Fans of a college football team that wins a big game could experience a boost in self-esteem that lasts at least two days after the event, a new study suggests.

On the other hand, fans of the losing team won’t necessarily suffer a loss in their self-esteem following the game, the results suggested – although they may see a decrease in their mood.

The key for fans of both teams may be the positive effects of watching the game with friends.

“Just feeling connected to others while watching the game helped sustain self-esteem,” said Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, co-author of the study and professor of communication at The Ohio State University.

For more on this research, visit Ohio State's research news site and the full article written by Jeff Grabmeier.