7. Geek Is the New Jock: The Relationship Between Geek Culture and Sports

This chapter focuses on the similarities between geeks and jocks. Their closeness is most visible through video games and fandom. Video games have always been the domain of geeks, and the gamer has always been the opposite of the athlete. However, playing video games is an activity enjoyed by gamers as various as video games themselves. Fandom is another similarity between both groups, since both are very passionate about the things they care about. The biggest place where they come together is the San Diego Comic-Con, where jocks go out of their way to “out-geek” other participants. Being simultaneously a geek and a jock is no longer exceptional—one can even state that these imbued labels do not apply anymore and should be dropped.