I feel like we’ve gotten to a point in our relationship where it’s time for me to confess something.

I love research.

And I don’t discriminate.

I enjoy all types of research, getting lost in the minutiae or a random rabbit hole, and discovering things I didn’t know before.

For example, I’m currently attempting to Frankenstein travel across the Southern Hemisphere for my wife and me following our visit to Melbourne, Australia, for the Australian Open in January. I like finding a discounted airfare here, a hidden gem of lodging there, or an opportunity to make a memory of a lifetime.

I think it’s the thrill of the hunt or something of the sort. I appreciate the discovery and the subsequent piecing together of those discovered nuggets into a final result.

All of which is a rather roundabout way to introduce you to this episode’s Conversations guest: Audrey Feldman.

Audrey is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where she’s teamed with Weatherhead Professor of Public Policy Dr. Todd Rogers to research sports fandom and the social connections it brings. Further, the study of over 50,000 respondents found a direct connection between passionate fandom and a significant reduction in partisan animosity.

The working title of the draft report authored by Feldman and Rogers is Shared Sports Fandom Powerfully Reduces Partisan Animosity. Audrey notes that it’s currently in the midst of the peer review process. The two, along with Fox Sports’ Ben Valenta, authored a New York Times guest essay entitled “We Surveyed 50,674 Americans. This is What Brings Them Together.”

Unsurprisingly, I found all of it to be fascinating. Especially the fact that the only thing that rivals the passion of sports fandom is, in fact, religion. Though the findings note that people are far more likely to drop their partisan views when engaging with fellow sports fans than they are with folks of the same faith.

I believe you’l enjoy learning about the research Audrey and Todd have completed as well as learning more about their work at the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative.