Mavs fans are everywhere. They’re in Dallas. They’re even in Houston. They can be found in pockets around the U.S. and stretch even as far as Dirk’s homeland in Germany. They watch most of the games and root for the Mavs to end up with Larry O’Brien Trophy at the end of each season. That’s your basic, run-of-the-mill Mavs fan.

Then, there are your hardcore Mavs fans. They watch every game, they know every player and everything about him, they attend as many games as humanly possible. These fans bleed Mavs blue in every sense in the word. They are loyal. They are passionate. They are dedicated. These fans are the one-percenters of Mavs Nation.

At the beginning of the 2013-14 NBA season, I won a contest with the Dallas Mavericks that afforded me the opportunity to attend Mavs Media Day for the first time. As a “Mavs Social Media All-Star” (MavsSMAS) I was given a unique, once in a lifetime opportunity to go behind the scenes, to watch and interview players in an exclusive session available only to credentialed media members with other fans selected to be MavsSMAS.

Fist bumping @josemcalderon8… I really forgot how this happened or what was said… #MavsSMAS #DALvsMIL pic.twitter.com/3mo7ju41tx

— Wunderkind (@SHADMILLER13) December 16, 2013

The Mavs had seemingly scoured Twitter in search of the select few, the one-percenters of Mavs Nation, to become a part of this unique experience. With a lifelong love for the Mavs, I’d always considered myself a hardcore fan, but I had never really met anyone else that shared my passion at quite the same level – until I became a MavsSMAS. I was able to meet a several fans during my experience and we all agreed to keep in touch through social media.

The hashtag #MavsSMAS became a tool that would eventually connect us all through Twitter. As more and more fans became a part of the MavsSMAS experience, we started to become familiar with each other with each passing Mavs game, often tweeting to each other as well as other Mavs fans who had joined the social media discussion; forming a unique online community of MFFLs. These fans started meeting up for watch parties and connecting with people that, in most scenarios, they had never met before other than communicating via Twitter. The community of fans continued to organically develop over the past season and half, and eventually a core group of Mavs fans were formed, known today as the #MavsFam.

This is their story. They are the one-percent. The hardcore, passionate and dedicated fans that began as a social media experience initiated by the Dallas Mavericks, that have turned into the Mavs Fam, a group that has cultivated relationships through their passion and is held together by their love for the Mavs.

Get to know a few members of the Mavs Fam and what being a MFFL means to them. Connect with on Twitter using the hastag #MavsFam and at mavs.com/interactive/mavssmas and join the growing Mavs Fam social community.

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Natasha Brandon @thebunneh13  

“I was born a MFFL because my mom is @jenMFFL!! Dirk’s story makes me smile and believe that anything is possible. It is without a doubt that I will be a Mavs Fan for my whole life!”

 

Mardale Brooks @MM_MardiMar  

“Being a Mavs ManiAAC means you are the ultimate MFFL you live and die with every win and lose this team has but you also support the team no matter what. I am proud to be a Mavs fan and proud to part of a great organization as well.”

 

Melissa Francis @mff041  

“What being an MFFL means to me is being ride or die for your team at ALL times and choosing to spend all your free time and money on anything Mavs!”

 

 

 

Erica Hernandez @MavsGirl_MzE

“Being an MFFL to me is more than just attending games or watching it on tv. It’s a way of life! You’re PROUD to tell others you’re a MAVS fan. You ride the roller coaster of emotions with your team(win or lose)! You get LOUD and support your team no matter where you are! And you get ROWDY with other MFFL who share the same love and passion and bleed blue just like you!”

 

Sherilyn “Luxi” Jones @LuxiJones

“If you ever been to a Mavs game then you know the feeling of being around a group of people that share the same passion for a team. This is what being a MFFL is about. This passion is an experience I enjoy that comes with belonging to a family where we enjoy each other’s presence either at the games, watch parties, or on Social Media. Being able to share this experience with not only each other, but with also the players and staff at different events shows being an MFFL is not only about being a fan, it’s about being a family.

 

Michael Lark @Michael_Lark

“Being a Mavs fan is all about enjoying the ride. Sure, I want the Mavs to go out and win every game, but more than that I just enjoy the experience of watching the team that I have loved and supported since 1994 go out and fight.”

