If the Cubs win it all, will they lose their charm?

If the Chicago Cubs win the World Series, being a Cubs fan will never be the same.

For generations, their identity has centered on supporting a losing team.

If the Cubs become a winning team, especially a perennially winning team, that identity - and the fan dynamic - will change, say people who study sports fandom.

"There's no going back," said Eric Simons, author of "The Secret Lives of Sports Fans: The Science of Sports Obsession."

"The loyalty that defined you for so long is no longer how people will see you," he said. "It's not negative, just different. It's a change. You can no longer claim to be the victim or a sympathetic character."

Fans typically associate with a team because it boosts their self-esteem when the team wins. In the Cubs' case, what fans have fed on is that the world viewed them as fiercely loyal people, something they valued even more than winning, the experts said.

Now, that loyalty will come into question. Longtime Cubs fans will have to distinguish themselves from all the new bandwagon fans, said Christian End, an associate professor at Xavier University who studies social psychology and sports fandom.

"All of a sudden you introduce that ambiguity - are you that fan who suffered, or did you become a fan 60 days ago?" End said. "If you can't claim you're the most loyal fans anymore, then what are you?"

A World Series win might also change Cubs fans' expectations for the team, added Ed Hirt, an Indiana University psychology professor who studies sports fandom.

Hirt sees parallels between the Cubs and the Boston Red Sox, who went from being longtime lovable losers to World Series winners - and lost some of their charm in the process.

"(The Cubs) could be just like the Yankees, like the Red Sox, like the Dodgers, with big payrolls, and are expected to be competitive," Hirt said. "The Cubs have built an impressive-looking, potential dynasty here. It really will change things for the fans. Going forward, expectations are going to skyrocket. The Cubs could be a totally different entity."

The experts acknowledge that every Cubs fan wants the team to win it all, even if it means things change. But win or lose, they know Cubs fans will stand behind their team.

"Even if you bond over a loss, you're still together," End said.