The end of terraces? Fans’ identity in times of crisis in Poland

Abstract

ABSTRACT The main assumption of the text is that, in Poland, small fan groups are facing a threat to their existence, and many of them are functioning in an evident crisis. Based on secondary data, the main mechanisms influencing the problems of fan groups from smaller clubs in maintaining and developing their potential will be reconstructed. These mechanisms are: economic emigration of supporters, ageing of supporter group members (lack of generational replacement), ‘old-fashioned’ style of supporting based on violence and aggression, the changing attitude of the young generation to spend free time and decreasing interest of young people to participate in fan culture, lack of sporting success of clubs, lack of fan rivals in low-level football leagues. The article concludes that in the near future, the number of fan groups of small clubs will drastically decrease, and the whole fan culture in Poland will face crisis and uncertainty.