yet enforcement risks limit scale compared to licensed streams.^[155]^[156] Overall, while official merchandising dominates fandom economics via scalable licensing, direct streams empower individual participants but remain subordinate, often supplementing rather than supplanting corporate models.^[157]

Fan-Funded Models: Crowdfunding and Subscriptions

Fan-funded models enable enthusiasts to provide direct financial support to creators within fandom communities, circumventing traditional gatekeepers such as publishers or studios. These models encompass crowdfunding, where backers contribute to one-time campaigns for specific projects like films, games, or merchandise, and subscriptions, involving recurring payments for ongoing content access or exclusive perks. Platforms facilitate this by leveraging fan loyalty, often yielding substantial revenues for niche or independent works that might otherwise lack institutional backing.^[158]^[159] Crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo have hosted numerous fan-driven initiatives in entertainment and gaming. For instance, Kickstarter has supported over 284,000 successful projects as of mid-2025, collectively raising more than £9 billion from 24.5 million backers, with many tied to fandom interests like board games, comics, and video games. Success rates for reward-based campaigns, common in fandom for offering perks like early access or custom items, average 39.6%, higher than equity or donation models due to tangible incentives appealing to dedicated fans. Notable examples include gaming projects like Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (2015), which raised over $5 million for a fan-revived Metroidvania-style title inspired by classic series, demonstrating how crowdfunding sustains creator visions aligned with community desires. Overall crowdfunding success hovers at 22.4-23.7% across platforms, reflecting the selective power of fan validation but also risks of unfulfilled promises.^[160]^[161]^[162] Subscription models, exemplified by Patreon launched in 2013, provide steady income through tiered memberships granting exclusive content, such as behind-the-scenes updates or fan interactions. Patreon has disbursed $3.5 billion to creators cumulatively, with estimated monthly payouts exceeding $24 million across 16 million paid memberships as of recent data. In fandom contexts, this supports independent artists, podcasters, and gamers producing ongoing series—e.g., webcomics or lore-deep dives—where average creator earnings reach $350 monthly, fostering sustainability for non-mainstream works. Platforms like Patreon retain 5-12% of earnings to sustain operations, enabling creators to prioritize fan-preferred content over advertiser demands. This direct revenue has empowered gaming streamers and entertainment enthusiasts to transition from sporadic sponsorships to reliable fan bases, enhancing creative autonomy.^[163]^[164]^[165] These models have democratized funding in fandom by rewarding high-engagement niches, though they depend on pre-existing communities for viability. Studies indicate stronger pre-campaign fan networks correlate with higher success, as social ties amplify contributions. However, reliance on fan goodwill can pressure creators toward over-promising, and platform fees reduce net gains, underscoring the need for transparent goal-setting to maintain trust.^[159]^[166]

Industry Conflicts: IP Enforcement versus Fan Autonomy

Industries in entertainment media frequently enforce intellectual property (IP) rights through mechanisms such as Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedowns, cease-and-desist letters, and litigation to curb unauthorized fan creations, viewing them as potential threats to brand control and revenue streams.^[167] This enforcement stems from the economic imperative to safeguard copyrights and trademarks, as fan works—even non-commercial ones—can dilute official narratives or enable gray-market merchandising that competes with licensed products.^[168] Fans, conversely, assert autonomy in producing transformative content like fan fiction, art, films, and covers, often arguing that such activities promote the original IP through free publicity and community engagement without significant market harm.^[169] The tension arises because U.S. copyright law grants owners exclusive rights to derivative works, limiting fan expressions unless they qualify under the fair use doctrine, which weighs factors including purpose, amount used, and effect on the original's market.^[170] A prominent example is the 2015 lawsuit by CBS and Paramount Pictures against Axanar Productions, a Star Trek fan film that raised over $1 million via crowdfunding for a professional-grade production mimicking canonical elements like characters, ships, and uniforms.^[171] The studios alleged direct copyright infringement, as Axanar planned multiple films and solicited funds explicitly tied to Star Trek IP, blurring non-profit claims with commercial intent; the case settled in 2017 with Axanar paying damages and adhering to strict guidelines prohibiting professional production values or crowdfunding.^[171] Paramount followed with fan content policies allowing amateur, non-monetized works but barring those resembling official productions, effectively curbing ambitious fan projects to preserve narrative authority.^[172] In 2023, Paramount petitioned to enforce the settlement after Axanar resumed activities, underscoring ongoing vigilance against perceived IP erosion.^[173] In visual media, Disney exemplifies stringent enforcement, issuing DMCA notices against fan art and merchandise on platforms like Redbubble, even for character depictions not directly copying official designs, as seen in 2021 claims over Loki-inspired works that the company denied but which highlighted its zero-tolerance for unauthorized commercial use.^[174] While personal fan art or cosplay for conventions often evades action due to de minimis impact, sales of prints or apparel trigger interventions, as copyright protects specific expressions and trademarks guard character identities to prevent consumer confusion.^[175] Similarly, J.R.R. Tolkien's estate halted an unlicensed Lord of the Rings-themed summer camp in 2019, citing trademark infringement risks from immersive experiences that could imply endorsement.^[167] The music sector deploys automated Content ID systems on YouTube for swift takedowns of fan covers, with labels like Warner Music Group and Universal Music Publishing Group routinely claiming or removing videos of songs by artists such as the Eagles, where even non-monetized uploads face blocks due to potential licensing revenue diversion.^[176] Taylor Swift's 2015 trademark suit against Etsy sellers for "Shake It Off" merchandise illustrated how phrases from lyrics can extend IP protection, prioritizing official merchandising dominance over fan-driven apparel.^[177] Despite these actions, litigation against purely textual fan fiction remains rare, with creators often refraining from suits due to fair use arguments for non-commercial, transformative parody—though commercial publication risks rejection under market effect considerations.^[178] Such conflicts reveal a causal dynamic where lax enforcement could incentivize free-riding on IP investments, yet overreach may stifle grassroots promotion, with outcomes hinging on case-specific evidence rather than blanket tolerances.^[179] Fandoms contribute to identity formation by enabling individuals to construct and refine their self-concept through affiliation with collective groups centered on shared cultural objects, such as media franchises or performers. Drawing on social identity theory, fans derive a sense of self from in-group membership, which provides distinctiveness and enhances self-esteem via perceived superiority over non-fans.^[180] This process often begins with parasocial attachments to fictional characters or celebrities, evolving into more robust personal identities reinforced by communal validation. Empirical measures of fan identity, validated in studies of popular media enthusiasts, reveal multidimensional components including emotional investment, behavioral commitment, and cognitive centrality, all of which strengthen as participation deepens.^[181] In sports and entertainment fandoms, identity fusion—a heightened psychological merger between personal and group selves—further intensifies this formation, surpassing traditional social identity effects by predicting extreme loyalty and coordinated action among fans.^[182] For example, longitudinal analyses of fan development show that repeated exposure to team or artist-related stimuli activates neural pathways associated with reward and affiliation, solidifying identity over time.^[183] Such mechanisms are evident across domains, from music fandoms where self-expression through fan art and discourse shapes gender and cultural identities, to virtual communities where online interactions facilitate identity reconstruction amid external challenges like idol scandals.^[184] Social bonding within fandoms manifests through reciprocal interactions that build trust, reciprocity, and emotional support, often mitigating isolation in modern societies. Online fan communities, in particular, promote a sense of virtual belonging, with studies demonstrating that frequent engagements correlate with reduced loneliness and elevated well-being via increased social capital.^[85] In K-pop fandoms, for instance, collective identity fosters interpersonal connections that mediate positive outcomes, including lower depression rates, as fans coordinate support networks around shared rituals like streaming events or advocacy campaigns.^[185] Offline equivalents, such as conventions, similarly synchronize physiological states among participants—elevating oxytocin and empathy—thus forging durable bonds akin to familial ties.^[186] These dynamics underscore fandoms' role in compensating for weakened traditional social structures, though bonds remain contingent on sustained group coherence.^[187]

Positive Outcomes: Creativity and Skill Enhancement

Fandom promotes creativity through participatory activities like producing fan fiction, artwork, and modifications, which allow enthusiasts to reinterpret and expand upon source material in novel ways. These endeavors often require applying existing knowledge to new contexts, fostering innovative problem-solving and original content generation. Empirical observations from fan studies indicate that such engagement enhances expressive capabilities, as participants experiment with narrative structures, character development, and visual aesthetics beyond canonical constraints.^[188] Writing fan fiction, in particular, correlates with measurable gains in literacy and compositional skills, especially among younger participants. Research on adolescent involvement in fan fiction communities demonstrates reinforcement of in-school literacies, including grammar, vocabulary expansion, and coherent storytelling techniques, as writers adapt familiar universes to practice iterative drafting and peer feedback processes.^[189] Educators have noted that fan fiction assignments boost student motivation and expressive confidence, transforming reluctant writers into more proficient ones by leveraging intrinsic interest in beloved media.^[190] A study of fanfiction's educational potential further highlights its role in deepening understanding of linguistic nuances and cultural narratives through derivative text analysis.^[191] Technical fandom pursuits, such as video game modding, cultivate programming and engineering proficiencies within collaborative communities. Modders frequently acquire coding languages, debugging methods, and software architecture principles by altering game engines, with skills transferable to professional software development.^[192] This hands-on modification process not only extends game longevity but also builds project management and algorithmic thinking, as evidenced by modders transitioning to game industry roles after honing abilities in fan-driven projects.^[193] Cosplay and fan art production similarly sharpen artisanal and digital design competencies. Constructing costumes demands expertise in sewing, prop fabrication, and material science, yielding practical craftsmanship applicable to broader vocational contexts. Digital fan artists master tools like Adobe Photoshop or Blender, refining techniques in composition, shading, and animation that parallel professional graphic design workflows. Community critiques and conventions provide iterative improvement loops, accelerating skill acquisition through shared expertise and constructive evaluation.^[188] Overall, these fandom-driven activities empirically link enthusiast participation to tangible advancements in creative and technical aptitudes, often surpassing isolated practice due to the motivational pull of communal validation.

