35+ Ingenious Sports Signs That Stole Everyone’s Attention From The Game

By Saptargha D

This article was originally published on sportzspace

It is no secret that sports are loved the world over for their competition, intensity, and thrill. But even the most action-packed events have their periods of relative quiet. Why catch the ball game live when at home you can just leave your TV during the less exciting parts? One word: Fans. Being in a stadium packed with fans showing support for their team, heckling opposing players, and shouting at the refs can be an addicting experience. But our personal favorite things to see are the signs.

Oh man, the signs are so good. From confessing their love for a player to shattering the ego of an opposing team, fans apply their utmost creativity while making these sports signs and the results are downright unhinged in the best way possible. On that note, we’ve collected some of the creme-de-la-creme of hilarious sports signs for your viewing enjoyment. Set…HIKE!

Putting Things into Perspective

Everyone knows that honesty is the best policy, but this guy is walking the walk and not just talking the talk. Yeah, attending this game instead of studying for next week’s exam isn’t good for GPA, but he knows that this is bigger than himself.

Photo by Unknown on Fox Sports

Well, it seems that he is neither worried about his GPA nor his parents seeing this sign. Then again, if you attend a football school, you know what you’re getting yourself into, so we bet his parents agree with his choice.

Turning Down a Proposal

At certain times in life, we meet two diverging roads that call upon us to make a decision. Given the big and happy smile flashing across the face of the girl in the picture, it seems like she is satisfied with her choice.

Photo by CharlesNoblet on Imgur

She had to choose between her engagement ring and World Series tickets. Well, she certainly has her priorities sorted — you can buy engagement rings again and again, but there’s only one World Series every year. Now that’s real commitment. After all, the heart wants what it wants!

The Love of True Fans

Life does not always go the way you plan, and this is particularly true for players. Even though they may set out to give their best on the court/rink/pitch/field/etc., things won’t go their way at all times. Thankfully, the fans are there to turn a bad moment into a good one.

Photo by kevmos on Reddit

The game was tied, and Tyler Seguin, a former Boston Bruins player, was sent to the penalty box late in the second period for hooking. Thankfully, this fan was in the right place to offer some much-needed perspective. Two minutes time-out for hitting someone we don’t like? Count us in!

Setting Priorities Straight

Decisions are a part of life. Some are pivotal, some aren’t worth losing sleep over. But no matter your priorities, if your wife is pregnant and can go into labor at any time, the only right decision is to be by her side.

Photo by AtLeastMyInternetConnectionDidWork on Imgur

But what if your team needs you just as much? It seems a compromise is in order. And what’s the wife going to do if (and when) push comes to shove? It’s not as if she can chase after you.

Pao Gasol’s Twin

Some people hold a popular belief that the world has seven other people who look similar to us. But for Pao Gasol, it seems like the twin isn’t another man, but rather an alpaca! Apologies, Gasol, but we’re going to have to agree with this one. The resemblance is simply uncanny.

Photo by Unknown on Buzzfeed

Don’t worry, man, it’s just a hater! And in any case, he better hope you two aren’t related, because alpacas can spit. Dude, you better keep your head down and have your head on a swivel, because if Gasol can read that sign, you’re in the splash zone.

Keeping It Real

As fans of a sports team, we love to see players give their all, especially because they’re getting paid millions of bucks to do good by us. But that’s a double-edged sword, because when they aren’t playing up to par, well…

Photo by @TeamVivalo on Twitter

Then you get signs like this. This fan makes it pretty clear that he has become so fed up with Stanton that his last option is to put across this message and keep it real. Perhaps, when nothing else works, an honest remark does the job!

The Proposal

Crushes on players are all too common, and confessions tend towards the, um, forward side of things. Something about the crowd just brings out people’s confidence. The lady in this picture is a perfect example of the energy we’re talking about.

Photo by Unknown on Journalistate

Some pictures can really tell a story. We can imagine exactly what Hubby here was thinking: “What the hell?!” His wife obviously played her cards close to her chest with this one, because the dude has obviously been caught off-guard.

