The member of a
sports team about whom supporters of the
team are especially
ardent.
It's not always a star that become the fan favorite. Just as often it's an otherwise unheralded player who merits
this distinction by the home crowd, perhaps because of his
antics while playing, but usually due to his grit,
reliability, fierce determination, consistently applied
work ethic, and maybe even his dedication to serving the
community.
The sports fan understands that skill levels vary and
that players of lesser abilities still make worthwhile
contributions. The fan favorite exemplifies why the
ticket holder became a stakeholder; subconsciously, the
fan sees something of himself in the rugged plight of
the unglorified role player.
In hockey, the fan favorite is often the team's
enforcer, the player who makes sure that opponents don't
take liberties with his team's stars.