Negative Dynamics: Obsession, Gatekeeping, and Echo Chambers

Fandom engagement can escalate into obsessive behaviors, where individuals prioritize fan activities over personal responsibilities, leading to impaired daily functioning and mental health declines. Research on celebrity worship, a core element of intense fandom, indicates that high levels correlate with increased risks of body dysmorphia, anxiety, and depression, as fans internalize idealized images and expend disproportionate emotional resources.^[19] ^[194] Parasocial relationships with media figures, amplified in fandoms, further contribute to these outcomes by fostering unrealistic attachments that mimic interpersonal bonds but lack reciprocity, potentially exacerbating loneliness when expectations go unmet.^[187] Empirical studies document cases of fans accruing debts for merchandise or travel to events, with surveys showing up to 15% of avid fans reporting interference with work or relationships due to such compulsions.^[195] Gatekeeping manifests as established fans enforcing rigid criteria for "true" membership, often dismissing newcomers based on perceived insufficient knowledge or late entry, which stifles community growth and inclusivity. A cross-fandom analysis of over 500 participants revealed that elitist attitudes, including gatekeeping, positively predict exclusionary behaviors, while strong fandom identification inversely relates to such elitism, suggesting it stems from insecurity rather than loyalty.^[196] In practice, this dynamic appears in communities like video game fandoms, where veterans quiz novices on lore minutiae to validate authenticity, resulting in reported dropout rates among beginners exceeding 20% in surveyed groups.^[197] Such practices reinforce hierarchies but undermine collective enthusiasm, as gatekept individuals withdraw, reducing diverse contributions to fan-created content. Echo chambers in fandoms arise from algorithmic curation and self-selection, where members predominantly interact with affirming content, entrenching homogenous viewpoints and diminishing exposure to critique. Network analyses of online fan platforms demonstrate that users in ideologically aligned clusters exhibit 30-50% less cross-perspective engagement, amplifying confirmation bias and hostility toward outsiders.^[198] In fandom contexts, this leads to amplified defenses of canon interpretations or celebrity actions, as seen in coordinated campaigns rejecting media scrutiny, which studies link to heightened group polarization and reduced critical thinking.^[199] While intended to foster belonging, these insulated spaces correlate with poorer psychological adjustment, as fans encounter minimal dissonance to challenge maladaptive beliefs.^[200] Interventions like diverse content prompts show limited efficacy against entrenched homophily, underscoring the structural challenges in breaking these cycles.^[201]

Controversies and Criticisms

Toxicity, Harassment, and Intra-Fandom Conflicts

Toxicity within fandom communities frequently manifests as online harassment, including insults, doxxing, and threats, often directed at fellow fans, content creators, or celebrities perceived as deviating from group norms. Empirical analyses link such behaviors to social identity theory, where strong in-group attachment fosters out-group derogation and aggression, exacerbated by platform anonymity and algorithmic amplification of divisive content.^[187] A 2023 study on cyberbullying in fandoms delineates specific tactics like cyberstalking—repeated online monitoring and intimidation—and hate speech spamming, which erode community cohesion and individual well-being.^[202] In multiplayer gaming fandoms, closely tied to broader fan cultures, surveys indicate that 81% of participants regard toxicity and harassment as pervasive barriers to participation, particularly in genres like MOBAs and RTS where competitive identities intensify conflicts.^[203] Intra-fandom conflicts arise from divergent interpretations of canon, character preferences, or ideological stances, often escalating into gatekeeping—where "true" fans exclude others—and stereotyping that reinforces negative self-perceptions of fandoms as inherently deviant. For instance, discourse analysis of Chinese idol fandoms reveals tensions between "solo" fans, who prioritize individual members and employ adversarial rhetoric to assert exclusivity, and "team" fans, who advocate group unity and restraint to protect the brand's image.^[204] These divides have led to real-world repercussions, such as intra-fan disputes in China prompting government interventions that restricted access to fan platforms like AO3, affecting thousands of users' ability to share content.^[205] In Western media fandoms, similar dynamics appear in backlash against narrative choices, such as the "dead lesbian syndrome" trope, where fan protests against character deaths devolve into toxic discourse management, with 26.5% of lesbian/bisexual TV characters killed off in the 2015-2016 season fueling intra-group recriminations.^[206] Harassment extends to celebrities, with fans crossing into stalking and threats under the guise of loyalty, prompting public rebukes. Between 2020 and 2025, numerous high-profile cases saw actors and musicians, including Billie Eilish and others, denounce fan intrusions like uninvited home visits and obsessive messaging, highlighting blurred boundaries between admiration and violation.^[207] In sports fandoms, a developed toxicity scale measures attitudes enabling such behaviors, correlating fan harassment—like bus attacks on rivals—with beliefs that aggression aids team success, as observed in incidents tied to perceived psychological advantages.^[208] These patterns underscore causal factors like unchecked parasocial bonds and platform incentives for outrage, which prioritize engagement over moderation, though interventions remain inconsistent across communities.^[209]

Cancel Culture and Ideological Conformity

In fan communities, particularly those surrounding science fiction, gaming, and media franchises, ideological conformity often enforces adherence to progressive norms, where deviations—such as critiques of diversity initiatives or emphasis on traditional storytelling—prompt social exclusion, public shaming, or organized opposition.^[210] This dynamic arises from fans' strong group identities, which prioritize shared values like social justice over artistic diversity, leading to mechanisms akin to cancel culture that marginalize dissenting voices within the fandom.^[211] Empirical observations from online fan interactions reveal that such conformity is amplified by platform algorithms and community moderation, fostering echo chambers where non-conformist opinions are flagged as toxic or bigoted.^[212] A prominent example occurred in the science fiction literary world during the 2015 Hugo Awards, organized by the World Science Fiction Society. The Sad Puppies campaign, led by author Larry Correia, aimed to challenge what participants viewed as a longstanding progressive bias in nominations, which favored works with explicit social messaging over entertainment value; they compiled slates of alternative nominees emphasizing merit-based appeal.^[213] In response, anti-Puppy voters mobilized in record numbers—Hugo participation surged by over 100% from prior years—and cast "No Award" votes for five of six Puppy-dominated categories, nullifying the nominees despite their slate-driven support.^[214] Critics of the Puppies labeled the effort as an attempt to undermine diversity, yet the outcome demonstrated fandom's capacity for collective rejection of ideological outsiders, with mainstream coverage often framing the challengers as reactionary while overlooking prior Hugo trends toward message-driven selections.^[213] Similarly, the 2014 Gamergate controversy in video game fandom exposed conformity pressures, originating from concerns over undisclosed conflicts of interest in games journalism that promoted progressive critiques of the industry.^[215] Participants advocating for transparency faced widespread deplatforming and harassment accusations, resulting in blacklisting from gaming media and community forums; this bifurcated the fandom, with dominant voices enforcing norms against perceived sexism, even as evidence of ethical lapses persisted.^[216] Studies of such events indicate that ideological asymmetries drive stronger conformity motives on the left-leaning side of fan divides, where desires for epistemic closure and threat reduction prioritize group consensus over open debate.^[217] These instances highlight how fandoms, while participatory, can devolve into arenas of enforced orthodoxy, where cancel mechanisms—such as doxxing, boycotts, or moderator bans—deter criticism of evolving franchise directions, like increased emphasis on identity politics in reboots.^[218] Research on political fandoms underscores that such polarization intensifies through super-participants who amplify orthodox views, eroding space for heterodox enthusiasm and contributing to intra-community fractures.^[219] Mainstream narratives, often sourced from ideologically aligned outlets, tend to attribute conflicts to extremism from challengers rather than conformity from incumbents, reflecting broader institutional biases in cultural commentary.^[210]

Exploitation and Erosion of Genuine Enthusiasm

Fan labor, encompassing unpaid activities such as creating fan fiction, artwork, videos, and social media discussions, generates substantial promotional value for intellectual property holders without direct compensation to participants. Corporations and platforms leverage this output to enhance brand visibility, drive merchandise sales, and inform content decisions, as evidenced in analyses of Web 2.0 dynamics where fan practices sustain media economies.^[220] This asymmetry exploits enthusiasts' voluntary contributions, transforming recreational expression into indirect revenue streams; for instance, fan-generated content on platforms like YouTube and Tumblr has historically amplified franchises such as Fifty Shades of Grey, boosting book and film revenues while fans receive no royalties.^[221] The commodification of such labor extends to data extraction, where engagement metrics from fan interactions inform algorithmic recommendations and targeted advertising, further entrenching corporate dependency on unremunerated effort. Peer-reviewed examinations frame this as a core feature of digital fandom economies, where fans' productive work subsidizes industry growth amid platform incentives that prioritize virality over creator equity.^[222] Over time, this dynamic erodes genuine enthusiasm by shifting focus from intrinsic enjoyment to performative output, fostering a sense of obligation; fans increasingly report burnout when participation feels instrumentalized for external gains rather than communal or personal fulfillment. Commercialization intensifies this erosion through relentless merchandising, subscription models, and promotional cycles that saturate fan spaces, leading to documented "fan fatigue." In the music sector, where superfans comprising 2-5% of audiences account for disproportionate revenues, excessive releases and tie-ins contribute to disengagement, as observed in industry reports on streaming saturation.^[223] Similarly, empirical research in elite football leagues demonstrates that heightened perceived commercialization diminishes fans' sense of authenticity, mediating reduced engagement and loyalty; a 2025 study of Swedish men's and women's leagues found negative correlations between commercial elements like sponsorship density and emotional investment.^[224] In K-pop, nonstop group promotions and scandal management have spurred fatigue since the mid-2010s, with fan surveys indicating waning participation amid perceived overproduction.^[225] This pattern manifests causally when profit imperatives prioritize volume—such as frequent sequels or merchandise drops—over narrative quality, diluting core appeals and breeding cynicism. Fans, anticipating exploitation, may withhold enthusiasm to avoid fueling cycles of mediocrity, as seen in gaming subcultures where hyper-monetization via microtransactions has prompted backlash against perceived inauthenticity over the past decade.^[226] Consequently, genuine communal bonding yields to transactional interactions, undermining fandom's foundational voluntary passion.^[227]