A Message to the Ex

Breakups are one of the worst things we have to handle in life, and there are many different ways to say goodbye. This lady’s boyfriend probably thought he was slick, that she didn’t suspect a thing. How wrong he was.

Photo by eBaumsWorld on Pinterest

The sign proves that it’s always more fun to watch sports live in the stadium than on the couch at home. It’s important to let terrible people be known to protect others, and this woman did not hesitate. Thanks for the heads-up!

The Deal

What would sports be without sports bets? This is smooth as heck, by the way: You win, you get the dog you wanted anyways and GF is happy; you lose, you “take pity” on GF and buy her a puppy (that you wanted anyways) to cheer her up.

Photo by @Cut4 on Twitter

And wouldn’t you know it, they got the puppy! No one could have ever seen that coming. Now that’s what we call a win-win. This guy is going places. All that’s left to do is to pick a name. How about Kansas? Seems fitting.

The Unending Rivalry

From the London Derby to the Merseyside Derby, regardless of the team, it’s always thrilling to watch an intense game where two local rivals go head to head and duke it out for bragging rights. It was no different for this game between sworn nemeses Colorado State University Rams and Colorado University Buffalos.

Photo by Unknown on Pinterest

During matches involving such rivalry, it’s almost more fun to watch the fans. The school spirit is as its absolute peak at these functions, which leads to outrageous spectacles like the one above. Hopefully the Rams one this one, or else this sign would be pretty awkward.

Response To Referees

It is no surprise that referees do not have the best reputation among fans or players. When they do their job, there’s no issue, but the bad calls are consequently the only things anyone remembers. And boy, do people remember. Nothing like a bad call to send 10,000+ people into a collective fit of rage!

Photo by TheSoundsOfDowntown on Imgur

From the above image, it seems this fan has tolerated enough crap. The best part is that she knew she was going to get upset, or else she wouldn’t have made the sign. Now that’s the mark of a true veteran sports fan!

Reminder for Referees

Fans may have different opinions regarding the team they support, but when it comes to referees, they all share the same thought: Refs suck! There is no denying that fans are united in their hate for refs, and this sign makes it pretty clear.

Photo by Kevin C. Cox on Hustle Belt

Man, being a ref truly is a thankless job. At some point you probably start to take signs like these as a compliments. “Oh, how nice of them to think about me!” It’s actually beautiful in a way how much of a unifying force a bad ref can be.

Finding Luck in Love

Does Prince Charming exist only in fairy tales or in real life, too? Well, for this fan, the answer to that question is the latter, and his name is Tim Tebow. Through her sign, it’s pretty clear she is ready to give up on her boyfriend for this handsome football player.

Photo by Bill Frakes for SI

We don’t blame her, though, because Tim Tebow is a catch. He’s won a Heisman trophy and has had a successful career. All he needs is love from his fans, which he apparently also has no problem acquiring. In a minute he’s going to be adding “Mr. Steal Yo Girl” to his list of accolades.

The Pet Naming Game

Sports are like the mafia: You can’t ever truly leave the Family. Even though they may not be active and play anymore, players leave behind a mark that keeps them alive in the game forever. Such is the influence of the former ice hockey player, Sean Avery.

Photo by eBaumsWorld

This fan decided to name her pet after him. We’re honestly not sure if that’s meant as a compliment or not. It’s kind of like giving someone leftover cookies as a gift. Like, thank you, but also that’s a little strange.

Signs of Loyalty

We have often heard of authors facing writer’s block, but how often do we hear a fan struggling from the same? Well, this fan seems to have gone blank while making this sign, but in a twist of fate, his sign was a cut above the rest.

Photo by Cheezburger on Pinterest

Out of all the signs in the picture, we can’t help but drive our attention to this one stating, “Couldn’t think of anything.” From his thought of nothing certainly sprang his humorous side, which we love. It also shows that sometimes, all you gotta do is show up!

