The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word SUPPORTERS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
S
U
P
P
O
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S
More clues leading to the result SUPPORTERS
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Sports fans" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case sports fans = supporters.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SUPPORTERS mean?
SUPPORTERS noun- A person who gives support to someone or something.
- Something that supports another thing.