Cultural and Societal Impact

Influence on Media Creation and Adaptation

Fan communities have periodically compelled media producers to extend television series or commission adaptations through coordinated advocacy efforts, often leveraging social media, petitions, and symbolic actions to signal demand. A seminal instance occurred with Star Trek: The Original Series in 1968, when fans, organized by Bjo Trimble, inundated NBC with over 100,000 letters protesting cancellation after the second season; this outpouring, amid otherwise low Nielsen ratings, influenced the network's decision to renew for a third season, extending the show's run until 1969.^[228] In 2009, supporters of the NBC spy comedy Chuck, threatened with axing post-season two due to insufficient viewership, initiated the "Subway Sandwich Campaign" on April 27—the finale airing date—urging mass purchases of the chain's $5 footlong subs tied to in-show product placement; the resulting sales surge demonstrated economic viability, securing a sponsorship from Subway and renewals for seasons three and four.^[229]^[230] Such activism has also driven narrative continuations via alternative formats. The 2002 cancellation of Joss Whedon's Firefly by Fox sparked a devoted "Browncoats" fan movement that sustained online petitions and merchandise advocacy, pressuring the studio to produce the 2005 feature film Serenity to resolve key plotlines like the revelation of River Tam's backstory, which grossed $25.5 million domestically despite modest expectations.^[231] Network executives have acknowledged these dynamics, noting that while fan pressure alone rarely overrides poor metrics, amplified campaigns via platforms like Twitter can tip decisions when aligned with potential profitability, as seen in revivals like Netflix's rescue of Lucifer in 2018 following similar outcry.^[232] Direct feedback has reshaped ongoing adaptations mid-production. The April 2019 trailer for Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog film elicited backlash over the CGI hedgehog's disproportionate limbs and teeth, deviating from the Sega video game aesthetic; director Jeff Fowler responded on May 3, 2019, committing to a full redesign, delaying the release from November 2019 to February 14, 2020, at an estimated additional cost of $5 million, yet yielding $319 million in global box office and sequels.^[233]^[234] Fan-generated content has further blurred lines between unofficial and official media, inspiring commercial adaptations. E.L. James's Fifty Shades trilogy began as the Twilight Saga fanfiction "Master of the Universe," serialized on FanFiction.net in 2009 under the pseudonym Snowqueens Icedragon, amassing readers through erotic reinterpretations of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan dynamics; repackaged as original fiction, it self-published in Australia in 2011, sold over 150 million copies worldwide, and spawned films debuting in 2015 with $570 million in earnings.^[235]^[236] This trajectory underscores how fan works test market appetite for extensions or variants, though publishers typically require "original" revisions to circumvent intellectual property constraints.^[237]

Economic and Behavioral Shifts in Society

Fandom economies have expanded through dedicated consumer spending on merchandise, tickets, and events, generating substantial revenue streams for entertainment industries. Conventions such as San Diego Comic-Con, which drew over 130,000 attendees in recent years, produced $19 million in direct revenue in 2017, while spurring indirect economic boosts via tourism, hospitality, and vendor sales exceeding attendee numbers in expenditure.^[57] Similarly, artist-specific fandoms like Taylor Swift's have propelled "Swiftonomics," with her Eras Tour contributing an estimated $5 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023 through ticket sales, apparel, and related services.^[238] In South Korea, BTS fandom activities added approximately $5 billion annually to GDP by 2019, encompassing exports, tourism, and licensing.^[238] These patterns reflect a broader creator economy valued at $104 billion in 2022, fueled by fan loyalty converting passion into profit.^[239] Fan labor further amplifies economic value in a semi-formal "gift economy," where enthusiasts produce uncompensated content such as fan art, videos, and promotional campaigns that enhance brand visibility and drive sales.^[240] This labor, often undervalued, subsidizes commercial entities; for example, K-pop fans' relational efforts on platforms generate subsumed value for labels through streaming boosts and merchandise uptake, yet fans receive no direct remuneration.^[241] Quantitatively, 87% of consumers engage in fandom-tied activities like content sharing or events, correlating with higher spending on streaming, gaming, and music subscriptions compared to non-fans.^[242]^[96] Behaviorally, fandom instigates shifts toward tribal loyalty over rational consumption, with 80% of participants reporting heightened excitement that prompts impulsive purchases and sustained engagement.^[243] This manifests in overconsumption risks, as fans allocate disproportionate resources—often leading to financial strain—prioritizing emotional affiliation with idols or franchises.^[244] Societally, such dynamics erode traditional market detachment, fostering participatory models where consumers co-produce value, influencing brands to target "superfans" for loyalty metrics over broad appeal.^[245] Family-shared fandoms amplify this, increasing merchandise buys and recommendations by up to 50% among aligned households.^[246] Overall, these trends mark a causal pivot from passive spectatorship to invested co-creation, embedding fandom as a core driver of modern consumer behavior and economic resilience amid volatility.^[247]

Long-Term Effects on Norms and Institutions

Fandoms have gradually reshaped social norms by fostering participatory behaviors that extend beyond entertainment, promoting collective action and identity-based affiliations as standard modes of engagement in digital communities. For instance, campaigns like #RallyForRose in 2018, where Star Wars fans countered harassment against actress Kelly Marie Tran through cosplay and public displays at San Diego Comic-Con, demonstrated how fandoms can normalize resistance to toxicity and advocate for inclusivity in fan spaces.^[248] ^[249] Similarly, K-pop fandoms' 2020 efforts to support Black Lives Matter by donating over $1 million and flooding racist hashtags with content illustrated a shift toward viewing fandom as a vehicle for broader social advocacy, embedding norms of rapid, coordinated online mobilization.^[250] ^[251] These patterns, rooted in participatory culture as analyzed by scholars like Henry Jenkins, have long-term implications for eroding traditional boundaries between consumers and creators, encouraging norms of co-production and communal validation over passive reception.^[248] However, negative dynamics within fandoms have entrenched norms of polarization and exclusion, particularly in political contexts. In South Korea, idol fandoms have leveraged digital platforms since the mid-2010s to amplify disinformation and partisan activism, contributing to heightened societal division and altered expectations of rational discourse in public life.^[252] Political fandom, characterized by emotional investment akin to media enthusiasm, has warped democratic norms by gamifying partisanship, as seen in U.S. contexts where intense supporter bases prioritize loyalty over policy scrutiny, fostering echo chambers that persist across election cycles.^[253] ^[254] Empirical studies link such fandom-oriented collectivism to defensive group behaviors, where fans uphold in-group images at the expense of broader social cohesion, potentially institutionalizing tribalism in civic interactions.^[187] Regarding institutions, fandoms have compelled media entities to integrate fan feedback into operational structures, leading to sustained franchise models and accountability mechanisms. The 2016 backlash against The 100 for the death of queer character Lexa prompted producer Jason Rothenberg's public apology and influenced subsequent diversity considerations in genre television, signaling a broader industry pivot toward preemptive fan consultation to mitigate reputational risks.^[248] ^[255] Over time, this has evolved into economic imperatives, with fan-driven hype generating outsized revenue—committed fans accounting for disproportionate spending in entertainment, as per 2024 industry analyses—prompting institutions like studios to prioritize long-tail engagement via social media and extended universes.^[59] ^[256] In nonprofit and political institutions, fandoms have institutionalized mobilization tactics, harnessing celebrity endorsements for philanthropy and policy influence. Harry Potter fandoms, through organizations like Lumos founded in 2005, have raised millions for child welfare, modeling scalable fan-led charity that nonprofits now emulate by tapping participatory networks.^[250] ^[257] Star Trek communities' decades-long advocacy, including 1970s letter-writing campaigns that diversified casting and later LGBTQ+ fundraisers, exemplify how fandoms embed progressive pressures into institutional practices, though often contested by counter-fandoms reinforcing status quo norms.^[250] ^[258] Conversely, toxic factions like #GamerGate since 2014 have hardened institutional resistance to reform in gaming and tech sectors, highlighting fandoms' dual role in either advancing or entrenching institutional inertia.^[248] ^[259]

