As the United States moves toward its midterm elections, it seems an appropriate time to have Audrey Feldman join Conversations and discuss the recent research she and her colleagues at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government (https://www.hks.harvard.edu/) completed earlier this year.
The title of the working paper Audrey co-authored with Weatherhead Professor of Public Policy, Dr. Todd Rogers, is Shared Sports Fandom Powerfully Reduces Partisan Animosity.
A doctoral student in Public Policy at the Kennedy School, Audrey discusses the impetus for the research, the process, and the findings. Not to bury the lead, but in a nutshell, being a fan of the same team increases feelings of mutual warmth. And, across partisan divides, the more passionate the fan, the stronger the depolarizing effect.
A fan herself, Audrey shares memories of her youth attending college football games with her father, a University of Michigan alum. Audrey spent her undergrad years at the University of Notre Dame (much to her dad's initial chagrin), so she knows a thing or two about the culture surrounding a college football Saturday.
Links Referenced:
Shared Sports Fandom Powerfully Reduces Partisan Animosity (https://drive.google.com/file/d/11-JtiR-Mw3PsiMEtp6DzoJbhfavj85Eq/view?usp=sharing) - 2026 Draft Paper from Harvard's Audrey Feldman & Dr. Todd Rogers
Fandom and Social Connection Initiative (https://drive.google.com/file/d/11-JtiR-Mw3PsiMEtp6DzoJbhfavj85Eq/view?usp=sharing) - Launched by Rogers and Feldman with an unrestricted gift from Fox Sports
New York Times Guest Essay (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/03/opinion/sports-team-identities.html?unlocked_article_code=1.K1E.l-Fy.FRNT9cgV2FWG&smid=url-share) - Authored by Rogers, Feldman, and Ben Valenta (Fox Sports)
Impact of Muslim Soccer Players on Fans' Islamophobia (https://drive.google.com/file/d/152uQJUEdBuyaMRgR8ns930AUwITt99ly/view?usp=sharing) - 2021 Paper from a research team from the University of Colorado, Stanford University, and Yale University
If you’re enjoying Conversations with Sports Fans, please consider supporting our work here (https://thesportsfanproject.com/support-the-sports-fan-project-get-exclusive-benefits-and-recognition/). For as little as 99 cents a month, generous supporters such as you can keep these episodes commercial-free.
22 Oct 2026
Season 5, Episode 56 - Gardy Banks (aka @dudelovesfood)
Georgia's Gardy Banks loves himself some food. So much so, in fact, that he's built a social media following as @dudlovesfood, and during the 2025 NFL season, Gardy made a visit to all 30 NFL venues to sample their offerings.
He admits to returning from an uber-busy Fall of 2025 a touch heavier, but fulfilled in the fact that he viewed it as a bit of an anthropology series, discovering the people, their culture, their customs, and the food that made up each franchise's fanbase.
Some of his most memorable samplings:
The Brookie in Denver (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MuK0NpDUnGM) - A 3-pound brownie/cookie sandwich
The BBQ Pit on a Stick in Kansas City (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Cqq3CLnSmTg) - Two pounds of brisket battered and fried like a corn dog
The Battle Boat in Buffalo (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nr0fl4ghLr4) - It's two feet of loaded waffle fries with one half topped with traditional Buffalo toppings and the other with toppings common with the opponent
Boudin Stuffed Chicken Wings in Houston (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RR0tnnVpfuk?t=48&feature=share) - As the name suggests, boudin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudin) is piped into chicken wings and then fried
Gardy also dishes about the best overall stadiums for concession offerings, top tailgate spots, and where the bargain-conscious NFL fan should see a game.
To find all of his NFL stops in one location, check out this YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4dRVmtGLnA&list=PLO7VH9UYVJgGZYJUEtfPJKAFLsM6aj9iF).
You're also able to follow all of Gardy's culinary pursuits as a Webby (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webby_Awards#)-nominated content creator on the following social media accounts:
Facebook - @dudelovesfood (https://www.facebook.com/dudelovesfoodatl)
TikTok - @dudelovesfood (https://www.tiktok.com/@dudelovesfood)
YouTube - @dudelovesfood (https://www.youtube.com/@DudeLovesFood)
Instagram - @dudelovesfoodatl (https://www.instagram.com/dudelovesfoodatl/)
If you’re enjoying Conversations with Sports Fans, please consider supporting our work here (https://thesportsfanproject.com/support-the-sports-fan-project-get-exclusive-benefits-and-recognition/). For as little as 99 cents a month, generous supporters such as you can keep these episodes commercial-free.
15 Oct 2026
Season 5, Episode 55 - Nick Lionas
Our guest this episode is Nick Lionas, the Director of Miracle League Programs and Community Engagement for the Easterseals of Michigan's Macomb-Oakland Regional Center (MORC) (https://www.michiganmiracle.org/).
The Miracle League (https://www.miracleleague.com/) is an adaptive sports and recreation program that provides children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities the chance to play organized baseball and join other team activities.
Founded in 2000 in Conyers, GA, The Miracle League's Mission is to:
Provide opportunities for children with disabilities to play Miracle League baseball, regardless of their abilities;
Promote community support and sponsorship of Miracle Leagues;
Promote the construction of special facilities that meet the unique needs of Miracle League players and their families.
With MORC, it's not just baseball these days. There are now programs for Bowling (https://www.michiganmiracle.org/bowling.html), On Ice (https://www.michiganmiracle.org/ml-on-ice.html), and Fun & Fitness (https://www.michiganmiracle.org/funandfitness.html).
Nick tells us about all of those, plus he discusses his own journey as a fan and how his first-ever Detroit Tigers game featured the then-California Angels' starting pitcher, Jim Abbott (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/abbotji01.shtml), a Flint, MI native who was born without a right hand. And then, later, had the opportunity to hear from retired MLB pitcher Dave Dravecky (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/draveda01.shtml), who lost his pitching arm to cancer, and how, perhaps, those were some inspiration for the work he's currently engaged in.
Nick might also be our first guest who created student spectator traditions for a newly opened high school while a student at Rochester's Stoney Creek High School (https://schs.rochester.k12.mi.us/).
If you’re enjoying Conversations with Sports Fans, please consider supporting our work here (https://thesportsfanproject.com/support-the-sports-fan-project-get-exclusive-benefits-and-recognition/). For as little as 99 cents a month, generous supporters such as you can keep these episodes commercial-free.
Who has been a guest on Conversations with Sports Fans
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Dr Dan Wann
Klint Pleasant
Bob Eley
John U Bacon
Johnny Agar
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
13 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 53 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
77
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
71
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