The Fan Dilemma

Is Loving a Sport a Liability?

In sports, passion is a currency; but only to a certain point. Being a fan can spark careers, build networks and drive creative energy. But in the pursuit of professional credibility, is that same passion seen as a strength or a liability?

We are often told to “do what we love”, but what happens when love for the sport makes you seem less serious about it? In sports, an industry built on emotion, does visible fandom make you relatable or replaceable?

The line between supporter and professional is rarely very clear. For journalists, photographers or even creators, the badge of “fan” can both open doors but also quietly close them. Passion brings perspective, but it can also raise doubts about objectivity. If you’re too invested, can you be trusted to tell the story fairly? If you’re not invested at all, do you risk missing the soul of the sport?

Perhaps the real challenge lies in balance. To acknowledge where the love began, without letting it dictate every frame, every word or every decision. After all, sport thrives because people care so deeply. Isn’t it contradictory, then, for an industry powered by emotion to discourage those who show it too openly?

For me, this question isn’t hypothetical. Motorsport has been a constant thread in my life for as long as I can remember Yet stepping into the industry, I’ve felt the need to soften that identity, to present myself as “serious” before “fan.” It’s a strange tightrope: wanting to prove I belong here professionally, while knowing that my enthusiasm is exactly what fuels the long hours, the creative risks and the persistence it takes to carve out a place in motorsport.

Passion is the reason I’m here, but it can feel like the very thing I have to hide. There’s a constant negotiation between showing genuine excitement and maintaining a kind of professional distance. I find myself wondering: if I cheer too loudly, if I let my fandom slip through, will it cost me credibility? Or is that authenticity actually what makes my work stronger.