What term best describes the oversimplification of sports loyalty based solely on tradition rather than performance?

The best term to describe the oversimplification of sports loyalty based solely on tradition rather than performance is prejudice. This term captures the idea of forming an opinion or bias towards a sports team based on long-standing beliefs or cultural factors without considering current performance metrics.

In the context of sports, prejudice reflects an emotional attachment to a team that may not be based on objective criteria, such as the team’s success or failure in games. Such bias can lead fans to remain loyal to a team that has a rich history or tradition, even if the team is performing poorly in the present.

Other options, while they represent specific kinds of flawed thinking, do not align as closely with the concept of loyalty based on tradition. For example, tabloid thinking refers to sensationalized or superficial reasoning, which may not solely pertain to loyalty. Wishful thinking involves believing something simply because one desires it to be true and doesn't specifically address the idea of loyalty. Causal oversimplification involves attributing a complex phenomenon to a single cause, which does not directly relate to the notion of sports loyalty influenced by tradition. Therefore, prejudice most accurately encapsulates the situation described.