A Geographical Investigation of Football and its Fans at Auburn University

Abstract

In Auburn, AL, football, and especially college football, reigns supreme. Particularly, interest is placed on the Tigers, the team representing the local institution, Auburn University. This research paper investigates the spatio-temporal role of football at Auburn University and presents findings that are indicative of the spatial characteristics of Auburn’s football fan region and their relationship with the team. Sources used to map Auburn’s fan region included records of 2010 season ticket holders and Auburn booster club locations and membership figures. The fans are predominantly found in Alabama and Georgia. Heavy concentrations are seen in Auburn, as well as major urban centers with close proximity to Auburn such as Atlanta, Birmingham, and Montgomery. Questionnaire surveys of Auburn fans found that the majority of participants had attended Auburn and/or had family members who had attended Auburn. Fans commonly mentioned words like family, tradition, and atmosphere when describing why they liked Auburn Tigers football.