References

[1]
About Us - Fandom
Founded in 2004 by Jimmy Wales (yes, the Wikipedia guy) and Angela Beesley Starling (a British web entrepreneur), Fandom (originally Wikicities, and later ...Fandom · Fandom Newsroom · Case Studies · Media Kit
[2]
Fandom acquires Metacritic, GameSpot, TV Guide and other ...
Oct 3, 2022 · Founded in 2004 by Wikipedia's co-founder Jimmy Wales and entrepreneur Angela Beesley, Fandom today offers a wiki hosting service and fan ...
[3]
Fandom - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding
Legal Name Fandom, Inc. ; Also Known As Wikia ; Operating Status Active ; Company Type For Profit ; Founders Jimmy Wales.
[4]
Official Minecraft wiki editors so furious at Fandom's ... - PC Gamer
Jul 10, 2023 · Official Minecraft wiki editors so furious at Fandom's 'degraded' functionality and popups they're overwhelmingly voting to leave the site.
[5]
Fan wiki hosting site Fandom rolls out controversial AI features
Feb 12, 2024 · Wiki creators demanded an edit feature or an opt-out. At least one fan project, the Hollow Knight Wiki, announced it was leaving Fandom in part ...<|separator|>
[6]
Fandom Wiki
(formerly known as Wikia, Inc.), a for-profit Delaware company founded in October 2004 by Jimmy Wales and Angela Beesley. Fandom was acquired in 2018 by TPG ...
[7]
Fandom | LinkedIn
Jul 1, 2018 · Fandom is the world's largest fan platform where fans immerse themselves in imagined worlds across entertainment and gaming.
[8]
Fandom - Etymology, Origin & Meaning
From fan (n.2) + -dom (1903), this word means the realm or domain of avid enthusiasts, indicating a community or group of passionate fans.
[9]
SFE: Fandom - SF Encyclopedia
Sep 29, 2025 · Fandom is a group of fans who communicate through fanzines, conventions, and online, sharing a common interest in sf and communication.
[10]
fandom, n. meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary
The earliest known use of the noun fandom is in the 1900s. OED's earliest evidence for fandom is from 1903, in the Cincinnati Enquirer. fandom is formed within ...
[11]
Where Did The World "Fandom" Come From? - Bustle
“fanatic.” “Fanatic” arose out of a Latin word, “fānāticus,” which, in turn, ...
[12]
fandom n. - Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
Bee Ostrowsky submitted a 1936 cite from Arcturus. (Earliest cite in the OED was from the Cincinnati Enquirer 2 Jan. 1903). Last modified 2024-11-17 00:09:25
[13]
The Psychology of Fandom - CrimeReads
Sep 1, 2022 · Fandom, I would explain, is a self-identified collective of individuals who are highly emotionally and imaginatively invested in a media property.
[14]
Henry Jenkins and Fandom - Media Studies
According to Henry Jenkins, fans are devoted followers of media texts who actively engage with the products to construct their own meanings and interpretations.
[15]
Fandom, Participatory Culture, and Web 2.0 -- A Syllabus
Jan 9, 2010 · So, to define our three terms, at least provisionally, fandom refers to the social structures and cultural practices created by the most ...
[16]
Casual fandom - (Film and Media Theory) - Fiveable
Casual fandom differs from active fandom primarily in the depth of engagement and level of participation. While casual fans enjoy media content and may ...
[17]
Fan vs. Fandom - Griffins and Ginger Snaps
Nov 13, 2014 · Fandom is a place to discuss and squee over the thing with other passionate fans. The interaction is totally different from that of the casual ...
[18]
The Allure of the Tribe: Exploring the Psychology of Fandom
Jul 17, 2024 · Fandoms offer a sense of community and shared identity. Fans find solace and validation in connecting with others who share their passion.
[19]
“I'm Your Number One Fan”— A Clinical Look at Celebrity Worship
Celebrity worshippers may exhibit narcissistic features, dissociation, addictive tendencies, stalking behavior, and compulsive buying.
[20]
Media Fandom and Audience Subcultures - Sage Publishing
Media fandom involves fans interacting with media, building communities, and sometimes modifying texts to suit their needs and interests.<|separator|>
[21]
Fandom studies | Television Studies Class Notes - Fiveable
Fandom studies examines how TV audiences actively engage with media, creating meaning and communities around their favorite shows.
[22]
Dedicated Roman Gladiator Superfans Were the Football Hooligans ...
Nov 23, 2024 · Fan Favorites Fans were drawn to Roman gladiators for more than just their fighting skills. Stage names could emphasise their good looks, lent ...
[23]
What was fandom like in ancient Rome for gladiator fights ... - Reddit
Apr 5, 2015 · In very early Byzantium, racing fans where hugely influential in society. By the time of Justinian I, there were two big fanbases: the Greens and the Blues.Did the average ancient roman have a favorite gladiator in a ... - RedditHow is ancient Roman sports culture similar to the culture of modern ...More results from www.reddit.com
[24]
Alan Moore's Timely Warning on Fandom: A Modern Reflection of ...
Oct 29, 2024 · Ancient Rome saw extreme fan allegiances to gladiatorial teams, the greens, reds, and blues, that often erupted into violence in the streets.
[25]
Screaming, Crying, Throwing up: The Medieval Art of Fandom
Aug 19, 2025 · Medieval scholar Katherine Churchill explores the connection between "fandom" in the middle ages and now. In truth, fandom is as medieval as ...Missing: clubs | Show results with:clubs
[26]
Did anything like a "fandom" exist for medieval legends and stories?
Jul 21, 2022 · From the mid-13th to the 15th century, Arthurian stories and characters became central to a type of festivals known as "Round Tables" that ...
[27]
The Surprising 18th-Century Origins of Fan Fiction - The Atlantic
Feb 14, 2020 · Well-known authors such as Meg Cabot and Naomi Novik now proudly admit to getting their starts in the field. Though fan fiction has a freshly ...
[28]
History of Fandom: Bibliography
Birkenhold, Matthew H. Characters before Copyright: The Rise and Regulation of Fan Fiction in Eighteenth-Century Germany. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019.<|separator|>
[29]
https://lib.uiowa.edu/sc/resources/fandomresources/
[30]
Fandom in Science Fiction
Science fiction and fandom have been intricately linked since the beginning of the genre when Hugo Gernsback, editor of Amazing Stories, made room in his ...
[31]
SFE: Pulp - SF Encyclopedia
Feb 20, 2023 · Pulp magazines, as their name suggests, were printed on cheap paper manufactured from chemically treated wood pulp, a process invented in the early 1880s.<|control11|><|separator|>
[32]
History of the Scienceers, the First New York City Science Fiction ...
11, 1929. The founding members, as I recall, were Warren Fitzgerald, Nathan Greenfeld, Philip Rosenblatt, Herbert Smith, Julius Unger, Louis Wentzler, and ...
[33]
The Scienceers: Where Science Fiction Clubs Began - Grok Nation
Apr 3, 2017 · From June to December 1930, the club proceeded to publish their monthly newsletter, The Planet, which was the first fanzine regularly released.
[34]
The Planet, 1930 · 50. Lichtman Sci-Fi Fanzine Collection
The Planet was the official zine of The Scienceers, an organization based in New York City between 1929 and 1933 that is regarded as the first science fiction ...
[35]
Sci Fi & Fantasy Fanzines at UMBC - Guides
Jul 10, 2025 · The first science-fiction fanzine, The Comet, was published in 1930 by the Science Correspondence Club in Chicago. The term "fanzine" was ...
[36]
What are the SF fanzines of the 1930s? - First Fandom Experience
Apr 7, 2019 · A list of the fanzines and other fannish publications and ephemera of the 1930s, find out if it still exists in a library or private collection.
[37]
SFE: Conventions - SF Encyclopedia
Jul 19, 2021 · Many US sf fans date the first sf convention to 22 October 1936, when a group of fans from New York (including David A Kyle, Frederik Pohl ...
[38]
Worldcon 1939 - The First Science-Fiction Convention
Date: July 2-4, 1939 · Location: Caravan Hall, New York City, USA · Official Name: 1st World Science Fiction Convention · Also Known As: Nycon I or The Worldcon ...
[39]
The Visual History of Science Fiction Fandom
As 1940 dawned, America was recovering, poised between the Great Depression and entry into World War II. Science fiction fandom was growing up.
[40]
Tracking Down Pre-Fandom Science Fiction Readers
Aug 24, 2020 · Starting in the 1930s fans of science fiction began publishing amateur magazines they called zines. There are several histories of these, and ...
[41]
History of Sci-Fi Cons
The 1960s and 1970s marked a significant turning point in the history of Sci-Fi Conventions. The era was characterized by a dramatic increase in the popularity ...
[42]
This Is How Star Trek Invented Fandom | GQ
Sep 21, 2016 · Jacqueline Lichtenberg founded the Star Trek Welcommittee, which introduced new fans to the growing community. Bjo Trimble published her ...
[43]
Comics Are for Everyone: Rethinking Histories of Comics Fandom
Jan 25, 2021 · Organized comics fandom evolved in the 1960s as an extension of science fiction fandom, which dates back to the 1920s, and comics fandom ...Missing: growth 1970s
[44]
The History of Comic Cons in the U.S. | by Brad Kern | Medium
Oct 10, 2023 · The seeds for Comic Cons were sown in the 1960s. The first official “comic book convention” is believed to have taken place in 1964 in New York.
[45]
The Beatles Live! - Fansplaining
Oct 23, 2024 · During the height of Beatlemania in 1964 and 1965, Beatles fan clubs spontaneously formed all around the U.S. and the U.K.—some run by radio ...
[46]
What It Was Really Like To Be A Beatles Fan In The 1960s - Grunge
Jan 27, 2023 · In the 1960s, the Beatles' greatest devotees could demonstrate their loyalty by joining the band's Official Fan Club. The secretary of this ...
[47]
From Deadheads on bulletin boards to Taylor Swift 'stans': a short ...
Feb 15, 2024 · Fan communities existed long before the internet, but the proliferation of online platforms changed the ways in which they connect and ...
[48]
“Just Communication”: Exploring the History of Fandom and the ...
Oct 26, 2018 · Early fandoms of all varieties helped drive the rise of the internet through the early adoption of Usenet and chat programs such as IRC and ICQ.
[49]
Usenet Fandom - Crisis on Infinite Earths - DC in the 80s
Mar 9, 2016 · Developed in 1980, UseNet allowed a collection of computer users to interconnect via dial-up modems and post messages onto newsgroups (which ...Missing: early communities
[50]
Fan Culture: Social and Cultural Transformations during the Digital Era
Jun 3, 2021 · In 1990, a website called alt.tv.twinpeaks allowed fans to discuss and analyze the TV series Twin Peaks in detail through public forums.
[51]
the hidden history of female media fans on the 1990s internet
Women in the early 1990s went online for the first time and brought media fandom with them. Drawing on oral history interviews conducted with fans in 2012, ...Missing: rise | Show results with:rise
[52]
A History of TV Fandom, from Trekkies and Monkees to Hate ...
Robust early online fandoms developed for shows such as The X-Filesand Seinfeld in the late 1990s via some of the web's earliest means of group communication: ...
[53]
History - Fanfiction 101: Customizing Your Superheroes
Jan 7, 2025 · In 1998 the nonprofit website Fanfiction.net comes online. This site allowed users to upload story content and archive works from a variety of ...
[54]
