How does someone give up being a "fan" of a team, only to switch over to another?

[Coupé It]

I see a lot of this here in Cleveland, where there is a good amount of Steelers fans who grew up in Northeast Ohio.
None of them are from Pittsburgh, but root for them like they were born and bred there. It's disgusts me, but than I realize how difficult it is to be a Browns fan, literally - so I don't blame them. But I don't want to see anybody jump on the bandwagon when the decline begins for Pittsburgh, and the inevitable wins come for Cleveland.

 

[da shoefreak]

shots fired at lebron fans

 

[thadocta]

Why not? What goes into becoming a fan of a particular team in the first place, because all of that can change. Geographical convenience? What if you move or a team moves closer? Like the players? What about when they get traded? Style of play, coach, overall team culture, all also very changing. Funny how fans always want some type of pat on the back for "I was a fan of the team before we started winning," like they're going to get some medal for it.

thats why there are so many laker fans cuz we always winning

 

[loveofthegame916]

I brought this up in another thread before I saw this one, so I'll just add it in here.

What if the team you've grown up with, live and die for, support through numerous 50+ loss seasons decides to move? Is it ok to switch to another team? Is said person granted immunity from the bandwagon fan label?


I'm mad conflicted because I still would find it very heartbreaking to be a fan of any other team but the Kings. Sadly, its headed in that direction

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

when the Raiders come back here to LA everyone is going to be back on the wagon, don't kid yourselves

 

[nationaltruckerdave]

Personally I dont understand how you don't root for your home team always or the team closest to you. I mean either way I don't care who you root for, it doesn't effect me but in my opinion sports are great because of the atmosphere and the city coming together. Going to games is the best part. When the Brewers were in the NLCS last year the city was just vibing. I like to hear everybody talking about the brewers/badgers/bucks/packers/Marquette and being one of them. When the Badgers were in the Frozen Four the same year Milwaukee coincidently hosted the Frozen Four it was 100% packed with 100% Badger fans. I bought the worst ticket for 150$. When they scored each time it was so deafening that I had chills for damn near the whole game. And if you are a fan of your hometown team don't be cheap when it comes to playoff tickets. The craziest stuff happens in the playoffs and you are giving yourself a chance to experience it. I've had a few of those experiences in my life and nothing compares to it.
Looking at last nights A's game. just watching those fans go nuts. That's what you live for as a fan of sports.
The brewers and Bucks were or are still bad for how long? I refuse to go pick another team cause they suck currently. their time will come eventually as it did for the Brewers. I'm not gonna miss out on that. That's why I hate fair weather fans the most.

Such a great post, repped

 

[ai3plus1penny]

some people's fanhood just runs deeper than others.. some ppl might be indifferent about teams, just more a fan of the game itself. And could care less about the team tradition and all that

For me Im from northern va, always been a Skins, Wizards fan. When it came to baseball was never an Orioles fan though. Loved it when baseball came to DC, life's been good ever since we got the Nats. And from someone who's been going to games since RFK, I don't have a problem with the Nats fans coming out the woodworks, but it is a lot easier for the masses to embrace a winning product.

 

[bigmike23]

when the Raiders come back here to LA everyone is going to be back on the wagon, don't kid yourselves

ya right.

 

[kevin cleveland]

How can people NOT root for their home town team though??

That's what has always bugged me.

What if I don't like most of the players on the team? The philosophy? The ownership's vision? The style of play? I'm just suppose to because they wear my city on their chest? Because I'm suppose to trust some of these clowns in charge just because they got a job constructing the team?

That's more illogical than not rooting for the home team.

More than likely, none of the players are from that city. There's no real connection. It's a business partnership put together like business partnerships are. So why is it a must? Teams change, ownership changes, etc. Whoever walks through the door and puts on the jersey is someone I'm obligated to root for? Terrible logic.

I guess all of that should be applied from the beginning, though. I'm not encouraging choosing new favorite teams every few years or anything.

 

[heliumclinton]

How are you loyal to the Knicks but still pull for another team in the same DIVISION???? Makes no ******g sense to me.
It's like saying "I'm loyal to the ********, but I'll support the Eagles when they're not playing the ********."

So, did you miss the part where I said I'm a New York Sports fan?

Which means as long as the Nets aren't playing the Knicks I'm rooting for them

 

[k town trash]

thats how it is tho... when lakers didnt make the playoffs when shaq left, everybody stopped rooting for them.. even when they were in playoffs (when they lost to suns) no fans were rooting the team in LA. but as soon as gasol showed up, different story. its just sports.. thats how it is

 

[6 Rings G.O.A.T.]

--Fan since '97

--Fan since '96

 

[datznasty]

Season ticket holder since 09, live an hr from the arena. Not even close.

What happened to the Mavs fandom?

As if I need to justify myself to any of yous

probably peaked in 2003 playoffs
traded away all the players I liked, bought in many I don't
style of play changed
didn't like how they scapegoated Avery after the finals collapse
style of play change
got tired of Cuban's antics as well as tired of them choking more importantly
so a team I like less is ~4hrs away versus a young, new exciting team 70 miles up i44, even when they were losing and had guys like Wilcox, Joedagangsta Smith, and Earl Watson
first Professional sports team in OK
seen maybe 7 games in Dallas, spent over $10k on tickets/merch to the Thunder and have been to every home playoff in Thunder history except maybe 4 or 5

but I guess I should have applied to the official fan board of JJs07 and JesusShuttlesworth first.

