Mecha fighting had become a serious sport in the years following the Last Great War. With hostilities suspended, the giant robots were pulled out of mothballs and reactivated to engage in fighting that didn't involve the loss of life and limb. The pilots were all on friendly terms, and even those who'd faced each other across the battlefield got together for beers and pizza at least once a week. 

Their supporters, on the other hand... well, they tended to get a bit fiesty if their mecha lost, and they didn't hesitate in taking out their frustrations verbally, and sometimes with fists.

Then you had the truly die-hard fans, who'd do anything for their chance to meet their idol. 

But it was all in a day's work for your regular mecha pilot. It was when you got into the big leagues, however, that you really started to get noticed. And you got all the perks and lurks that came with becoming an instant celebrity overnight. 

And sometimes, the lurks outweighed the perks.