The sports industry in the United States is undeniably ginormous. It is certainly one of the most powerful businesses in our country. However, the emotional power of sports is just as profound.

There are millions upon millions of sports fans around the world. Each and every one of their emotional attachments to their team is incredible. This leads to both positive and negative consequences.

As we’ve seen in the past few years, sports are a completely different animal.

Personally, sports is a major part of my life. I watch them, play them, analyze them and I even write about them. I want my career and the rest of my life to revolve around sports.

The top three things most important to me are my family, my friends and then sports. I’m sure that I am not alone. Die-hard sports fans are everywhere.

The definition of a fan is a person who has a strong interest or admiration for a particular thing.

When you have a strong admiration for something, you can certainly do some crazy things to show that admiration, which can be good or bad.

Take the Super Bowl for example. The Philadelphia Eagles win their first Super Bowl and the entire city freaks out. People are seen flipping cars, jumping off traffic lights and even eating horse manure.

There are riots between fans across the countries at several college campuses. People even got stabbed. Obviously, this behavior is not moral. But it was sports that caused it.

Then there are the fans that completely lose it after their team loses.

I’ve seen countless videos of fans destroying their living room, breaking TVs and having huge temper tantrums after a tough loss. I’ve seen grown men cry over sports. You don’t see grown men cry too often.

But on the flip side, there’s some good that sports can bring to people, society and the world.

ESPN often shows heart-wrenching videos in a segment called “Why We Watch Sports Today,” which highlights the great deeds brought upon from sports.

Kids with disabilities are brought so much joy when they have an opportunity to meet an athlete or when they can get on the field for the first time and play the game they love.

Children with hard lives at home can feel a sense of direction and happiness when they participate in sports. It can have a huge impact on someone’s life

And you see the positives of sports after major tragedies.

Take the Boston Marathon bombing for example. When the Boston Bruins played their first home game at TD Garden after the attack, the entire crowd joined together to sing the national anthem.

David Ortiz delivered one of the most powerful speeches with an F-bomb included on live TV and rallies the Red Sox to a World Series championship. Then of course, after Hurricane Matthew in Houston, JJ Watt of the Houston Texans was able to raise $37 million dollars for relief.

The response that sports can have to tragedy is incomprehensible.

Sports have the power to unify and tear apart. It can bring a fan the utmost joy or it can bring a fan to tears.

Sports are a centerpiece for small talk and for heated debates. They can join new friends but then at the same time destroy a friendship.

Sports, I believe, can be one of the most powerful forces in a fans life. Sports can be someone’s reason for living. The power that it has is simply unbelievable.

-Brendan Crowley