Sibling Rivalry

Baseball games are always filled with the most unexpected of situations, and the following sign is no exception. This little boy has set out to get revenge on his brother for reasons unknown, and he’s offering his entire savings as payment.

Photo by EGriffi5 on Reddit

What’s funnier is that the other brother does not even seem to have a clue that the sign is being directed toward him. Well, we wonder whether the Rangers won a piggy bank or chose to spare this fan’s brother. Either way, it’s good for a chuckle!

Dads Know Best

When we need advice, we often go to the eldest person in our home, and most times, it’s our dad. We have faith in him that he knows all about life, and it looks like this fan wanted his favorite team to listen to his dad, too.

Photo by NFL.com

Dads do know a lot about football, and we wonder if the coach saw this sign on the sidelines and decided to take the suggestion. Or maybe the coach IS his dad. Now that’d be a plot twist for sure!

Let’s Talk About Lasagna

When it comes to sports signs and banners, you would expect them to be about the team or the players and hardly about something else. But this fan was tired of heckling and decided to both spread positivity and brag at the same time.

Photo by Obamawantsyourweed on Reddit

Great, it smells like alcohol and sweat and now we’re hungry. Nothing beats a home cooked meal from Mom. And we’re sure all that excitement worked up quite an appetite. Maybe they can save some for us as well? Please?

Better Late Than Never!

As a true fan of a team, you’d probably feel like supporting them through all their ups and downs. You’d never like to leave their side and always want to see good in them, even when they’re not giving their best on the field.

Photo by Noah Toumert on Medium

However, this fan of the Cleveland Browns wants to give the team a reality check. It’s not unknown that this football team hasn’t emerged victorious in any major sports league since 1964. But the sign held by the guy paired with the emotionally exhausted expression on his face is comic relief.

Scheduling a Meeting

Planning to ask someone out on a date, particularly your crush, is one of the most challenging things in life. But cheers to the bravery of these two girls who are not only asking Jason and Derek to meet them, but have also already decided on the venue.

Photo by Journalistate

And we’re sure they have a nice candlelit dinner in mind, yes? After all, behind the zamboni is basically a winter wonderland. Jason and Derek are either in for a good time or are going to get murdered. There’s no in-between.

The Hunter Pence Assumptions

Fan culture is something that has been in existence since its inception. Some fans appreciate a player’s efforts and contribution to the game. In contrast, a few may be charmed by the players to such an extent that they tend to research everything about them, including their likes, dislikes, and everyday habits.

Photo by Caitlin Bockerstett on Pinterest

And if that doesn’t work, they just make stuff up. This brings us to Hunter Pence, whose hecklers became infamous for their persistence and and outlandish claims. Yeah, it’s safe to say we’re going to be seeing more Hunter Pence slander later on.

A Humble Request

Harry Potter has his wand, and hockey players have their stick. It’s quite a thing of beauty, honestly, and we would want to hold it to just to feel that rush. So we don’t blame this girl, who obviously means exactly what’s written on her sign and nothing else.

Photo by Lawrence Brooks on Quora

Yeah, wouldn’t that be a time. You probably need two hands to fully control that thing. Well, we weren’t at this game, but if anyone sees this young woman, they can ask her if it was indeed as long as everyone claims.

Referee, Hear Me Out!

A huge part of how a game will turn out to be depends upon the decisions made by the referees. As a result, they must give a fair and unbiased verdict. But for fans, no verdict will ever be fair and unbiased.

Photo by acctyupacct on Reddit

In fact, it would not be wrong to state that, more than the players, the fans are the true haters of refs. At least we get some good signs out of it. After all, the best art tends to come from suffering.

Self-Proclaimed Family

There are some influential people in the world. When we cross paths with them, we can’t help but wish we shared a closeness with them as we do with our siblings or cousins. And it turns out that this fan holds the same kind of admiration for Dirk.

