Is it ok to root for a sports team if you have no ties with that city?

[ArteEtLabore14]

Originally Posted by StephenHero

If you're an American, you shouldn't be allowed to wear a soccer club's supporter scarf.

Football, you American hating elitist bastard.

 

[cptjeff]

I'm a Yankees fan. Being from NC, I had no local team. Going to school in upstate New York, I got games for two teams: Yankees and Mets. I liked the history of the Yankees, Ruth, Gehrig, Yogi, so many more... And the Mets had ugly ass uniforms. In other words, almost completely arbitrary. It's proved to have been a wise choice.

 

[CunningSmeagol]

Caring about any professional sports team, or any team you are not actually on or know personally for that matter, has never made any sense to me.

 

[cptjeff]

Originally Posted by CunningSmeagol

Caring about any professional sports team, or any team you are not actually on or know personally for that matter, has never made any sense to me.

It's social entertainment. Humans are social creatures, we tend to like being part of a larger whole. And being part of a community of fans is a social experience, and being emotionally invested in a game makes it much more interesting and entertaining.

There's actually a whole lot of scholarship out there on that one question.

 

[sho'nuff]

Originally Posted by CunningSmeagol

Caring about any professional sports team, or any team you are not actually on or know personally for that matter, has never made any sense to me.

say this sentence in a monotone, robotic voice.

Originally Posted by cptjeff

It's social entertainment. Humans are social creatures, we tend to like being part of a larger whole. And being part of a community of fans is a social experience, and being emotionally invested in a game makes it much more interesting and entertaining.

There's actually a whole lot of scholarship out there on that one question.

+1

 

[odoreater]

Generally, I say no. You should root for a team from your geographic area.

My teams:

NFL: Giants
NBA: Nets (until they move to Brooklyn, then **** them.)
NHL: Devils
MLB: Mets
MLS: Red Bulls

 

[Douglas]

If you came by it honestly, it's generally OK, but you're not allowed to switch loyalties. When I was a kid growing up in Baltimore, I was a Broncos fan. We didn't have a team, and it seemed like the Broncos were always on late because they switched to that game when Elway was engineering another 4Q comeback. I rooted for them for years, through good times and bad, until the Ravens came to town and I finally had another team to root for. I especially loved living in SF and rooting vociferously against the Raiders twice a year

But under no circumstances are you allowed to "decide" on an alliance to the Yankees or Red Sox if you are older than 10 years old.

 

[NewYorkIslander]

Originally Posted by embowafa

Why not? Solid ownership backing, amazing new stadium....sounds like the perfect team to support.
.

I grew up playing in the boroughs...there is some real rich American soccer history here (Met Oval, Brooklyn Italians, FIAO, Elephtheoria - Con Ed Field, Downing Stadium (spelling on that one my Greek friends), BW Gotchee, etc...) and the fact that the MLS put a team in Jersey was a slap in the face. I have former teammates playing with Red Bull NY but I refuse to support them.

Originally Posted by CunningSmeagol

Caring about any professional sports team, or any team you are not actually on or know personally for that matter, has never made any sense to me.
But this thread intrigued you enough to read, AND post in.

 

[LawrenceMD]

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

I grew up playing in the boroughs...there is some real rich American soccer history here (Met Oval, Brooklyn Italians, FIAO, Elephtheoria - Con Ed Field, Downing Stadium (spelling on that one my Greek friends), BW Gotchee, etc...) and the fact that the MLS put a team in Jersey was a slap in the face. I have former teammates playing with Red Bull NY but I refuse to support them.


But this thread intrigued you enough to read, AND post in.

so shouldn't the NJ Jets and NJ Giants move the New York? At least the NJ Nets are planning to....LOL

being born in boston and growing up in RI I was born into the New England Sports Teams, but living in NYC for the past years I always wanted to find a local team to cheer for... its hard though.. because I despise the Yankees, Giants, and Jets... the Mets, Rangers, and Knicks are well on the fringe because they all have given my New England Teams *********** past too...