 

Corey Lark @CoreyLark

“I’ve been a Mavs fan since junior high when I got serious about playing basketball. However, my fandom was really solidified on my 16th birthday when I attended my first game and got to meet the players after. I remember waiting a while for Dirk to come out, and when he did, it was such an exciting moment. After getting all the players autographs and going behind the scenes, it all became real to me and I fully embraced being an MFFL. Thirteen years later, I now get to cheer on the Mavs with my husband and it’s so much fun to share our Mavs love. It’s great to be an MFFL!”

 

Rashad Miller @shadmiller13

”I’ve watched pro hoops all my life, but in ’96 was when I realized my favorite team was right up the street at 700 Sports St. The Mavericks were not the best (at that time), but they were definitely awesome to watch. My admiration, as well as the team/organization as a whole has elevated from there. Being a MFFL to me means having the faith that success is always in the plan. Taking losses as simply losses and believing that the good guys will prevail! Having a sense of pride in your team and the beautiful place (with extreme bias) that they play in, my hometown, Dallas.”

 

Kareen Momo @HOVmocity

“Being a MFFL is a big task to do but I’ve always had my eye on this team for years and being from NY says a lot. I swore allegiance to the Mavs and last season with this picture here proves that I’m an MFFL!!! 2009 was my coming out year and it has been a fun ride. It never stops!”

 

Nicholas Navarro @hulknav87nn

“I’ve been a diehard fan of the Mavericks since I was a kid. I rep them everywhere I go–no matter if I’m deployed and overseas or if the game’s on at 7pm or at 4 in the morning. Ain’t no better place to be than in Dallas with my MFFLs”

 

Taneise Polk @taneise34

“I’ve been a Mavs fan ever since the “Three J’s.” I’ve seen this team go from being the worst team in the league to winning the NBA finals in 2011. You don’t have to go to every game to be an MFFL but in my opinion you do have to be a diehard fan.  Being loyal, loud and proud is what I feel makes a true MFFL.”

 

Gwen Ramirez @Flucock

“That all-consuming rowdiness that empowers us all at that single moment is what does it for me. That instant you are overtaken by all that adrenaline, that energy, that passion, that concrete MFFL feel.”

 

 

Joseph Riesland @Falcon99

“Being a Mavs fan isn’t just about basketball, it’s a way of life. Eat, sleep, live and breath Mavs basketball. Home games OR road games, it doesn’t matter. I’m there. You’ve probably seen me in TV before. I’ve been spotted before and recognized very quickly by other Mavs fans. I’ve been a Mavs fan ever since I was a little kid. Before Cuban and Dirk, before Rodman and Mashburn. The ups, the downs were all a part of the ride. But I never lost my confidence in the team. It all came together in 2011. CHAMPIONS! Seeing friends and meeting new friends in the process is always fun. Catch me on Instagram and Twitter and #LetsGoMavs.”

 

Kim Sanders @KimSanders63

“I have been a Mavs fan since 1981. I have been there thru the lows and highs of this team, and boy what a ride it has been. I love going to the games and getting so into it. There is nothing like it. I will fight for my Mavs till the end…Ride or Die thats how I am, MFFL all day everyday!”

 

Nestor Tejada @DC_nestdogg

“I’ve been a fan of the Mavs for many years, been there through the ups and downs. I support this team, no matter what.”

 

 

Brandon Thomas @bthomas_41

“Being an MFFL means having a true passion for our Mavericks, no matter what the wins and losses are each year.  Also supporting every player on the roster whether they are a starter, come off the bench, or are a developing player.”

 

Patience Thomas @PatienceMFFL

“It’s all about friends, family and cheering on our Mavs with the biggest Mavs fans around…we are all a family and share the same interest. We are all just as crazy as the next one.”

 

 

Jennifer Thompson @JenMFFL

“The passion and intelligence of Mark Cuban is the reason I’m a MFFL! I trust him to do what is best for our team. He is the best owner in the NBA and we are the best fans in the NBA and he goes out of his way for the fans! After I won the Love Those Mavs trip in December 2012, I started meeting everyone. I signed up for a Twitter account and started making friends. When the Mavs would have a watch party, our Mavs fam would meet in person. “ (Tidbit: got my MFFL tattoo on June 3rd, 2011 right after the 2nd game in the Miami series.)

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Mavs Fanatic Feature of the Week—Being an MFFL is something to be proud of. It’s a community of hardcore Mavericks fans dedicated to one thing and one thing only: supporting the Dallas Mavericks. MFFL’s are a tight-knit group that have long been recognized as one of the best fan bases in the NBA. Each week we’ll feature key individuals that help drive the MFFL community, including fans, writers, Mavericks’ staff and dancers brought to you by staff writer Michael Lark.

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