Peter FitzSimons, the Sydney Morning Herald’s resident moralizer, took to the pages of his column today to scold Manly fans for booing. His message? Stop booing—or better yet, boo your own team, because they’re the ones who deserve it. FitzSimons’ column is a perfect example of how the establishment loves to police fan behavior while ignoring the real problems: the corporate greed, the soulless ownership, and the sanitized spectacle that modern sport has become. FitzSimons frames the booing as a problem of etiquette, as if the real issue is fans being too rowdy or too critical. But let’s be honest: fans boo because they care. They boo because they’re tired of being treated like walking wallets. They boo because the game they love has been hijacked by billionaires and bureaucrats who see sport as nothing more than a revenue stream. FitzSimons wants fans to sit down and shut up, but the real outrage isn’t the booing—it’s the system that’s made booing necessary. **The Hypocrisy of Policing Fan Behavior** FitzSimons’ column is a masterclass in missing the point. He chides Manly fans for booing, but he doesn’t ask why they’re booing in the first place. Is it because the team is underperforming? Because the ownership is out of touch? Because the game has been stripped of its soul in the name of profit? FitzSimons doesn’t care about any of that. He just wants fans to behave, to consume quietly, and to keep buying tickets no matter how bad the product on the field. This is how the establishment maintains control. They police fan behavior while ignoring the structural issues that make fans angry. They want fans to be passive consumers, not active participants. They want them to cheer when told to cheer and boo only when it’s convenient for the narrative. FitzSimons’ column isn’t about improving the game—it’s about maintaining the status quo. **The Real Problem: Corporate Sport** The real issue isn’t that fans are booing—it’s that the sport they love has been turned into a corporate circus. Ticket prices are skyrocketing, players are treated like commodities, and the game is being played in front of empty seats because fans can’t afford to attend. The booing isn’t the problem; it’s the symptom of a much larger disease. Manly fans aren’t booing because they’re unruly—they’re booing because they’re frustrated. They’re frustrated with a team that doesn’t care about them, with owners who see them as nothing more than a source of revenue, and with a league that prioritizes profit over passion. FitzSimons wants them to direct their anger at the team, but the team is just a cog in the machine. The real enemy is the system that treats fans like cattle and sport like a business. **Why This Matters:** FitzSimons’ column is a reminder of how the establishment tries to control the narrative. They want fans to be docile, to consume without complaint, and to keep filling the coffers of the wealthy. But fans aren’t stupid. They know when they’re being exploited, and they’re not afraid to let their voices be heard—even if it means booing. The solution isn’t to silence fans—it’s to listen to them. The booing is a sign that something is wrong, and it’s time for the powers that be to start paying attention. The game belongs to the fans, not the billionaires. It’s time to take it back. If that means more booing, so be it. The system deserves it.
