Warren St. John
Author and New York Times Feature Writer
Exclusive Representation by Greater Talent Network
Warren St. John is a feature writer for the New York Times and the author of the best-selling book "Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer: A Road Trip into the Heart of Fan Mania" (Crown Publishers.) The book chronicles his season aboard an 20 -year-old RV with rabid fans of the Alabama Crimson Tide. He is also the editor of the upcoming "ESPN Guide to Psycho Fan Behavior" (ESPN Books), a satire of obsessive fans.
At the podium, St. John brings to life his experience with sports and their fanatical fans. In an insightful look at the sociological and psychological explanations of fandom, St. John sheds light on why so many can be so easily affected by the outcome of games they themselves aren't playing. (Did you know that research has shown that testosterone levels in hard core fans shoot up by as much as 30% after a win, and plummet by a similar amount after a loss?) Fans of any sport or team will enjoy St. John's insight, but more so will people who themselves aren't fans, but who have to live with spouses, friends and co-workers who become unglued at the slightest mention of their team.
At A Glance: St. John grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and attended Columbia University in New York City during -- as he likes to point out -- what was, at the time, the longest losing streak in the history of college football. That experience, and the misery that accompanied it, eventually prompted St. John to wonder: "Why do fans care?" This question motivated him eventually to hit the road with obsessed Alabama fans -- including a couple who skipped their daughter's wedding to attend an Alabama-Tennessee game (they made the reception) -- to try to understand why sports has such power over the human psyche. St. John's resulting book was praised by Gay Talese, Tom Wolfe and H.G. Bissinger, and was named one of Sports Illustrated's best books of 2004. The Chronicle of Higher Education named "Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer" number one on its list of the best books ever written about college sports.
Interested in booking Warren St. John to speak at your next event?
At the podium, St. John brings to life his experience with sports and their fanatical fans. In an insightful look at the sociological and psychological explanations of fandom, St. John sheds light on why so many can be so easily affected by the outcome of games they themselves aren't playing. (Did you know that research has shown that testosterone levels in hard core fans shoot up by as much as 30% after a win, and plummet by a similar amount after a loss?) Fans of any sport or team will enjoy St. John's insight, but more so will people who themselves aren't fans, but who have to live with spouses, friends and co-workers who become unglued at the slightest mention of their team.
At A Glance: St. John grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and attended Columbia University in New York City during -- as he likes to point out -- what was, at the time, the longest losing streak in the history of college football. That experience, and the misery that accompanied it, eventually prompted St. John to wonder: "Why do fans care?" This question motivated him eventually to hit the road with obsessed Alabama fans -- including a couple who skipped their daughter's wedding to attend an Alabama-Tennessee game (they made the reception) -- to try to understand why sports has such power over the human psyche. St. John's resulting book was praised by Gay Talese, Tom Wolfe and H.G. Bissinger, and was named one of Sports Illustrated's best books of 2004. The Chronicle of Higher Education named "Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer" number one on its list of the best books ever written about college sports.
Interested in booking Warren St. John to speak at your next event?
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