This Is What Sports Fans Looked Like in the '90s
November 11, 2013This Is What Sports Fans Looked Like in the '90s
Big pants with far more pockets than any person would realistically need. Bowl cuts and bangs. Gaudy sportswear and boys who could grow mustaches in the 8th grade.
The dynasty-driven NFL and NBA era gave way to "parity," as the newly restructured leagues gave new life to bad teams and all-time greats retired from the game.
It was the '90s, and upon further review, it didn't look as good as we thought it did, but standing between the decades that came before and after it, the crowing is understandable.
Few images capture the style and attitude of the decade that gave us Internet-based fantasy sports, more faithfully than sports fans from the '90s.
Here's 50 pics of sports fans who are totally '90s.
1990
Date: June 30, 1990
Event: Unknown...probably soccer.
This photo was labeled "Irish Fans With Whistles" in the Getty library. I probably would've labeled this one "Irish Fans With Lots of Bows," but whatever.
Also, I totally used to rock the horrible '90s swoop on the far left.
1990
Date: September 23, 1990
Event: (Los Angeles) Rams vs. Eagles
Look at that awesome weirdo in the awesome hat! How is it possible that Los Angeles hasn't been able to support an NFL franchise?
1990
Date: Exact Date Unknown
Event: Milwaukee Brewers Game
The exact date of this Brewers game is unknown, but one thing we know for sure is acid wash jean jackets with really skinny wrist holes were a terrible idea.
1990
Date: August 26, 1990
Event: Oakland Raiders Game
There is no better way to represent the Raiders silver than with a grey tank top and a frosty can of the Silver Bullet...while sitting on a really dirty couch in the parking lot.
1990
Date: Exact Date Unknown
Event: Unknown
I have no idea what's up with this "Ferrari Supporter" and neither does Getty Images, but I guess we both figured this was a photo worth sharing. You're welcome.
1991
Date: Exact Date Unknown
Event: Oakland Raiders Game
Nothing too out of the ordinary here—not much changes in Oakland. The only thing that really gives away the year is the lame SNL "Pumping Up with Hans & Franz" reference on the sign.
1991
Date: Exact Date Unknown
Event: Oakland A's Game
Full body paint dudes have been around forever, apparently. I definitely prefer the look with the sunglasses; the weird yellow paint around the eyes is oddly unsettling.
1992
Date: Exact Date Unknown
Event: Los Angeles Rams Game
Before the Rams moved to St. Louis, their devoted group of superman Melonheads were about the only fans the team could count on to actually show up to their home games.
1992
Date: July 1992
Event: United States National Basketball Team, Barcelona Olympics
Fanny packs? Check! Patriot super fan gear? Check, check! Miniature American flags? Check, check, check! Those remain on the "what to pack" list of every American traveling abroad to this day.
1993
Date: November 20, 1993
Event: West Virginia vs. Miami
The Mountaineers defeated No. 3 ranked Miami on this day, in a season which was undefeated until their loss to Florida in the Sugar Bowl.
Also, it's been two decades since then and WVU fans look exactly the same.
1993
Date: June 24, 1993
Event: Unknown
The game may be unknown, but the scene sure has become a familiar one in MLB.The only difference is that today the security guy would have a taser and, ideally, nobody would be wearing knee-length jean shorts.
1993
Date: January 31, 1993
Event: Cowboys vs. Bills, Super Bowl XXVII
These Bills fans were so excited about the opportunity to lose to the Cowboys that they shot a Buffalo and brought its head with them to the game.
I bet they were less excited about carrying that thing around after the game.
1993
Date: January 31, 1993
Event: Bills vs. Cowboys, Super Bowl XXVII
I imagine there's a story behind why these women are dressed like that, but I have absolutely no clue what it is.
Fun fact: O.J. Simpson did the coin toss at the Super Bowl that year; just 18 months before his…uh…legal troubles began.
1993
Date: September 11, 1993
Event: Florida State vs. Clemson
FSU defeated ACC rival Clemson 57-0 nothing on this day, really giving these shirtless bros something to cheer about.
Some things never change, I guess.
1993
Date: January 17, 1993
Event: Cowboys vs. 49ers, NFC Championship
My first thought was to laugh at these dudes because the Cowboys recently lost to the Saints by a million points, but then I remembered they did win three Super Bowls back then.