Photo by Journalistate

Not only that, he also looks the same as Dirk. That Pao Gasol heckler from earlier clearly could learn a thing or two, because these two were definitely separated at birth. What a cool place to have a family reunion!

Proving a Point

When you go to the stadium to watch matches, you come across the most absurd groups of people. Some simply come to watch the game, cheer for their team, and have a good day, but a few people only show up for the clout, like this guy.

Photo by DaFunOne on Imgur

Actually, you know what? This guy’s probably a plant. Universities in the US have diversity quotas to fill, and this guy is making it undeniable that there are, indeed, minorities at the school. In Alabama, it’s not exactly a given.

What Matters the Most?

One of the most crucial life skills is time management. We must be capable of sorting out our priorities and deciding when we need to complete a particular task over another. For this man, it’s pretty clear he chooses sports over anything else.

Photo by @CollegeGameDay on Twitter

Displaying such a sign requires boldness and courage, and it seems that this man possesses both in spades. Then again, if you skip your court date you might as well relish the moment, because it’s not a given that you’ll be able to attend another game for a bit.

A Message to Brett Favre

It’s hard to be in the limelight because anything you do is heard through the grapevine by everyone. Although fame may be fleeting, things you do during stardom last forever. Brett Favre, for example, can’t catch a break (and perhaps doesn’t deserve one).

Photo by Journalistate

Not long ago, a NSFW texting scandal was exposed involving the player, but fans showed support in their own way. Just like these ladies have nailed the sign with their sense of humor and play on words to get the message across.

Carbon Copy

We said you were gonna see Hunter Pence again on this list, and now here he is. This time, he’s being accused of being a baseball player by day, but an actor by night. So he’s kind of like Batman, but not even remotely similar in any way.

Photo by Rawtashk on Reddit

Somewhere out there, a 40-year-old woman with two kids is reading this and thinking, “I wish Hunter Pence would try to kidnap my kids.” Oh well, a girl can dream, we suppose. And just so everyone’s clear, we’re not done with Pence yet.

The Cure

When we catch a fever, our sole instinct is to go to the pharmacy and get medicine that can cure us. But for this fan, the treatment seems to be something else. Most of us feel better after taking the doctor-prescribed tablet, but it looks like only Dirk can cure her fever.

Photo by Bleacher Report on Pinterest

We have a suggestion for her: Next time bring an actual cowbell and hit it every time Dirk scores. Even better, get your boyfriend to do it for you. Then Dirk will have to notice you! It’s a foolproof strategy.

Pure Genius

This world is diverse, where people of different continents, countries, and cultures live together. However, some stereotypical thoughts exist for all kinds of cultures, and when it comes to Asians, it is often said they are not the best drivers.

Photo by BuzzFeed on Pinterest

Despite this popular view, it cannot be denied that the above sign is pure genius. He’s certainly making the voices of all Asians heard through this art of creativity blended with basketball. Hilarious, intellectual, and perfect is what this sign is!

The Wives of the Fans

It’s often believed that when you’re single, you only have to take care of yourself, but once you’re married, you also need to think about your spouse. Thus, sometimes, you must give up on your outings and instead engage in your partner’s plans.

Photo by Unknown on Imgur

However, it looks like these men have planned to attend the match against their wives’ wishes. So, they decided to ease the tension with humor laid in these signs. Our only hope is that their wives get the joke and aren’t furious about it.

Hotness During the Cold

It’s the middle of winter, and the air is pretty chill. What are you most likely to do during such weather when there’s a big game ahead? Perhaps, wear a cuddly jacket and show up to the match with a warm cup of coffee, right?

Photo by Jeff Hanisch on USA TODAY Sports

Well, for these girls, the choice is a bit unusual. They are even ready to bear the chill during the bleak winter days. Kudos to their immunity and creativity for the innovative and hilarious way they decided to convey the message.