History of Media Fandom Community Archives: The Transition from ...
Jan 18, 2023 · The transition from print to net fandom in the 1990s and 2000s shifted how fans described, shared, and stored fanworks, and how archival ...
[55]
Fandom went mainstream in the 2010s — for better and worse - Vox
Dec 30, 2019 · From Fifty Shades to Veronica Mars, the last decade brought major changes to fandom culture.
[56]
https://www.statista.com/topics/13322/fandom-in-the-media-industry/
[57]
Comic Conventions: Their Popularity and Impact | UCF Online
In 2015, San Diego Comic-Con generated profits exceeding $17 million and it continues to grow each year, with the revenue in 2017 reaching $19 million.Missing: 2010-2025 | Show results with:2010-2025
[58]
20 years ago, labels targeted fandom. Will it work the second time ...
May 27, 2025 · The writer explores how record labels are responding to a need to diversify revenue streams by seeking to monetise fandom, via expanded rights deals.
[59]
Beyond mass appeal: The untapped potential of fandom - Deloitte
Mar 20, 2024 · These committed fans are likely to have an outsized impact in terms of spend and broader hype-building. ... © 2025. See Terms of Use for ...Missing: commercialization | Show results with:commercialization
[60]
The Evolution of K-pop Fan Culture: From Clubs to Global Fame
Sep 27, 2024 · Let's dive into the evolution of K-pop fan culture, exploring the critical shifts from local fan clubs to the powerhouse fandoms that drive K-pop today.
[61]
How Big Is The Anime Fandom? - Chromatic Dreamers
It's safe to say there's at least 60 Million Committed Anime Fans worldwide, and over 100 Million Casual Fans and Watchers.Missing: esports | Show results with:esports
[62]
https://www.advanced-television.com/2025/10/20/analysis-games-power-global-fandom/
[63]
Free report: Mapping IP Fandom with the Global Gamer Study in 2025
Jul 1, 2025 · Discover how 73K gamers engage with 42 top franchises in 36 markets. Get key insights from the Global Gamer Study in this free 2025 report.
[64]
In Pursuit of Authenticity: Commodified Community, Curated ...
Jan 13, 2025 · This paper takes a contextual look at economic impacts of hyper-monetization, immersive advertising, and general shifts in the fandom ...
[65]
The History of the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon)
There is no dispute over the first Worldcon – this was held in 1939 over the weekend of July 4th in New York City and attracted a massive 200 attendees. With a ...
[66]
Worldcon - fancyclopedia.org
Dec 24, 2024 · The Worldcon has been held since 1939 (except during 1942–45, World War II), and moves to a different city each year. It is the oldest sf ...
[67]
First science fiction convention in the US history - Facebook
Oct 21, 2020 · "Nine people attended the first Philcon in 1936. They were Ossie Train, Donald A. Wollheim, Milton A. Rothman, Frederik Pohl, John B. Michel ...
[68]
Comiket - Wikipedia
Comiket is the largest fan convention in the world, growing from fewer than 10,000 attendees in 1982 to over half a million by 2004. Since 2007 ...
[69]
Fans and Fan Clubs | Encyclopedia.com
Such clubs were begun by fans of particular movie stars in the 1920s and 1930s and quickly became popular; by the early 1930s, for example, the Shirley Temple ...
[70]
Fan Culture | Research Starters - EBSCO
Based in the United Kingdom, Elvis Presley's fan club of 20,000 members is still one of the largest fan clubs in existence. Much has been written about the fan ...
[71]
[PDF] Fourth Spaces | Jan. 2025 - Eventbrite
Fandom gatherings surged in popularity - cosplay events saw 50% more attendees, while anime events grew by 20%. 19. Movie watch parties. 61%. Sports watch ...
[72]
How Offline Gatherings Affect Online Communities - ResearchGate
Aug 7, 2025 · This paper builds on past studies of virtual community by illuminating the effect of offline gatherings ('meetups') on physically dispersed ...Missing: fandom | Show results with:fandom
[73]
Shippers, Recs and OTPs: A History of Fan Fiction | Book Riot
Oct 14, 2019 · Are you a fanfic reader or writer? We're taking a look at the history of fanfiction, including common terms, queer fanfic, and popular ships ...
[74]
Published Fanfiction is Part of Literary History (For Better or Worse)
Jan 17, 2024 · Much of what we came to more thoroughly define as fanfiction emerged through the original Star Trek fandom, the true granddaddy of the form.<|separator|>
[75]
Home | Archive of Our Own
A fan-created, fan-run, nonprofit, noncommercial archive for transformative fanworks, like fanfiction, fanart, fan videos, and podfic. more than 75,010 fandoms ...TV Shows · Fandoms · Movies · Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
[76]
Is Fanfiction Legal?
Apr 28, 2021 · Most fanfiction could be characterized as derivative works of other already existing original works, as defined in 17 USC § 101.
[77]
Early Fan Art - First Fandom Experience
Here you'll find our favorites from the rich and varied art that appeared in fanzines throughout the 1930s and 1940s.
[78]
History, Cosplay, and Comic-Con - JSTOR Daily
Jul 21, 2022 · Donning costumes in imitation and celebration of fictional characters has a long history that crosses genres, genders, and international boundaries.
[79]
Cosplay: A History - Andrew Liptak
Cosplay is dressing up as a character, with roots in 15th-century costuming, and is a robust community and art form, not just dress-up.
[80]
Cosplayers' and Non-Cosplayers' Involvement in Fandom-Based ...
Oct 19, 2020 · The results showed that cosplayers reported greater engagement, higher need to belong, and more involvement in fandom drama than non-cosplayers.
[81]
The history of online communities and a visual timeline
Nov 11, 2024 · A history and timeline of virtual and digital community platforms and social media from the 1970s to the present day.
[82]
Fandom rules social media's cultural landscape in 2024 - NPR
Dec 7, 2024 · Annual trends reports from YouTube, TikTok and Spotify reveal how fans had an outsize impact on entertainment, culture and politics this ...Missing: statistics | Show results with:statistics
[83]
Online fandom: a troubled history - The Hmm
Oct 4, 2021 · It is the birthplace of many memes and online slang, but is also infamous for bringing out the worst in people, such as harassment campaigns ...
[84]
Fandom Uncovers Two Decades of Fan Trends Across…
Oct 31, 2024 · There was an +80% increase in consuming entertainment that allowed fans to engage with one another. Similarly, data shows a +45% increase in ...
[85]
Fanlore | Organization for Transformative Works
Fanlore is a living archive of fandom history, created by fans for the benefit of fans. It aims to document fandom history and preserve current discussions and ...
[86]
Effects of Online Fan Community Interactions on Well-Being and ...
A study of K-pop fandom communities reveals the role of social media platforms as strategic outposts for K-pop fans to promote their favorite artist's songs or ...
[87]
About The Baker Street Irregulars
Founded in 1934, the BSI is the oldest Sherlockian society in the world. Read a brief history of the BSI. We publish a wide range of scholarship related to ...
[88]
Guide to Harry Potter Conventions - MuggleNet
May 27, 2012 · A small con has the advantage of being far more intimate, allowing you to get to know your fellow con-goers because you keep running into them.
[89]
The ties that bind: Why Comic-Con and Lucasfilm are soul mates
Jul 17, 2012 · And for Star Wars fans, there is an unbreakable link between the saga and the convention—one that helped both grow. It was in 1976 that ...
[90]
Celebration | Wookieepedia - Fandom
Celebration is a series of Star Wars fan conventions sponsored by Lucasfilm. Star Wars Celebrations have been held every few years since 1999.
[91]
Bjo Trimble: The Woman Who Saved Star Trek
Aug 31, 2011 · The Trimbles devised a grassroots letter-writing campaign that saved the show and resulted in a third season.
[92]
Beatlemania: 'the screamers' and other tales of fandom - The Guardian
Sep 28, 2013 · Fifty years after Beatlemania took the world by storm Dorian Lynskey traces the weird and wonderful history of music fandom.
[93]
The Taylor Swift Impact – 5 Months and $5+ Billion
Sep 19, 2023 · Swift fans––“Swifties”––averaged $1,300 of spending in local economies on travel, hotel stays, food, as well as merchandise and costumes.
[94]
Taylor Swift Isn't the Economic Force. It's Her Fans - Time Magazine
Apr 18, 2024 · The Taylor Swift effect is a mix of universality in her storytelling and the downstream product of growth in women's economic power and agency— ...
[95]
Most Popular Sports in the World by Fans | Top 10 List (2025)
Basketball moved to #3 - Recent FIBA research (Nielsen Sports, 2024) shows basketball has 2.2+ billion fans globally, with 69% global interest projected and ...Most Popular Sports By... · Regional Sports Popularity... · Old Comments<|separator|>
[96]
Tops of 2024: Sports | Nielsen
And compared to 2017, a low point in viewership for the league, 2024 was up nearly 800%. All data is live plus same day, panel-only, reach based on one minute ...1. The Wnba Sets New Records · Top 10 Most Valuable Sports... · By Minutes Viewed
[97]
https://www.demandsage.com/esports-statistics/
[98]
eSports Viewership Statistics 2025 (Growth & Demographics)
Oct 3, 2025 · The global esports audience is expected to reach 640.8 million by 2025. Occasional viewers are estimated to hit 322.7 million, while dedicated ...
[99]
Esports audience growth - potential & opportunities - Infront Sports
While some growth estimates have been a little optimistic, the global esports audience is still expected to top 575 million in 2024 ... The good news is that the ...
[100]
Most Watched Esports Games in 2024
Jan 24, 2025 · At the VCT 2024: Masters Madrid tournament, the Grand Finals of the event reached a record-breaking 1,687,848 Peak Viewers as fan-favourite ...
[101]
THE RISE & RISE OF ESPORTS - Thinkhouse
The global esports audience is expected to top 575 million in 2024, mostly young males. While the average age of sports fans is typically 50, for esports fans ...
[102]
The Future of Fandom: Why Esports and Gaming Are Outpacing ...
Jul 9, 2025 · ... viewership has fallen sharply. ESPN reported a 28% drop in viewership in late 2024, and opening night ratings were down 42% year-over-year.5 ...
[103]
An exploration of esports fan identity, engagement practices, and ...
Strength of fan identity was identified as a significant predictor of esports viewing frequency and engagement within esports fandoms.1. Introduction · 1.1. Esports Fan Identity... · 1.2. Esports Spectating...
[104]
MAGA movement | Meaning, Beliefs, Origins, Donald Trump, & Facts
MAGA movement, nativist political movement that emerged in the United States during the 2016 presidential campaign of its putative leader, Donald Trump.
[105]
Politics and fandom: understanding Trump and stan culture - Vox
Jan 18, 2024 · Trump's political rise coincides with a specific substrain of intense celebrity fandom that emerged in the new millennium. The “stan,” ...
[106]
[PDF] Toward an understanding of political enthusiasm as media fandom
More than any political figure to date,. Palin translates the traditional voter-politician relationship into the logic of fandom and branding. She invites ...
[107]
New nationwide survey shows MAGA supporters' beliefs about the ...
