The difference being that on a football field or basketball court, there is a settled outcome of competition, and no sincere value attached to certain outcomes. An average person might prefer that their chosen sports team wins, but I think they would acknowledge that it does not make the world a better place. In politics, however, the preference that a chosen team wins is very closely tied to the view that the win is beneficial for everybody.
My favorite is that people get credit for updating based on evidence.
The more common reaction is for people to get criticized (by themselves and others) for not having known the truth sooner.