Question for those who are fans of teams that play in a city that you didn't grow up in or have close ties to

Question

To me, a baseball team is an integral part of the city they play in. They are part of the fabric of that city. It's in the culture.

So if you are a baseball fan that lives in say Cleveland, why are you a Dodgers fan, for example.

I'm not trying to judge anyone, I just want and understanding of why fans take to teams who play in a city they can't relate to.

Answer 1

Maybe beacuse people move maybe thats why.  why are you so uptight over this?

anyone can like a diffrent team no matter where you live.

Answer 2

I have a very rare case for why I root for the Washington Nationals and live in Indiana. For one, we don't have a major league team and I don't want to be considered a 'bandwagoner' by rooting for any of the major teams like the Yankees or Red Sox. I also chose the team because my favorite player, Alfonso Soriano, used to play for them but now that he's with the Cubs I will root for him but not for the Cubs...the whole bandwagon thing. Another reason I root for the Nationals is because they are the worst. This assures me that no one can think of me as a bandwagoner of the worst team in the MLB. Plus every team has to have some fans so I figured I might as well be one of the few and the proud...a Nationals fan!

Answer 3

I grew up in the middle of nowhere in KY, and so, the only real teams that were on the tele was Cincy teams (i.e. Bungals and the Reds.) And, considering I grew up without cable, I had no choice what team I could watch.

But, in the mid-90's a friend of mine from Vermont always preached about the Red Sox, so they eventually reached my "favorite team" status. Plus, it helps that I have a healthy dislike for the Yankees.

Also, when it comes to football, I've been a fan of the Tampa Bay Bucs for about the same time as the Sox. (Yeah, I know....in my avatar I'm wearing a Bungals jersey, but that's just cause I'm a fan of Ocho-Cinco). Once again a friend was big into the Bucs, and it was just pure entertainment watching Mike Alstott run people over, John Lynch flying across the field and bustin' somebody, Derrick Brooks layin em out and running interceptions for TD's. Good times.

Answer 4

im a yankees fan, but i live in boston. its not all about the city. my dad grew up in ct, so hes a yankees fan and taught me to be a yankees fan. its not like every single person has to like the same team in every city. thatd be boring.

Answer 5

I'm a Cardinal fan living in Chicago. I was raised a Cardinal fan in a family of Cardinal fans.

Wouldn't it make me a bandwagon fan to switch over to the Cubs just because they play in the city I live in?

Answer 6

i like all new york teams except for my football team. i like the packers. i dont really remember why.. it was in second grade when i started to like them! it probably started with me liking brett favre (i am a qb)

Answer 7

They do because they don't have any recognizable, competetive teams nearby.  Their bandwagoners, until the team they craze chokes/fails to win.  I live near houston all my life, been an astros fan since 97, rockets fan since 95, texans fan since they started.  Us houston fans just love to watch these teams play, which is the most important thing. Winning is second.  We have some die-hard fans, and we've dealt with blows and scars in the heart from losing in championship series, the stros in 04 NLCS GM 7 loss by Jim Edmonds swing of bat, 05 WS sweep by white sox, Bobby Jenks pitchin 100+ mph fastballs in that series is all I could remember LOL!!!  Also, the rockets in 97 by John Stockton last second 3 pointer in GM 6 West conference finals after a great playoff run by olajuwon, drexler, barkley, rockets again in 2005 by a GM 7 40 point blowout from mavs, largest gm 7 defecit in NBA history.  Also falling to the Jazz in the first round, 2 YEARS IN A ROW!!!  But all the shortcomings makes us stronger in the heart, and it makes it sweeter for the glory days when they DO come when some team wins it all!!!  I even remember in school when teachers replaced study posters, number lines, for astros, rockets, texans posters haha!!!

But most bandwagoners aren't really strong at the heart...once they see their team fizzle then they usually look elsewhere!

Answer 8

This doesn't apply to baseball, but I will relay a hockey story.

While playing house league hockey, we were given jersey's.

They couldn't use real ones, but could use the colours.

One team was obviously coloured after the Canadiens, the Bruins, the Red Wings and the Leafs.  One that we had though, wasn't really close, so I started looking through hockey cards and my team's colours were closest to that of the NY Islanders.

So, I started following them, but they were pretty bad.  They got a few more players like Trottier and Bossy, then won 4 stanley cups.

So, while living in Toronto, I got to actually like a team in not only another city, but another country, then got to see them win four championships in a row.

In 1987, I drove down to Long Island to see a game (Bossy's last season)

I have visited card shows and had rookie cards and a  jersey signed by Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy, Dennis Potvin, Billy Smith and Chico Resch.

My most prized material possession as well.

Although I no longer follow hockey, if someone asks me who my favourite team is, I will still say the Islanders.

Answer 9

Well I have grown up in Richmond Va. and have been a Braves Fan as long as I can Remember. If I had a team in my city I d**n sure would be a fan.. who dosnt root for the home team. The Richmond Braves are the farm team for my Atlanta Braves. and I love them to death. My brother is a Yankee's fan.. and I know what your thinking."hes a douche" but he saw them play when he was lil and has loved them ever since. and any true fan knows once you start loving a team theres no going back...