Why this summer is the perfect time to start caring about sports

We’re watching the World Cup, stanning Serena Williams, and rooting for the WNBA’s rookies — no prior fan experience required.

As I watched more than 2 million people smush themselves into Lower Manhattan last week, it became crystal clear that Jalen Brunson will forever be known as the city’s hero; that Josh Hart is now a baby girl heartthrob; that Jordyn Woods’s purse is actually magic; and that there are a lot of fair-weather New York Knicks fans. The number of people who showed up for the championship parade — and the number of people proudly wearing Knicks gear in the days and weeks leading up to it — was exponentially higher than the number of Knicks devotees when the playoffs started.

But I’m not here to bury these enthusiasts for their bandwagoning. I’m here to praise them. Watching sports is a fun, joyous, and often communal experience, particularly when a team is winning; there’s nothing wrong with wanting to partake in these feelings — especially when you consider the alternative is sitting at home, dealing with a personal loneliness crisis.

Culture reflects society. Get our best explainers on everything from money to entertainment to what everyone is talking about online.

It’s so much better to kick off summer — a season that’s all about having a blast and being social — with positive, lightly parasocial vibes among (new or old) friends.

If you were too late to jump on the Knicks bandwagon or are wistful for another taste of victory, you’re in luck: Summer 2026 will have many more opportunities to root for cuties, mythologize lucky charms, wear fun merch, and get deeply invested in sports analytics that you’ve never cared about before. There is no better time than the present to be a huge fan of a player or a team, even if you didn’t know them five minutes ago.

Here’s what to look forward to:

The big storyline this summer: The United States is actually good.

Amid all the controversy surrounding this year’s World Cup (e.g., the Trump administration’s immigration and visa policies, exorbitant ticket prices, extreme heat, hydration breaks that seem like a cash grab, etc.) the US men’s soccer team’s success has become one of the most surprising and defining stories. Historically, the US men haven’t been great at soccer. But this year’s crew went on a tear against Paraguay, and shut out Australia, clinching a spot in the knockout rounds — in fact, it’s the first time since 1930 that the US has won back-to-back World Cup games. That they’re doing on home soil only adds to the thrill that fans are feeling. The question now is whether they can keep this quality of play up and keep this run going.

The deeper cut: How many goals will Messi’s World Cup scoring record be?

I felt a little wistful for the New York Knicks. For the past few weeks, the energy in New York City was so buoyant. On my morning coffee walks, everyone I passed was in Knicks gear. People were skipping out of work early to watch games. Restaurants and bars had the Finals playing or projected every night. On the days when the team didn’t play, everyone was already anticipating the next game. Pope Leo was rooting for them!

And then they won, had the parade, and this chapter of the Knicks was........

© Vox