I might take the gamble and buy a Knicks season ticket package on the off chance of watching lebron 41 games, but that would be like watching a bull fight in spain, where you're just kinda waiting for something special to happen (guy getting gouged to death, guy making ballet escapes) with no rooting interest.

maybe i'll become a redbulls fan... probably a mets fan (because tix can be bought for cheap still whenever).. damn it would be fun to have a MLS team in Queens/Brooklyn. It would be like the team in Seattle.

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

I grew up playing in the boroughs...there is some real rich American soccer history here (Met Oval, Brooklyn Italians, FIAO, Elephtheoria - Con Ed Field, Downing Stadium (spelling on that one my Greek friends), BW Gotchee, etc...) and the fact that the MLS put a team in Jersey was a slap in the face. I have former teammates playing with Red Bull NY but I refuse to support them.


And what, there is no rich American soccer history in New Jersey? Cosmos didn't play in New Jersey? The only thing that's a slap in the face about it is that NJ taxpayers paid for a good part of that stadium, and the team is still called Red Bull NY. There's nothing NY about that team. But there is also no reason why NY deserves a soccer team more than NJ does.

 

[CunningSmeagol]

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

But this thread intrigued you enough to read, AND post in.

I grew up in Pittsburgh, and as a young baseball player, I idolized the Pirates because I could go see the games, and they did all sorts of community outreach with the little league teams etc. I hated it when they lost, loved it when they won, and hated the Braves. But I didn't really understand why.

Then the strike happened in 1994(?) and I totally lost interest. I could appreciate the game on an academic, strategic level, but the outcome never meant anything to me.

So I have been interested in sports teams before, but I still didn't understand it. And the topic does intrigue me.

 

[NewYorkIslander]

Originally Posted by LawrenceMD

so shouldn't the NJ Jets and NJ Giants move the New York? At least the NJ Nets are planning to....LOL

maybe i'll become a redbulls fan... probably a mets fan (because tix can be bought for cheap still whenever).. damn it would be fun to have a MLS team in Queens/Brooklyn. It would be like the team in Seattle.

They should move back to NY, like the LONG ISLAND Nets are. i also kinda hope the Isles move into that arena in Brooklyn, would be great, and they'd get lots of support as its so easy to get to, unlike the Mausoleum.

A Brooklyn/Queens team would be GREAT, lots of local support.

As for the Knicks tickets...i wouldn't hold my breath for Lebron, no one wants to play for D'antoni, he's just a dick to his players.

Originally Posted by odoreater

And what, there is no rich American soccer history in New Jersey? Cosmos didn't play in New Jersey? The only thing that's a slap in the face about it is that NJ taxpayers paid for a good part of that stadium, and the team is still called Red Bull NY. There's nothing NY about that team. But there is also no reason why NY deserves a soccer team more than NJ does.

Agreed on the Red Bull NY part...but as far as the Cosmos, thats recent man...the history in NY goes back to the immigrant communities that started teams 100 years ago that are still around. The Met Oval was the ultimate old school soccer experience. So is Downing Stadium on Randall's Island. I know that there are a few Jersey teams, but the NYC Teams have a history like the Yankees, while the Jersey team is more like the Mets (coming from a Met fan here).

Originally Posted by CunningSmeagol

I grew up in Pittsburgh, and as a young baseball player, I idolized the Pirates because I could go see the games, and they did all sorts of community outreach with the little league teams etc. I hated it when they lost, loved it when they won, and hated the Braves. But I didn't really understand why.

Then the strike happened in 1994(?) and I totally lost interest. I could appreciate the game on an academic, strategic level, but the outcome never meant anything to me.

So I have been interested in sports teams before, but I still didn't understand it. And the topic does intrigue me.

I hear you, cool about the Pirates...thats whats great about pro teams in smaller markets, they can get to such a higher % of their fan base.

 

[TRINI]

^^^^^^^

Shouldn't you be watching your boys fight for fourth?

I have the game on right in front of me while I polish shoes.

 

[NewYorkIslander]

I am as well...not liking what I see so far, too much Arsenal possession.

Here's a link for the Oval...photo is taken from a huge hill that used to be a standing room terrace that leads up to the street via a winding path.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Oval

 

[TRINI]

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

I am as well...not liking what I see so far, too much Arsenal possession.

It's ok - Flapianski's in goal.