Why do you cheer for your favourite sports team? Would you cheer for the other guys?

unclebilly · unclebilly's Garage

I tried to initiate a similar conversation on the dark side of OT but predictably, the thread fell apart. I’ve been doing some work with my executive coach on internal beliefs and biases and trying to understand why we all have them.

I’m asking, those who support a particular sports team, what would it take to convince you to cheer for a different team?

Why do fans support a given team over many years when none of the players or coaching staff are still with the team they once identified with and decided to support?

I’m asking seriously and am hoping we can have a civil discussion.

flatbutt · 05-01-2021, 02:48 AM

When attending a home game for the Devils I always applauded a great play on the other side, especially if the opposing goalie makes a great save.

Also, I always cheered FOR ANY team playing against the Flyers.

In general though you gotta go with your home team.

oldE · 05-01-2021, 02:56 AM

Outside F1 I don't follow sports, but when I was a hockey fan,I would sometimes draw puzzled looks from others in the seats around me by cheering for an impressive play by someone on the other team.
Yes I wanted our team to win but I had to admire great skill.
With racing there are 10 teams and 20 drivers there might be no action at the front, but incredible moves farther back in the peck.

Best
Les

Tervuren · Tervuren's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclebilly

Why do fans support a given team over many years when none of the players or coaching staff are still with the team they once identified with and decided to support?

You have identified why I don't identify with most forms of sports teams.
Gonna pick on the NFL here;

Despite location based names there isn't location based recruiting.
Typical career length with a team seems be about two seasons
A small number of exceptions may be with a team for a long time.

I stopped watching the Carolina Panthers when the players that I knew were either retired or on different teams.

cabmandone · cabmandone's Garage

This one is actually pretty easy, for me at least. I'm a Steelers fan and have been since I was a kid. I (it pains me to say this) cheered for the Browns after they beat the Steelers in the playoffs last year. Would I change to a Browns fan? Nope. I also watch the Chiefs whenever I get a chance because I like watching talented people play the game and Patrick Mahomes is a talented person.

I watched NASCAR racing from the time Jeff Gordon entered the sport until he retired. Why did I pick him? My cousin's name is Jeff Gordon. I don't watch as much racing as I did when Jeff was still driving. I did start watching again this season when Kyle Larson was picked up by Hendrick. I like the whole "second chance" aspect of it.

Fast Freddy 944 · Fast Freddy 944's Garage

Foot ball used to be good before 2020, long before, now for some strange reason, it sucks....

Seahawk · 05-01-2021, 04:22 AM

This may seem odd, but once the 49'ers won a bunch and then let Joe go, I lost interest.

Same with the Giants, minus the Joe

I don't follow teams at all now. I basically root for individual players, especially those coming back from injury, a horrific loss or a bad season.

onewhippedpuppy · 05-01-2021, 04:28 AM

It’s all about home team for me. I love Kansas State University football and basketball because I grew up in Manhattan, KS, and went to a bunch of games with my grandfather as a kid. I watched them go from a national punchline to the #1 team in the nation in the late 1990s. When my grandfather died I bought a memorial stone in the plaza of their new football complex. Otherwise I’ve always been a Chiefs football and Royals baseball fan because that was the “home” team.

1990C4S · 04:54 AM

I'm not a fan of any one sports teams. The word 'fan' comes 'fanatical', and I'm not fanatical about individual teams. I have no problem cheering for almost any team, as long as they don't cheat.

I believe this separation is the difference between people who love the sport and people who are slaves to a logo. The vast majority of my friends will only watch Leaf games. That makes you a Leaf fan, not a person that loves hockey.

I will ask another question, why are people slaves to huge businesses? The Yankees, Cowboys, Patriots, these are teams worth tens of billions. Why buy their products and wear their paraphernalia? I don't get it.

Nostril Cheese · 05-01-2021, 04:55 AM

I couldnt care less about sports teams.

As far as Im concerned, the teams should be paying the fans to display all the swag. Buddy of mine started going on about all the gear he bought for the Dodgers.. I asked why they arent paying you advertising fees?

Tervuren · Tervuren's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

I'm not a fan of any one sports teams. The word 'fan' comes 'fanatical', and I'm not fanatical about individual teams. I have no problem cheering for almost any team, as long as they don't cheat.

You've just reminded me that I used to be a Ferrari fan.
At first glance I thought only of traditional sportsball franchises.
Ferrari however is in the same business with a different venue.

Short answer, my family wasn't into cars.
In one of the few car books I read there were these red cars that were different.
But that book had a small number of Ferrari's in it.
The rest in the book were a hord of comparative clunkers.
No Porsches were presented, didn't even know what one was, or a BMW.
These red cars were clearly superior.
Found a book in a thrift store with more Ferrari's, only Ferraris.
I was converted, fanaticized into the Ferrari cult.
Got shirts as a teenager, model cars, a flag, I've got lots of Ferrari stuff.
Why did I cheer for Ferrari?
I thought they were special.