So instead I laughed about how Miley Cyrus forever ruined the foam finger.
1994
Date: June 24, 1994
Event: USA vs. Romania
Apparently the 1994 U.S. men's soccer squad is what put the sport on the map. The fact that they were bumped out in the Round of 16 should give you a clue about where it was before that.
Say what you will about soccer, but there's no denying it attracts a lot of good looking ladies.
1994
Date: December 24, 1994
Event: Steelers vs. Chargers
Christmas came early for these San Diego fans, as the home team narrowly defeated the Steelers, who finished an impressive 12-4 that season.
Also, I'm loving the lady in the Harvard sweatshirt! Never been a big fan of the Chargers colors.
1994
Date: August 11, 1994
Event: Mariners vs. A's
Look at all those sad faces pleading with MLB and the players not to strike. Apparently they weren't too convincing, as the season ended the very next day.
1994
Date: June 22, 1994
Event: USA vs. Colombia
This American soccer fan is rocking some classic crispy early '90s hair, complete with a not-so-great dye job and overly teased bangs.
1994
Date: January 23, 1994
Event: Bills vs. Chiefs, AFC Championship
Wow. All I have to say about this is that if the Bills ever get back into the playoffs, I'm definitely going to a game. Hot tubs, cigars, authoritative mustaches and Coors Light—sounds like a thin slice of dirty heaven.
1994
Date: January 1, 1994
Event: Nebraska vs. Florida State, Orange Bowl
On one hand, it's kind of lame that Nebraska's No. 1 fan went to the Orange Bowl with (what looks to be) his mom. On the other hand, at least she was there to hug him when they lost.
1995
Date: December 31, 1995
Event: Packers vs. Falcons
I cropped this photo so we could play a guessing game. Anyone care to venture a guess as to where this game was played?
If you said Atlanta, you lose. And you should probably travel more.
1995
Date: November 7, 1995
Event: Cowboys vs. Chargers
I generally appreciate face painters as the entertaining clowns of the NFL. They're the only clowns I don't find completely horrifying.
1995
Date: August 12, 1995
Event: Oakland Raiders Game
Business as usual in Raider Nation.
1995
Date: October 28, 1995
Event: Boston College vs. Notre Dame
For some reason it's always a big deal for a team to play Notre Dame, which is why these BC fans went the extra mile to prepare for the big game.
Something tells me the BC was shaved off his head in a drunken rage later that night, after the Irish beat them 20-10.
1995
Date: January 15, 1995
Event: 49ers vs. Cowboys, NFC Championship
There was a stretch (of at least three years) in the '90s when the Niners and Cowboys had an annual date in the NFC Championship.
It seems that fan rage toward the other team grew exponentially each year, along with that dude's mullet.
1995
Date: November 19, 1995
Event: Browns vs. Packers
This Browns fan is obviously rankled about the franchise's impending move to Baltimore. That's in addition to being a '90s vision in brown and orange.
1995
Date: January 29, 1995
Event: 49ers vs. Chargers, Super Bowl XXXIX
This photo is great because you can actually see Chargers fans in the background staring and taking photos of these guys. But I'm really not sure what's going on here.
1995
Date: December 3, 1995
Event: Packers vs. Bengals
Green Bay is one of the only cities in the world that has a shirtless season for fat dudes. The season started on the day the city was founded and will end approximately never.
1996
Date: December 29, 1996
Event: Steelers vs. Colts
As a Pittsburgh native, I'd like to say the era of the big crispy perm ended a long time ago like it did for the rest of the world. Unfortunately I cannot.
That lady could've been my mom or any of my aunts last Sunday.
1996
Date: October 22, 1996
Event: Braves vs. Yankees, World Series Game 3
Timely reference there, Braves fans. Rocking the Conehead look three years after the dumb SNL sketch from the '70s was turned into a dumb movie from the '90s.
1996
Date: December 22, 1996
Event: Redskins vs. Cowboys
I moved to the D.C. area about five years ago and have never really understood the hype behind the Redskins-Cowboys rivalry. People here all seem pretty "meh" about the whole thing.
This photo tells me that genuine hostilities do actually exist. Apparently I've just been hanging out with a pretty boring crowd.
1996
Date January 28, 1996
Event: Steelers vs. Cowboys, Super Bowl XXX
Hopefully these Steelers fans got good and loaded before the game, which would've taken the edge off the stern kick to the crotch that dreadful loss to the Cowboys was.
