Sometimes sports fans are content to wear a hat or a jersey to demonstrate their loyalty. Others, however, are so passionate about their favorite athletes and teams that they're inspired to get a tattoo to tell the world. It makes sense, too – something so permanent demonstrates that their love will never die. Unless, of course, they move to a different place and adopt a new team. In that case, they may need to consider tattoo removal options.
A picture worth a thousand words
Fansided revealed that one diehard fan went so far as to get half of his head tattooed to show his support for the Louisville Cardinals. The ink includes the numbers "502," Louisville's area code, in bold black letters, flanked by the school's signature red Olde English "L" on the left and the Cardinal logo in the shape of a fleur-de-lis on the right. The design is nothing short of elaborate, and will certainly attract some attention from the bleachers when he's cheering on his favorite team. Considering the fact that the Cardinals have been gaining strength since Rick Pitino took over, it's not surprising that sentimental fans have been looking for a more extreme way to express their loyalty.
Another fan really took his allegiance up a notch by getting a tattoo of LeBron James' face on his thigh. According to USA Today, The King posted a photo of the man's ink on Instagram, saying that his friend Shane Battier discovered the design when a man ran up to show it to him. James admitted that he's pretty flattered.
A permanent bond
This phenomenon isn't totally uncommon, and it's not just an individual decision, either. The Washington Post reported that six female Nationals fans recently got matching logo tattoos on their bodies as a constant reminder of their shared loyalty. It all started when one friend admitted she wanted a curly "W" tattoo, and another girl agreed. After sending a direct message on Twitter proposing the idea to their other gal pals, they agreed to make it a group outing. They all chose different places for their designs, including a right shoulder, wrist and ankle, which were completed at the Fort Washington Tattoo Company. Most important to the group was that their ink was dry before the 2014 Nats Fest. While five of them got permanent ink, one girl chose a temporary one, which her friends refer to as her "practice tattoo." She might be hesitant because she wants to avoid tattoo regret – a common occurrence when someone makes an impulsive decision. The others, meanwhile, already have plans in the works to recruit other friends into a second session at the tattoo parlor.
