Transformation of Cheering Behavior among Spectators of Professional Baseball:

In recent years, surveys and research on cheering behavior have been performed from various perspectives. These studies have shown tightening of control over people who act as leaders of cheering groups, the presence and achievements of females in cheering groups, and movement of cheering into the consumer market. Regarding these points, I discuss directions and future issues based on examples observed in spectator seats of professional baseball.<br> 　The local and traditional culture of cheering has changed markedly with internationalization, commercialization, and progression towards genderlessness. As a result, the old style of cheering has declined, creating what might be referred to as “controlled enthusiasm”. However, at the stadium, we found that there were moves against this direction. Female participation in cheerleading has steadily progressed; however, as for many competitive sports, this activity is still based on the premise of male/female distinction. In addition, the audience has become part of the expanding sport business and many goods are now purchased. It seems that there is a growing tendency for spectators of sports to express themselves with these items.<br> 　This essay is based on the author's observation notes, and it is neither the result of a designed survey nor findings based on analysis of systematically collected data. The aim is to consider the current situation and to identify future research issues based on the field notes.