I first came online in a modding community for race sims.
The people in the community did not like Schumacher, who drove for Ferrari.
The oppisition only fueled me.

What changed that I am no longer a Ferrari Fan.
I'm not sure what all changed, but I'll go into a few:
Hiring Alonso
Hiring personel that follow key personel around to instruct them in mega corporate Bland speak.
Not being around communities that dislike Ferrari.
F1's presentation changing hands to Liberty Media introducing more mega corporate Bland.
Red Bull being the only franchise to speak up against the mega corporate Bland.
Finally accepting there are cars that are more awesome than what Ferrari builds.(Pagani Zonda C12S!)
Red Bull having the most exciting driver pair ups to watch on track.
Now, I cheer for Red Bull, but don't really care about F1 that much.

mattdavis11 · 05-01-2021, 05:46 AM

I root for any team that I know is going to win. It's not rocket science to figure out who is better. If the other team gets lucky, I chalk it up that, and can root for them.

stomachmonkey · 05-01-2021, 08:59 AM

I’m a Giants fan but always cheered for the Patriots and now Bucs because of Brady.

Islanders fan who will cheer for the Devils because their fans hate the Rangers as much as we do.

Baseball bores me but ya gotta cheer for the Yankees because it’s the Yankees.

Basketball, couldn’t be bothered with a sport where only the lat 3 minutes really matters.

nota · 05-01-2021, 09:08 AM

I am a fan of a great game and would rather see a close tight loss then a blow out by the home team

Seahawk · 05-01-2021, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nota

I am a fan of a great game and would rather see a close tight loss then a blow out by the home team

Agree. Sports are reality shows without a script. I root for drama.

There is a reason Alabama loses about half their fans during home games after halftime against Chattanooga A&T.

No drama.

cassisrot · 05-01-2021, 09:48 AM

I rooted for Unitas when I lived in Glen Burnie and Elway when I lived in Denver, but no one playing football since has interested me. I did follow Schumacher when he and Ferrari were dominating F1 and Stewart was fun back in the 70’s. I saw him win at the Nurburgring ring in 78 in absolutely awful conditions.

pwd72s · 10:02 AM

I always root for team USA in the Mosconi Cup. Not that I have anything against the top European pool players. Both teams should thank their lucky stars that it's a USA vs. all of Europe event. If the Philippines had a team, they'd dominate.

Since pro USA televised sports became "woke", I don't bother to watch...don't root for any team.

Pazuzu · 05-01-2021, 10:04 AM

I love PPOT, always the same broken record.

Original poster: "Why do you like or dislike a specific sports team/movie star/singer/politician?"

Some PPOT posters: "I hate all sports teams/movie stars/singers/politicians so I feel qualified to add my comments to the thread about why someone likes or dislikes said specific sports team/movie star/singer/politicians, even though my global disdain for all sports teams/movie stars/singers/politicians doesn't contribute to the conversation at hand."

Other PPOT posters: "I feel superior to you because I can claim that I've never heard of said specific sports team/movie star/singer/politician, and that makes me better than you."

One or two PPOT posters: "I will contribute in a positive manner to the discussion at hand, about my like or dislike for a specific sports team/movie star/singer/politician."

One PPOT poster: "Does the sports team/movie star/singer/politician drive a green Bullitt Mustang?"

Pazuzu · 05-01-2021, 10:06 AM

As for me, I like any team that has a guy named "Mike" on the team. It's a pretty rare name, and I feel a strong emotional connection with any other Mike, since we're so rare.

pwd72s · 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

I love PPOT, always the same broken record.

Original poster: "Why do you like or dislike a specific sports team/movie star/singer/politician?"

Some PPOT posters: "I hate all sports teams/movie stars/singers/politicians so I feel qualified to add my comments to the thread about why someone likes or dislikes said specific sports team/movie star/singer/politicians, even though my global disdain for all sports teams/movie stars/singers/politicians doesn't contribute to the conversation at hand."

Other PPOT posters: "I feel superior to you because I can claim that I've never heard of said specific sports team/movie star/singer/politician, and that makes me better than you."

One or two PPOT posters: "I will contribute in a positive manner to the discussion at hand, about my like or dislike for a specific sports team/movie star/singer/politician."

One PPOT poster: "Does the sports team/movie star/singer/politician drive a green Bullitt Mustang?"

What? You think the Mosconi cup isn't a sports event? Top level 9 ball played before screaming fans? Here's one matchup...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJSW6pRZX-I

(edit) I could never cheer for Team Europe. Because, well...USA-USA-USA! This despite Europe probably having a deeper talent pool than the USA.