Supporting Sale

Fans make the team’s spirit come alive. They give players the strength and motivation they need to do their best. Also, they constantly fuel their energy with their unending support. Well, exactly this level of dedication can be seen in this guy’s sign.

Photo by Unknown on eBaumsWorld

In 2016, Chris Sale, the former pitcher of the Chicago White Sox, destroyed vintage throwback jerseys of the team, accusing them of being uncomfortable. So, this fan showed up with a sign to support the player’s action. But what drew our attention was the hilarious fitting of his jersey. It indeed seemed to be uncomfortable.

It’s Just for Fun

Who says sports always have to revolve around competition? It doesn’t matter whether it is the Manchester Derby or the epic El Clásico; as long as both the teams are having fun, it’s enough, right? Well, your opinion may differ, but for this guy, it seems true.

Photo by and_peggy1776 on Reddit

Thus, he has sent the message across and made it pretty clear that to him, it’s not about who wins or loses the game. Instead, he wants both teams to have fun while playing the match. It’s certainly a unique perspective that is also encouraging for the players.

He’s Had Enough

In sports, being a loyal fan is something everyone emphasizes upon. But sometimes, it’s just too hard to be faithful when the team you support does not perform well anymore. In such an instance, your years of support seem to be futile.

Photo by Journalistate

It is indeed said to encourage your team through thick and thin. But this fan seems to have had enough for LA Clippers, which is vividly apparent from the sign he holds. He is so fed up that he is even willing to put up his favorite team for sale!

The Sydney Crosby Burn

If one sign isn’t enough, you need more, which is probably the belief these 4 guys in this picture hold. It’s pretty clear that their signs are aimed toward Sydney Crosby, but what’s hilarious is that they figured one burn wouldn’t be enough for the player.

Photo by amici_ursi on Reddit

Well, we don’t blame them because if Crosby can take the hard-hitting ice, he can also take the joke. Nonetheless, kudos to the 4 friends for their creative thinking and the time and energy invested in creating such sarcastic messages.

Sign of Sarcasm

Some books are read more than once to be well-interpreted, and some sports signs must be re-read to be well-understood. And the following sign is a prime example of it. While it may initially seem like a simple support sign, you’ll feel the slow burn once you reach its ends.

Photo by @CollegeGameDay on Twitter

This guy can certainly give close competition to Chandler Bing when it comes to sarcasm, for he does not seem to have held back from trolling Oregon. We just pray that the state doesn’t last long for the team and they won’t be compared to this sign again.

Hunter Pence Pumpkin Spice

It’s hard for Hunter Pence to catch a break, given the number of times he’s been mentioned in this list. We can’t comprehend if he’s more committed to his games or if his fans are more committed to making his signs because we’ve already seen a couple of them.

Photo by ReverendJimi on Imgur

This fan seems to have done a good deal of research about Pence’s beverage preference and decided to show his findings on the sign. It’s not only about what the player likes but also the face he makes. Thus, his facial image suggests that Pence doesn’t at all prefer having pumpkin spice.

Cheeky Cheerleaders

Now, here is a sure way to motivate the players on the field! Cheerleaders have always had a reputation for being the prettiest, most popular girls wherever they go. Judging by this photo, this lovely bevy certainly lives up to that.

Photo by wickedbeatz/Pinterest

Aside from the usual gravity-defying routines and stunts normal cheerleaders perform, these four seem to have taken their cheering responsibilities a step further with a colorful sign that definitely had the players doing a double-take! Well, as long as it’s all in the name of spreading cheer spirit, we’re all here for it!

To All The DILFs Out There

First of all, props to this fan for her enthusiasm. The hair, the face paint, and even the school’s initials painted on her legs just tell you that this girl takes cheering very seriously. And now it seems she has something else she’d like all DILFs to know she holds close to her heart.

Photo by isabella_bartle/Pinterest

For those who may not know, a DILF is an older man who is considered sexually attractive. We can all agree that most men, especially of a certain age, take sports season more seriously than anything. That said, something tells us that most of them would be distracted by this!