The United States superfan has travelled around the globe to five of the past Fifa Women’s World Cups, and having arrived in Dunedin to watch her sixth, admits her friends and family may be right about her preoccupation with the beautiful game.
"I might be slightly on the obsessed side when it comes to football."
The East Tennessee University sports management associate professor’s passionate love affair with the game began when she was 6, playing in the Pennsylvania junior soccer leagues.
But it was not until she was a teenager, when her parents took her to watch the United States team win the 1999 Fifa Women’s World Cup, that she was truly hooked.
She said she was among tens of thousands of women who grew up at a time when girls’ football was not taken seriously.
"Suddenly, young girls like me found ourselves part of a 90,000-strong crowd, including the US president, cheering on other women. That was a pivotal moment.
"And now those same girls are in their 30s and 40s with a decent income and we like to spend it watching the game we love."
Prof Smith said aside from the match action, she enjoyed the festival aspect of the world cups, created by communities with a common love for the women’s game.
"At the women’s world cup, all the fans just want to hang out together and have a blast.
"I think it is quite different from the men’s game, which is more nationalistic and tribal.
"Because the women’s game was so much smaller for so long, fans of women’s football are a global tribe with a common passion.
"What I am trying to get my Kiwi friends to understand is that it’s this crazy large global network who really support each other and really want to see the best of the best in women’s football, whatever team is playing."
She said she was excited about reconnecting with the "colourful" Swedish and Dutch fans in Dunedin.
While here on sabbatical, Prof Smith said she would also be conducting academic research into successful innovation and creativity in football communities.
As soon as the world cup was over, she would start saving for the next one, she said.
"I can’t wait to find out where it’s going to be.
"Hopefully it’s somewhere I haven’t been before."
