Every spring, March Madness transforms arenas and living rooms into spaces of shared ritual. Strangers rise as shots swish. Brackets crumple, drinks slosh, and neighbors become temporary family.
Sleet or sunshine, about three-quarters of American adults gather on sidelines and screens to watch sports. People disagree on many issues, but they come together to support their kids, college stars, and pro icons.
Spectators focus on the visible field: players, painted lines, coaches. This field belongs to the players. Alongside it is another field. It exists within spectators who cheer, invest, and feel the pressure of the moment. They have agency to shape how they engage within it…