Feb 5, 2021 · A new University of Washington study examines the beliefs of fervent Trump supporters about the pandemic, the election and the January riot at the US Capitol.
[108]
11 great brand community examples for 2025 - Khoros
Aug 13, 2025 · Examples of brand communities include Apple, Starbucks, Harley-Davidson, LEGO, Airbnb, Sephora, GoPro, Zoom, Upwork, NetApp, and Palo Alto ...
[109]
What rockets a brand into cult following status? - BBC
Aug 15, 2023 · ... brands is Apple, which has inspired global fandom ... Some experts say motorcycle company Harley-Davidson is a strong example of a brand ...
[110]
Cult brands: How companies build a fanatical fan base - BizTimes
Nov 25, 2019 · Harley-Davidson is a prime example. More than offering just a ... Apple, for example, qualified as cultish in the brand's early days ...
[111]
The gospel of Elon Musk, according to his flock - The Verge
Jun 26, 2018 · Elon Musk has an army of fans more suited to a pop star than a tech billionaire. Yet, while some CEOs maintain a Jobsian cult of personality ...
[112]
The Cult of Elon: Examining His Dedicated Fanbase - Pressfarm
Oct 1, 2025 · In this exploration, we cover the intricate web of the Elon Musk fanbase, examining the reasons behind their unwavering loyalty and the potential implications ...
[113]
[PDF] Personality cults in modern politics: cases from Russia and China
The modern political system best suited to institutionalize a personality cult is a totalitarian one. And in fact, most personality cults in modern history ...
[114]
Twitter CEO Elon Musk still has fans, but many are disillusioned | Vox
Oct 28, 2022 · Gomez is one of a dozen Elon Musk fans who told Recode this summer that they've become disillusioned with the polarizing CEO of Tesla and SpaceX.
[115]
Psychology Theory Explains Elon Musk's Unshakable Fan Following
Oct 3, 2020 · Why Elon Musk's fans will never cancel him, explained by an organizational psychology professor.<|separator|>
[116]
History of zines - Zines - Research Guides - University of Maryland
Apr 29, 2025 · However, the term fanzine was first used in the 1930s by fans of science fiction to describe their self-published works discussing theories ...
[117]
[PDF] Alyssa M. Brown. History of Media Fandom Community Archives
Apr 25, 2022 · Fanzines were one of the primary vehicles of fandom other than conventions in the days of print fandom. They came in a wide array of types, from ...
[118]
The Early History of Usenet - Newshosting
Apr 29, 2021 · The early history of Usenet established many foundations of online technology and culture that we take for granted today.
[119]
Full article: Fandom in the Digital Era - Taylor & Francis Online
Feb 4, 2010 · This essay traces the profound impact of the digital revolution upon fandom, looking particularly at debates within the fan and acafan communities.Missing: transition tools
[120]
(PDF) Fandom, Social Media, and Identity Work: The Emergence of ...
Oct 9, 2025 · The K-pop fandom community has transnationally evolved through social media, making itself known and represented through the pronoun “we” for identity work.
[121]
[PDF] A Case Study of Z.Tao's Weibo Fandom - Digital Commons @ USF
Therefore, the research aims to determine the correlation between social media use and collective identity of media celebrity fandom and explain how fans ...
[122]
How Social Media Algorithms Keep Fans Updated on Matches
Nov 30, 2024 · This article explores how these algorithms work, their impact on fan engagement, and the future of social media in keeping fans updated on ...
[123]
How to Boost Social Media Algorithms with Fan Engagement
Dec 28, 2023 · The Facebook algorithm boosts content with a high number of likes, shares, and views, as it signals higher engagement. On Instagram, information ...
[124]
Let's Influence Algorithms Together: How Millions of Fans Build ...
Apr 25, 2025 · This study investigates 43 core fans who always organize large-scale fans collective actions and their corresponding general fan groups.
[125]
Echo chamber effects on short video platforms | Scientific Reports
Apr 18, 2023 · According to recent studies, the echo chamber effect of social media can promote the spread of misleading information, fake news, and rumors.Missing: fandom | Show results with:fandom
[126]
Intentional echo chamber management: Chinese celebrity fans ...
This paper aims to investigate how Chinese celebrity fans seek and make sense of information oriented toward their interpretations of celebrities.
[127]
[PDF] How Social Media Algorithms Shape Recommendations in Online ...
Jun 16, 2025 · My thesis explores social media algorithms and their influence on recommendations of authors for people who engage with reading communities ...<|separator|>
[128]
The effect of online fan community attributes on the loyalty and ...
The empirical results showed that social interaction significantly influenced fan community identification (FCI) and fan community trust (FCT).Missing: studies | Show results with:studies
[129]
Echo Chambers and Fandom - It's Playing, Just With Research
Jun 9, 2017 · In media studies, an echo chamber is a community, usually one that is online, where the members of that community all have the same interests, ...Missing: algorithms | Show results with:algorithms
[130]
On Generative Fan Art - Nicolle Lamerichs
Jun 2, 2023 · A related example of generative art is this AI trailer of The Galactic Menagerie, or Star Wars in the style by Wes Anderson. Complete with ...
[131]
Understanding Fans' Attitudes Toward AI-generated Fan Content ...
May 31, 2025 · In this study, we examined how people feel about AI-generated fan art and AI-generated music covers of their favorite musical artists.<|control11|><|separator|>
[132]
Fandom - Coactive AI
Learn how Coactive AI helped Fandom categorize and filter images, ultimately reducing hours spent moderating content by 74%.
[133]
how generative AI is reshaping sports marketing, fan engagement ...
May 8, 2025 · AI-powered analytics allow organisations to refine pricing models, optimise sponsorship activations, and develop targeted advertising strategies ...
[134]
AI-Powered Storytelling in Sports: Creating Fandom Beyond the Game
Oct 4, 2025 · Embed fan co-creation: use AI tools that let fans design kits, avatars, or storylines and then surface winning fan creations into official ...
[135]
AR & VR in Sports Apps: Driving Fan Engagement and Revenue in ...
Sep 27, 2025 · VR lets fans step inside the action with fully immersive stadium experiences, 360° match replays, and virtual meet-and-greets with players.
[136]
Immersive tech in esports: how AR and VR are redefining fan ...
Aug 1, 2025 · The immersive nature of AR and VR also unlocks new monetisation opportunities. Longer viewing sessions and deeper engagement increase the value ...
[137]
The Use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Enhancing the ...
Nov 6, 2023 · VR offers fans the opportunity to be virtually presentat sporting events, providing an unparalleled level of immersion, personalization, and ...
[138]
Visualisation technologies increase fan engagement, revenues
Mar 28, 2025 · Visualisation technologies like data displays, digital twins, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) increase the engagement levels of fans watching ...
[139]
Metaverse RP - VRChat Legends Wiki - Fandom
Metaverse RP is an umbrella term for the shared RP community that includes various roleplaying groups in VRChat.
[140]
Metaverse Events - Roblox Wiki - Fandom
Aug 10, 2025 · Metaverse Events is a game development community owned by agaetisbyrun, known for developing the Metaverse Champions Hub for the Metaverse ...
[141]
Creating future emotional experiences that extend fandom - Sony
Feb 2, 2023 · The project aims to increase fan engagement with Manchester City's fans around the world by realistically recreating Manchester City's home stadium.
[142]
Sports fandom in the metaverse: marketing implications and ...
Sep 13, 2023 · The metaverse is transforming how sports fans consume sports, express their fandom, and interact with sports brands representing professional sports leagues, ...
[143]
The metaverse and sport fandom: revolutionising sport consumption
Oct 17, 2025 · This article explores the potential transformative impact of the metaverse on sport consumption. While traditional sport environments ...
[144]
SL Fandom Con - August 2024 - GridAffairs
Visit Fandom Con in the Metaverse of Second Life® that will bring fandom to a whole new level, all while helping Relay For Life of Second Life to raise funds to ...
[145]
View of Fans and AI: Transformations in fandom and fan studies
They ask us to consider major questions about how generative AI problematizes existing power structures in and around fandom, especially the importance of fan ...Missing: integration | Show results with:integration
[146]
AI in Media and Entertainment: 8 Real-World Use Cases - Capacity
Jun 27, 2025 · In this article, you'll discover how real-world media and entertainment companies are using AI to personalize content, engage with fans, analyze audience ...
[147]
[PDF] Fans and AI: Transformations in fandom and fan studies
Sep 18, 2025 · [0.1] Abstract—AI, and especially generative AI, has intersected with fandom in specific ways as fans adopt new practices,.Missing: integration | Show results with:integration
[148]
Global sales of licensed merchandise and services reach $356.5 ...
May 21, 2024 · Global sales of licensed merchandise and services reached a groundbreaking $356.5 billion in 2023. The figure represents a 4.6% increase compared to 2022.
[149]
Licensing International's 2025 Global Study Shows ... - Business Wire
May 20, 2025 · Global sales of licensed merchandise and services reached a groundbreaking $369.6 billion in 2024, a 3.7% increase compared to 2023.<|separator|>
[150]
The Top Global Licensors 2025 - License Global
Jul 31, 2025 · The Top 10 Global Licensors of 2025 · The Walt Disney Company – $62B (E) · Authentic Brands Group – $32B (E) · People Inc. (formerly Dotdash ...
[151]
Where Does The Money From Sports Merchandise Go? - CBS News
Oct 3, 2016 · Sports fans buy between three and five billion dollars of pro football and baseball merchandise each year. It's about $2 billion for the NBA and ...
[152]
NBA and NFL economics - Etonomics
Nov 17, 2023 · The NBA merchandise sales were recorded at $5 billion in 2021, with jerseys and apparel accounting for a significant portion. The league's ...
[153]
Stars Getting Rich Off Fan Conventions: How to Take Home ...
Sep 29, 2016 · Fan conventions, where stars can take home hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange for a few hours of time, once were the domain of has- ...Missing: examples | Show results with:examples
[154]
K-pop labels killed it in the second quarter. Domes and dolls were ...
Aug 14, 2025 · Record-setting merchandise and concert revenue drove the surge. Merchandise sales hit a record 66.9 billion won, up 355.9 percent, while ...
[155]
“How K-Pop Became a Global Economic Powerhouse” — The ...
May 29, 2025 · K-pop alone brought in more than $1.4 billion in 2019, with 7.5% of all foreign tourists to South Korea (Shafie, 2024).
[156]
Anime Fandom Culture: How Conventions, Cosplay, and Creativity ...
Apr 11, 2024 · Some fan artists gain significant followings, allowing them to monetize their work through commissions, prints, and digital sales. The rise of ...
[157]
Cosplay & IP: Rights, Risks, & How to Stay Legal - Trademarkia