 

[worldbeefreeg]

i never understood well you didnt go to that school so you cant be a fan or the i only follow a player so whatever team he plays for im a fan of

Your meaning to tell us you didn't get into UCLA?

Shocking...I would have thought your essay alone would have gotten you in.

 

[Deleted member 38182]

I was a Pacers fan thru the 5th grade till I moved to Sacramento..... I'm still a Kings fan 

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

when the Raiders come back here to LA everyone is going to be back on the wagon, don't kid yourselves

ya right.

LA is gonna love whoever the NFL team is that is able to make the move here. Doesn't matter how bad any prior relationship was, the city is ready and antsy about having an NFL team here.

 

[kb8 3qwick]

My father used to be a Magic Johnson fan when he used to live in his home country and also became a Bernard King fan when he moved to Jersey because they used to show all of the Knicks games on tv. Naturally, growing up since I was around 6 and started watching basketball around 91-92 I used to like the Knicks and Lakers also. I used to think it was cool to have an East coast and West coast team and my favorite player was Ewing until Eddie Jones got drafted. My fandom was 50-50, but once Eddie Jones got to the Lakers I started to gravitate more to the Lakers and of course as a 11 year old my fandom for the Lakers grew more when they got Shaq. The nail in the coffin for me rooting for the Knicks came when they traded Ewing, that's when I became an exclusive Lakers fan.

 

[ham city]

when the Raiders come back here to LA everyone is going to be back on the wagon, don't kid yourselves

ya right.

LA is gonna love whoever the NFL team is that is able to make the move here. Doesn't matter how bad any prior relationship was, the city is ready and antsy about having an NFL team here.

From my experiences living in Los Angeles county for a period and week after week, year after year, running into different families who drive from Socal up to Oakland to attend home games, there's still a huge number of legitimate Raider fans in the L.A. area.

Do you know how trill you have to be to drive 350 miles just to watch the product we've put on display for most of the 2000's?

They're not gonna switch flags when L.A. gets Jacksonville or whatever bum *** franchise you guys end up getting.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

when the Raiders come back here to LA everyone is going to be back on the wagon, don't kid yourselves

ya right.

LA is gonna love whoever the NFL team is that is able to make the move here. Doesn't matter how bad any prior relationship was, the city is ready and antsy about having an NFL team here.

From my experiences living in Los Angeles county for a period and week after week, year after year, running into different families who drive from Socal up to Oakland to attend home games, there's still a huge number of legitimate Raider fans in the L.A. area.

Do you know how trill you have to be to drive 350 miles just to watch the product we've put on display for most of the 2000's?

They're not gonna switch flags when L.A. gets Jacksonville or whatever bum *** franchise you guys end up getting.

I'm going to be mildly surprised if it doesn't end up being the Raiders + someone else here in LA. I have zero faith in Oakland being able to give the Raiders what they want once the A's and Warriors depart Oakland. Oakland politics is a cluster****, especially with redevelopment money being taken away by Governor Brown.

 

[ham city]

Let's be serious Los Angeles isn't getting two teams.

The Raiders have expressed zero interest in leaving. It's going to be incredibly difficult to get a stadium deal done but at least the City has a plan in place and has already pumped millions into the project.

It's not like Mark Davis can just up and move the team back to L.A. There's gonna be a pretty big relocation fee for any team that makes the move. The kind of $ that would make getting a deal done in Oakland relatively easy.

 

[ooiron manoo]

LA will get two teams. Doubt one of them is the Raiders. Fans will accept any team with open arms. I just don think city officials will welcome the Raiders and all the problems their fan base brings.

However two teams will end up here. Maybe not
In one shot but at the end of the day.

Proximity plays a big part.

I consider myself a casual NBA fan and Bulls fan simply because they are not easy to follow in LA. Im not a fan of the Lakers but I know more about them than some of their fans. I used to hate them. I don't now. I respect them and of you ever travel. The hate LA gets in general makes me want to root for them. I'll never let myself though. I love my city though, so in reality all you non Angeleno's can eat a sick as soon as "Beat LA" leaves your pipe. Clippers don't get hate yet. .

Niner ties are strong cause I manage to make it to one home game a year cause I got fam bam up there and we don't have a football team down here. If the Rams come back I won't root for them. Any other team besides the Raiders and Rams I'll embrace.

Don't mess with the Doyers or SC though, it'll get heated.

PS- Why is everyone so short at UDub. . (Just got back from Earls :/)

 

[hustlin hoffman]

This whole thread is a direct shot at all the Miami Heat Fans from 2010-2012.

 

[SneakerProSr.]

I take a lot of pride in being a Dallas Maverick fan because I've rode with them through the ups and downs.

That team quite literally apart of who I am. I'll always root for the underdog.

However dudes take this **** too seriously.

I always hate on Laker fans because so many of them have never even been in the Western time zone but if they want to root for them go for it.

Sports is supposed to be a fun past time, dudes want kudos for supporting bad teams and being "loyal".

People take Sports more seriously than religion nowadays.

 

[jjs07]

So, did you miss the part where I said I'm a New York Sports fan?
Which means as long as the Nets aren't playing the Knicks I'm rooting for them

No, I read that....your viewpoint makes zero sense.

 

[proshares]

Yea, it's like being a fan of the Rangers but rooting for the Islanders too when they're not playing each other. Same division/conference doesn't make sense. I could get Mets/Yanks and Jets/Giants.