By Brian Ma

Watching sports is exhilarating. The electricity that flows through our bodies, the intensity, anxiety, hatred, love and sense of solidarity and loyalty all come as a package within a game of football. There are die-hard fans, loyal to a hometown or specific team through the thick and thin, but there are also bandwagoners. However, in this case, I am talking specifically about fans who are petty toward other fans.

This year’s 52nd Super Bowl, arguably one of the most highly anticipated events in America, centered around two great teams, the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots. Before the two aforementioned teams were announced to fight on the field for the coveted Super Bowl title, the Minnesota Vikings played against the Eagles for the NFL Conference Championships; in fact, they got wiped out 38-7.

Since the Super Bowl was held at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Eagles fans who wanted to travel and stay for the Super Bowl were restricted from renting out Airbnb places owned by Minneapolis natives. The reason behind this restriction was that Eagles fans were disrespectful towards Vikings fans from Minneapolis

According to Reddit some Airbnb renters in Minneapolis were ordered not to rent to Eagles fans for Super Bowl LII because of “concerns from the post game violence and vandalism” after the championship game. Some Eagles fans who found a place to stay in the Vikings’ homeland paid a historically high amount of money for rental. According to AirbnbWATCH, a three night stay in Minneapolis went up to $15,000 during Superbowl weekend compared to the normal rate of $311. Some Eagles fans had to pay thousands of dollars for living space. Although watching the game at home was a valid option, there were still fans who wished to experience the Super Bowl firsthand in Minneapolis. Philly fans had discriminated, vandalized and elicited violence after the NFL Championship game.

The acts of making fun of the other team and expressing one’s passion for the game are legal. However, I do not condone raucous and vicious behavior, such as harming each other to the point of near death. The act of disallowing the rude Eagles fans from finding a place to stay in Vikings territory is considerable. In fact, Airbnb owners ultimately control who can and cannot occupy their rooms and housing. For example, my friend owns an apartment space in Boston. He has the authority to rent out the rooms to certain people based on several factors; from finances to tenant preference, the owner has the choice to rent the place or not. In Minneapolis, those who usually rent out their rooms were boycotting Eagles fans, since they were rude to Vikings fans after the championship game. It makes sense to hate the opposite side of fans for their lack of sportsmanship and savage tendencies. Since the acts were way over the “uncivilized” degree, I understand that Vikings Airbnb owners were furious and petty.

It may seem ridiculous to disallow people the right to find a place to stay for a few nights but the owner of the place definitely has the ultimate say.
Is discrimination based on a team allowed? In my opinion, discrimination should be allowed to a certain degree. This is a heavily nuanced topic, and there will be countless contrasting opinions regarding what discrimination is, and if it is allowed, to what degree. Everyone has their own unique stance towards an issue. Especially in sports, winning is an ultimate goal of teams. Fans have the power to promote their teams through constant support and loyalty. Players and coaches work alongside each other to figure out ways to win over their opponents. When a rule or action is completed immorally, there should be repercussions. It is important to keep anyone in check whenever his or her behavior exhibits violence and immorality.

Therefore, because a handful of Eagles fans treated the Vikings fans with unsportsmanlike conduct, the Airbnb folks in Minneapolis had the chance to screw over Philly fans who wish to watch the game and have boarding. As a result, Airbnb officials should not have stepped into this matter. Three whole reasons: Airbnb owners have the right over their properties, the discrimination is not based on race or ethnic background but rather because of pettiness and unsportsmanlike conduct and the Eagles fans, who committed violent acts, have ruined it all for their innocent fan base and should be taught a lesson. Overall, Minneapolis Airbnb users are anti-Eagles fans, and they have the right to not rent their places to the Philly fan base.

Brian Ma, FCRH ’20, is a digital tech and emerging media major from Fort Lee, New Jersey.