Aug 19, 2025 · Cosplay is intellectual property in certain cases. Learn when it is IP, how rights work, and how creators, fans, and event hosts can stay ...<|separator|>
[158]
Licensed Merchandise Market Size, Share, Trends Report, 2032
The U.S. licensed merchandise market was valued at $20.5 billion in 2023, driven by entertainment franchises and e-commerce, with apparel and accessories ...Missing: revenue | Show results with:revenue
[159]
Crowdfunding: A Spimatic application of digital fandom
Nov 24, 2014 · The digital environment has opened up new spaces for fans to engage with the production process of their favoured texts.
[160]
With a little help from my friends: The role of online creator-fan ...
We analyse a private dataset of crowdfunding campaigns, comprising ex-ante community metrics and rich qualitative measures to determine how the social ties ...
[161]
Top 10 U.S. Crowdfunding Platforms (Reward and Reg CF Equity)
Aug 4, 2025 · As at mid-August 2025, almost 284,000 successfully funded projects have raised over £9 billion from a total of 24.5 million backers (the figures ...Missing: fandom examples statistics
[162]
TOP 20 CROWDFUNDING PLATFORM MARKETING STATISTICS ...
Sep 23, 2025 · Reward-based crowdfunding consistently delivers the highest success rates, around 39.6%. Backers are motivated by tangible perks, making them ...
[163]
Crowdfunding Statistics 2025: Key Insights and Global Market Trends
Jun 16, 2025 · The average success rate of crowdfunding campaigns across all platforms is approximately 22.4% to 23.7%. Reward-based campaigns have the highest ...<|separator|>
[164]
20 Latest Patreon Statistics (2025 Data) - Blogging Wizard
Jan 2, 2025 · Patreon has paid out $3.5 billion in revenue to creators. According ... Patreon makes money by taking 5-12% cuts from creator subscriptions.General Patreon Statistics · Patreon Statistics For... · Top Patreon Statistics From...
[165]
Patreon Creators Statistics: Revenue + Earnings + Graphs
Patreon Creators Statistics ; 16,190,563. excludes hidden memberships. Paid Memberships ; $24,547,256. excludes hidden earnings. Estimated Monthly Payouts ...
[166]
Patreon vs OnlyFans: Opportunities in the Creators Economy
Sep 22, 2025 · Patreon's average monthly creator income is $350, while OnlyFans averages $180 with higher upside potential. 50M+ active U.S. creators are ...
[167]
From Streams to Superfans: How Gaming Creators Leverage New ...
Sep 24, 2025 · Not every creator relies on sponsorships. For many, direct fan support now rivals or surpasses ad revenue. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube let ...
[168]
When Fandom Clashes with IP Law - Harvard Business Review
Jul 23, 2019 · There are many examples: J.R.R. Tolkein's estate shut down an unlicensed Lord of the Rings summer camp. DC Comics enjoined a custom carmaker ...
[169]
Disney Copyright Infringement: Risks, Cases & Licensing Tips
Jun 26, 2025 · While fan art for personal use is generally acceptable, selling products with copyrighted characters can lead to legal issues. Unauthorised ...
[170]
Fanworks, Fair Use, and Fair Dealing
Mar 1, 2018 · Courts in the U.S. have held that fair use is “not merely excused by the law, it is wholly authorized by the law.” The U.S. Copyright Act ...
[171]
[PDF] Fan Fiction, Derivative Works, and the Fair Use Doctrine
19. In the following Parts, this Comment will explore the basis for these claims of copyright infringement by discussing the boundary of copyright law as it ...
[172]
CBS, Paramount Settle Lawsuit Over 'Star Trek' Fan Film
Jan 20, 2017 · Star Trek rights holders CBS and Paramount have seen the logic of settling a copyright suit against Alec Peters, who solicited money on crowdfunding sites.
[173]
What's going on legally between CBS/Paramount and Axanar and ...
Jan 11, 2017 · CBS and Paramount have sued Axanar Productions for copyright infringement. Axanar Productions is a non-profit corporation that basically exists ...
[174]
Axanar Creator Faces New Legal Threat - Plagiarism Today
Oct 23, 2023 · Star Trek fan film creator Alec Peters is facing yet another legal challenge as Paramount Pictures and CBS have filed a petition in a Los Angeles court.
[175]
Disney Allegedly Files Copyright Claims Over Loki Fan Art
Jun 20, 2021 · Original story: Disney may be trying to claim copyright on images and merch of Loki. These recreations aren't just of the witty Marvel ...
[176]
Cosplay Legal Issues: Copyrights and Trademarks Explained
This Article provides cosplayers and their lawyers with insights on the types of claims that are most likely to be asserted by rightsholders.
[177]
Facebook Is Aggressively Ripping Down Cover Videos
Oct 11, 2016 · Universal Music Publishing Group (among others) are now aggressively issuing takedown notices to Facebook for cover videos of their songs.
[178]
International Fans Crafting Fan Merchandise for U.S. Musicians
Mar 14, 2024 · A notable example occurred in 2015 when Taylor Swift sued Etsy for permitting the sale of merchandise featuring the trademarked phrase “Shake it ...
[179]
[PDF] (The Lack of) Fan Fiction Litigation: Why Do Creators Refrain from ...
May 9, 2025 · Despite the growth of fan fiction, there is a notable lack of lawsuits against fan fiction authors, despite the unclear status of fan fiction ...
[180]
10 Copyright Cases Every Fan Fiction Writer Should Know About
Oct 18, 2016 · A non-exhaustive list of “fair use” purposes is written into the Copyright Act and includes criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, ...
[181]
Are you “fan” enough? The role of identity in media fandoms.
The purpose of the present study was to examine media fandom participation from a social identity perspective.Missing: formation | Show results with:formation
[182]
Development and validation of a measure of popular media fan ...
The purpose of this research was to develop a measure that systematically assesses the various components of film and TV fan identity and to test its ...Missing: papers | Show results with:papers
[183]
Is social identity theory enough to cover sports fans' behavior?
Jun 3, 2025 · This paper investigates the applicability of identity fusion theory (IFT) in explaining sports fan behaviors, highlighting its advantages over traditional ...Literature Review · Identity Fusion Theory · Identity Fusion With...
[184]
Neural correlates of fanhood: the role of fan identity and team brand ...
Jan 8, 2024 · We analyzed the importance of fan identity and brand strength on fans' neural reactions to different team-related stimuli.
[185]
Fans' self-identity crisis and reconstruction in the context of idol ...
This research explores the crisis and reconstruction of fan self-identity in the context of idol disrepute from a social psychological perspective.
[186]
The Mediating Effect of Social Connectedness in the Relationship ...
Sep 6, 2025 · The researchers hypothesized that one's K-pop fandom identity can positively influence one's subjective well-being and negatively influence one ...
[187]
Being in a crowd bonds people via physiological synchrony - Nature
Jan 12, 2022 · Collective events can generate intense emotions, shape group identities, and forge strong bonds. Do these effects extend to remote participation?
[188]
The Dark Side of Fandom: Exploring the Association between ...
Sep 25, 2025 · A total of 341 participants were recruited using the Chinese social media platform Weibo, college student groups at both German and Chinese ...
[189]
Fandom and Creativity, Including Fan Art, Fan Fiction, and Cosplay
Jul 26, 2017 · These studies tend to focus on the complex relationship between the fan community and the producers of the creative works. While the ...
[190]
[PDF] Fan Fiction to Support Struggling Writers - ERIC
Through participation in fan fiction sites, adolescents have also been shown to develop and reinforce literacy skills important for in-school literacies.
[191]
View of Fan fiction as a valuable literacy practice
Fan fiction is a valuable literacy practice and should be used in the classroom because it encourages creativity and literacy appreciation.
[192]
[PDF] The educational potential of fanfiction: analysis of a derivative text
By writing and analyzing fanfiction, learners can develop their linguistic skills, deepen their understanding of narrative structures, and explore cultural.
[193]
It's Easier Than Ever to Turn Video Game Modding Into a Career
Jul 9, 2025 · Modding requires skills, like coding and project management, that can be vital for professional programming and game design jobs. Liam Esler, ...
[194]
Of Mods and Modders - Hector Postigo, 2007 - Sage Journals
This article is concerned with the role that fan-programmers (generally known as “modders”) play in the success of the PC digital game industry.
[195]
Unraveling complexity of celebrity worship and its associations with ...
Dec 24, 2024 · Numerous quantitative studies depending on CAS have linked celebrity worship to poorer mental health (e.g., psychological well-bing, depression ...
[196]
To stan or not to stan: When fan culture turns toxic | BCM
Apr 12, 2023 · A Baylor College of Medicine expert gives insight and explains how to break harmful fandom habits.
[197]
A cross-fandom study of elitism and gatekeeping in fans
Prior research shows that fan elitism is associated with gatekeeping attitudes and behaviors, and fandom identification is a negative predictor of elitism ( ...<|separator|>
[198]
An Exploratory Study of Transformative Games Fandom & TikTok ...
Apr 9, 2024 · Within fandoms, gatekeeping practices such as delineating authentic from fake fans filter out certain identities.
[199]
Echo chamber effects on short video platforms - PubMed Central
Apr 18, 2023 · This paper investigated echo chamber effects of three popular short video platforms (Douyin, TikTok, and Bilibili) using social network analysis
[200]
On the impossibility of breaking the echo chamber effect in social ...
Jan 11, 2024 · On social media, it was shown that echo chambers limit exposure to diverse perspectives and favor and reinforce presupposed narratives and ...
[201]
Causal Learning to Mitigate Echo Chambers in Social Networks
Sep 11, 2025 · In social networks, echo chambers form when users primarily encounter information that reinforces their existing views with limited exposure ...<|separator|>
[202]
This study shows how people reason their way through echo ...
and what might guide them out.
[203]
(PDF) Cyberbullying in Fandom - ResearchGate
Aug 7, 2025 · ... toxic Fandom and the characteristic feature of Cyberbullying in Fandom. ... harassment: (1) Cyberstalking. The term “cyberstalking” is used ...
[204]
A systematic review of cyberbullying in multiplayer online games
Most participants (81 %) view toxicity and harassment as major issues in online gaming. Players of simulation, RTS, and MOBA games perceive these issues as ...Missing: fandom | Show results with:fandom
[205]
(PDF) Identity, Stance, and Intra-Fandom Conflict: A Discourse ...
Sep 27, 2025 · Team fans tend to emphasize unity, emotional restraint, and brand preservation, while solo fans adopt adversarial narratives rooted in exclusive ...
[206]
Full article: Fan Conflicts and State Power in China: Internalised ...
Aug 29, 2022 · This intra-fan conflict deprived thousands of Chinese social media users of access to reading, circulating, and creating fan-made works on AO3.
[207]
[PDF] 'Dead Lesbian Syndrome' and intra-fandom management of toxic ...
In the 2015-2016 season of US scripted broadcast TV,. 26.5% of lesbian/bisexual women characters (17 out of 64) were killed off, according to data from 'LGBT ...
