Today, it is even less clear what “fan” really means. The people in charge of entertainment properties or consumer brands consider anybody who pays money for the thing they produce a fan. In everyday speech, we say someone is a “fan” of anything they like, no matter to what degree. Coca-Cola refers to people who buy Coca-Cola as fans of Coca-Cola. During an average bit of small talk, I might refer to myself as a fan of shallots or not a fan of bell peppers. The word “fan” is now synonymous with consumer loyalty; you could be forgiven for considering it a marketing word.