1996
Date: April 21, 1996
Event: Goody's Headache Powder 500
Two things: 1. NASCAR fans have never and will never change. 2. What the hell is Goody's Headache Powder?!
1996
Date: July 30, 1996
Event: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp
This Buccaneers fan is definitely taking the swashbuckler thing too far. It's tough to pull off a bare hairy chest and a giant orange feather in your giant orange cowboy hat.
How about that majestic video camera though? That thing probably set him back $1,000.
1997
Date: February 14, 1997
Event: Daytona 500
It looks like this NASCAR fan really wanted to watch the Daytona 500 from his living room. So he did what any one of us would do; he packed it up and took it with him.
Seriously though—did he need to bring the lamps too?
1997
Date: January 5, 1997
Event: Cowboys vs. Panthers, NFC divisional playoffs
The fact that those four people aren't Michael Irvin fans is…like the least surprising thing that has ever happened.
I'm sure they've all had a good laugh at the expense of everyone who's ever been to prison, at some point or another.
1997
Date: June 5, 1997
Event: Flyers vs. Red Wings, Stanley Cup Finals
That Red Wings fan was more than a little presumptuous dressing as the Stanley Cup for Game 3 against the Flyers.
But good on her if she wore it to Game 4, since they swept Philadelphia, to the delight of the hometown crowd in Detroit.
1997
Date: August 31, 1997
Event: (Tennessee) Oilers vs. Raiders
This was the very first regular season game the Oilers played in Tennessee after relocating from Houston. This dude can definitely brag about being all in on this team from Day 1.
Although, I'm guessing he doesn't brag about that outfit. A t-shirt with the sleeves cut off, suspenders and a gold chain...hopefully that was just a phase.
1997
Date: November 22, 1997
Event: Mississippi State vs. Arkansas
That sassy old broad might be the surliest football fan I've ever seen attending a game in person, particularly considering the Razorbacks won the game.
She was the original McKayla Maroney, in that she is most definitely not impressed.
1998
Date: December 6, 1998
Event: Jaguars vs. Lions
It's been 15 years since this Jags fan celebrated 37-22 victory over the Lions. Today he (or she?) would probably be wearing a bag over his (or her?) head.
Looks more like Cheetara than a jaguar if you ask me.
1998
Date: September 19, 1998
Event: Florida vs. Tennessee
The year after losing Peyton Manning to the NFL, Tennessee knocked off No. 2 Florida en route to an undefeated season.
Also...what's with the sleeveless turtleneck?
1998
Date: July 17, 1998
Event: Davis Cup
This is one look that never goes out of style. Replace those stupid fishing hats with Steelers and South Carolina ball caps and you've got my last 4th of July party—and every one before that.
1998
Date: March 4, 1998
Event: Angels vs. Mariners
I'm pretty sure that retired pitcher Randy Johnson was born with a mullet and an impressively dirty looking mustache. Seriously can't imagine him without either, particularly the mullet.
1998
Date: July 25, 1998
Event: Seattle Seahawks Training Camp
Kudos to that Seahawks fan for his commitment to loving football, despite Seattle averaging seven wins a season between 1993 and 1998. Granted, it was a marked improvement from most seasons prior.
1999
Date: March 27, 1999
Event: Unknown
The Getty library labeled these two lovely ladies as "Fans," nothing more. This list has been a total sausage party, so I assumed they'd be a welcome change.
1999
Date: January 31, 1999
Event: Super Bowl XXXIII
The late, great Broncos Barrel Man is proof that going shirtless with a barrel held up by suspenders and a cowboy hat is as timeless a look as the little black dress.
1999
Date: June 12, 1999
Event: Detroit Shock vs. Minnesota Lynx
A few jorts-wearing tweens heading into their respective awkward stages take in a WNBA game together. The fact that these kids are around 27 years old right now makes me feel very old.
1999
Date: October 11, 1999
Event: Miami Heat vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv
Hey look! Apparently Heat fans existed long before Dwyane Wade and LeBron James came to town. This is the first visual confirmation I've seen.
1999
Date: October 10, 1999
Event: Cowboys vs. Eagles
Fans in Philadelphia were treated to the sties and sounds of these Cowboys fans on a drizzly day back in 1999. They got the last laugh though, as the Eagles won.
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