[208]
10 Times Celebrities Had to Call Out Fans Horrific Actions
Dec 8, 2024 · In these cases, the stars did not withhold and set clear boundaries to remind fans that there is a difference between support and harassment.
[209]
[PDF] Development of a Toxic Sports Fandom Scale
... fans attacked an opposing team's bus, suggesting that toxic fans engaged in behaviors such as harassment because they believed it gave their team a ...<|separator|>
[210]
The Toxicity Phenomenon Across Social Media - arXiv
Oct 28, 2024 · ... work has been done to identify demographics of those receiving and producing toxic content. While the prevalence of toxicity and harassment ...
[211]
In defence of fandoms | Adrian Nguyen | The Critic Magazine
Apr 20, 2023 · Fan culture is rooted in conformity, obedience, group identity and mob behaviour, and its rise mirrors and models the spread of intolerant, authoritarian, ...
[212]
Celebrities can be cancelled. Fandoms are forever - The Conversation
Jul 7, 2020 · Fandom is deeply rooted in identity and values, and fans are likely to “cancel” people who violate norms of justice and moral responsibility.
[213]
Fandom and Polarization in Online Political Discussion - SpringerLink
This book takes an innovative fan studies approach to investigating one of the most pressing issues of contemporary times: polarization.
[214]
How The Sad Puppies Won — By Losing - NPR
Aug 26, 2015 · Sunday night's ceremony revealed that the Hugo voters turned out in inflated numbers to reject the Puppy candidates. According to the awards' ...
[215]
'Sad Puppies' campaign fails to undermine sci-fi diversity at the ...
Aug 24, 2015 · The conservative activists, galvanized by the 2014 prizes, accused the Hugos of giving awards on the basis of political correctness and favoring ...
[216]
[Video Games] GamerGate - The controversy that forever changed ...
Dec 6, 2021 · It turns out that the people who worked in these companies were often just as nasty as the fans. Luckily, the reaction has been a far cry from ...CMV: GamerGate was actually right, and is not about bigotry. Its ...This year marks a decade since Gamergate happened: the ground ...More results from www.reddit.comMissing: conformity | Show results with:conformity
[217]
Not just a game: Identity fusion and extremism in gaming cultures
Oct 16, 2022 · Right-wing ideologies have been specifically associated with hate and harassment in gaming spaces, specifically the #GamerGate hate campaigns of ...
[218]
Ideological asymmetries in conformity, desire for shared reality, and ...
Ideological belief systems arise from epistemic, existential, and relational motives to reduce uncertainty, threat, and social discord.
[219]
The Culture Wars in Fandom through the lens of GamerGate
Dec 15, 2023 · A cursory glance at social media on the contemporary discourse around video games is often enough to see the culture wars simmering within them.Missing: conformity | Show results with:conformity
[220]
(PDF) POLITICAL FANDOMS AND SUPERPARTICIPANTS IN ...
Aug 10, 2025 · This study aims to understand the dynamics of polarization and how news outlets influenced political discussions on Twitter during the 2018 ...
[221]
[PDF] Social media, fan relations and the music industry
Aug 23, 2011 · ... peer-reviewed ... These fan practices are also viewed as exploitation through fan labor that has been as aspect of the Web 2.0 economy.
[222]
Fan labor and "Fifty Shades of Grey"
[3.11] Fandom's position in Web 2.0 and its use of new media ... fans, an exploitation of fandom. As AlwaysLucky1 notes,. [3.12] I only bought ...<|separator|>
[223]
[PDF] FANDOM AND/AS LABOR - Semantic Scholar
Exploiting Fandom. Editorial providing an overview of the topic of fan ... Fandom squared: Web 2.0 and fannish production · J. Watson. Sociology, Business.
[224]
Notes on the Fan Economy - Medium
Apr 12, 2024 · ... fan fatigue. The evidence suggests that “superfans”, the top 2–5% who spend or listen the most, drive the lion's share of revenues so the ...
[225]
insights from men's and women's elite football leagues in Sweden
In H1b, we hypothesized that perceived commercialization would influence fan engagement negatively, which would be mediated by perceived authenticity. We ...
[226]
Is K-Pop Slowing Down? - Reprtoir
Aug 25, 2025 · Fan behaviors are shifting as well. There's growing “fan fatigue,” from nonstop promotional activity and also from scandals. For instance, there ...
[227]
In Pursuit of Authenticity: Commodified Community, Curated ...
This paper assesses the economic impacts of hyper-monetization, immersive advertising, and general shifts in gaming's fandom subcultures over the past decade.
[228]
Fan Engagement Platform Market Size, Growth and Forecast 2032
Oct 17, 2025 · Over-commercialization can lead to fan fatigue and churn. Companies must balance interactive experiences with sustainable revenue strategies ...
[229]
How 'Star Trek' Fans Saved the Show With a Million Letters ...
Aug 6, 2025 · From picket lines to a million letters, fans waged the campaign that saved 'Star Trek' twice ... 1968, when fans took their cause to NBC's Burbank ...
[230]
Subway Saves Chuck - Entrepreneur
May 26, 2009 · Thus the “Finale & Footlong” campaign was born. On April 27th, the night the season finale aired, fans visited their local Subway franchise, ...
[231]
Upfronts: 'Chuck' Saved by Subway - The New York Times
May 19, 2009 · “Chuck” will return to NBC's prime-time schedule next season with a special sponsorship deal with the Subway sandwich restaurant chain.Missing: details | Show results with:details
[232]
When Fox canceled 'Firefly,' it ignited an Internet fan base ... - SFGATE
Jun 8, 2005 · When Fox canceled 'Firefly,' it ignited an Internet fan base whose burning desire for more led to 'Serenity'. By Neva Chonin, Chronicle ...
[233]
Network executives weigh in on fans' influence on TV, movies - UPI
Aug 19, 2019 · Fans alone can't save shows. Fan campaigns to save canceled shows have worked. Netflix rescued Lucifer and Designated Survivor; Amazon is ...<|separator|>
[234]
'Sonic the Hedgehog' director promises Sonic redesign after fan ...
May 3, 2019 · 'Sonic the Hedgehog' director promises Sonic redesign after fan backlash, but changes could be costly for Paramount. Published Fri, May 3 ...
[235]
'Sonic the Hedgehog' movie redesign - USA Today
Feb 13, 2020 · Fan outrage didn't kill "Sonic the Hedgehog" when the beloved character was unveiled. Director Jeff Fowler explains how it made Sonic ...
[236]
Fifty Shades Of Green: How Fanfiction Went From Dirty Little Secret ...
Feb 10, 2017 · The erotic trilogy, originally titled Master of the Universe, was posted as Twilight fanfiction on Fanfiction.net under the pen name “Snowqueens ...
[237]
'Fifty Shades of Grey' Started Out As 'Twilight' Fan Fiction
Feb 17, 2015 · After reading the "Twilight" series, "Fifty Shades" author E.L. James started posting her own erotic take on the novels on Fanfiction.net, an ...
[238]
14 movies and TV shows you didn't know had roots in fan fiction
Sep 11, 2025 · Here are some of the best-known fanfic adaptations, from "After" to "The Kissing Booth." "The Idea of You," which starred Anne Hathaway and ...
[239]
The Economics of Fandom: How Brand Dedication Drives Revenue
Fandoms work best when the subject of their attention pays just as much attention to them. By investing in your fans, you can be sure they'll invest back (and ...
[240]
Fandom Is The New Brand Loyalty - How The Creator Economy Is ...
Mar 25, 2022 · Fuelled by the pandemic, the industry is set to be worth an estimated $104 billion in 2022 and shows no signs of slowing. With legions of fans, ...<|separator|>
[241]
Fan work: Labor, worth, and participation in fandom's gift economy
We see the value of fan labor, then, in fans' consumption of the gifts produced and distributed by fellow fans. Fans may write stories or essays or make vids or ...
[242]
The Labor Process of Relational Labor: The Case of the K-pop Fan ...
Apr 15, 2025 · On fan platforms, value is produced through the real subsumption of relational labor, a process through which music entertainment companies are ...
[243]
Carat Taps Fandom to Uncover Industry-Leading Fan Insights…
Sep 25, 2025 · Study Finds 87% of Consumers Participate in Activities Tied to Their Fandoms, Offering Opportunity for Marketers to Engage.
[244]
Fandom and marketers: Here's what the numbers say | Marketing Dive
Mar 22, 2024 · 80% of consumers say their fandom brings them excitement and joy, per recent findings from Kearney, suggesting fandom could be a palate cleanser.
[245]
Fandom and the economy: How passion = profit, but who's fronting ...
Jun 27, 2024 · Fandom and the economy: How passion = profit, but who's fronting the cost? Written by Rosie Aiston. Published on June 27, 2024.
[246]
Fandoms: The Next Powerful Economic Force for Brands - Digitas
Oct 11, 2023 · Fandom has become more than just a community of enthusiasts. It has proven to be a powerful economic force that brands are leveraging to drive sales and grow ...Missing: 2010s- | Show results with:2010s-<|separator|>
[247]
New Research Reveals Fandom is a Family Affair and Brands Are ...
Jul 7, 2025 · New Research Reveals Fandom is a Family Affair and Brands Are Missing a Trick · 33% more likely to watch official shows and films · 18% more ...
[248]
How economic volatility will impact US labels' fandom monetisation ...
Apr 25, 2025 · The good news is that fandom monetisation no longer only means physical merchandise. Since digital subscriptions will likely face little ...
[249]
We the Fans: How Our Powers Can Change the World
Jun 4, 2020 · Fandom is not an act of blind consumption, but rather an invitation to act in a righteous or dastardly fashion. Today, the dastardly have ...
[250]
https://www.frontlinebesci.com/p/fandoms-lessons-in-social-change
[251]
Fandom's lessons in social change - Frontline BeSci
May 12, 2023 · Fandom can challenge mainstream narratives, create inclusive living, and empower marginalized voices, potentially creating social movements for ...
[252]
https://purl.stanford.edu/qy951nv3046
[253]
Fandom Politics in South Korea and the Impact on Democracy
Jun 7, 2024 · Through coordinated digital activism and the spread of disinformation, fandoms have amplified polarization and transformed political discourse.
[254]
From Lions to lawmakers: how fandom has warped our politics
Jun 30, 2025 · The gamification of our politics and our social norms isn't new, just see earlier, historical, attempts at an 'us vs. them' approach to ...
[255]
'Huge fan of the drama': Politics as an object of fandom
Sep 27, 2023 · In this paper we explore the construction of politics itself as an object of fandom, asking what happens to politics when it is treated in this way.Missing: brands | Show results with:brands
[256]
https://www.agilitypr.com/pr-news/pr-news-trends/from-fandoms-to-franchises-the-power-of-community-driven-entertainment-marketing/
[257]
From fandoms to franchises: The power of community-driven ...
Apr 17, 2025 · Fan communities have become the backbone of modern entertainment marketing. What was once a passive audience has turned into an active force, shaping the ...
[258]
https://www.out.com/print/2022/2/15/why-star-trek-matters-lgbtq-people
[259]
https://gawker.com/what-is-gamergate-and-why-an-explainer-for-non-geeks-1642909080
[260]
https://gawker.com/what-is-gamergate-and-why-an-explainer-for-non-geeks-1642909080