Is it acceptable to have a second favorite team?

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

I'm a hometown diehard fan in all sports except hockey, but I do support the Wings because they're from Detroit. However, if they ever met the Habs in the Cup, it would be Habs all the way.

In baseball, I'm strictly Tigers; NFL- Lions; NBA- Pistons. I may lean one way or another if 2 teams are playing in the superbowl say, but as far as second favorites, I have none.

What are your opinions?

[bosrs1]

I'm fine with it. I do it in baseball, I grew up an A's fan and became a Padres fan when I moved to San Diego. I justified it because they're in different leagues and rarely meet. That and I just like the Padres organzation, their ballpark and their commitment to the community, the military and their season ticket holders. The A's don't have any of that so it was a nice difference.

[tBBP]

There's nothing wrong with having a second-favorite team.

There IS something wrong, however, with having a thirteenth-favourite team. (Like some people around here.)

[DarkJourney]

I'm fine with it. I do it in baseball, I grew up an A's fan and became a Padres fan when I moved to San Diego. I justified it because they're in different leagues and rarely meet. That and I just like the Padres organzation, their ballpark and their commitment to the community, the military and their season ticket holders. The A's don't have any of that so it was a nice difference.

Plus you hate everything San Francisco. Right.

[Raysfan12]

It is completely acceptable to have a second favorite team. I am a huge Louisville fan and I still love my Rays.

[bosrs1]

I'm fine with it. I do it in baseball, I grew up an A's fan and became a Padres fan when I moved to San Diego. I justified it because they're in different leagues and rarely meet. That and I just like the Padres organzation, their ballpark and their commitment to the community, the military and their season ticket holders. The A's don't have any of that so it was a nice difference.

Plus you hate everything San Francisco. Right.

True, and the Padres and their fans do hate San Francisco (along with most of the NL West). So it was a natural fit. :censored:ing Giants.

[Rockstar Matt]

I'd say it's acceptable to be a fan of whoever you like whenever you like.

I think it'd be courteous of someone to not trash talk to opposing fans if your second team is doing well or to act like you've been a fan since the days that they were bad. However, it is really your decision that matters.

I have a second favorite team in only two sports. In the NFL, it's the Raiders and in MLB it's the Angels. I openly root for those teams as long as their wins/success do not come at the expense of my favorite teams in those leagues, the Cowboys and Dodgers, respectively.

It is completely acceptable to have a second favorite team. I am a huge Louisville fan and I still love my Rays.

*facepalm*

I don't think that's what he meant.

[chuckymack]

I think lots of people have 'second-favorites', whether it be because of family ties, a cross-country move, or --as is my case-- a franchise relocation.

Long story short:

I was a Bengals fan living in Indiana. Then, the Colts relocated to Indiana when I was a young boy. The Bengals are still my favorite, but I support the Colts whenever they're NOT playing the Bengals.

[The_Admiral]

I spent years advocating the NHL's return to Winnipeg, so I pull for the Jets when the NHL deigns to stage games, but I don't have any serious emotional investment in their fortunes on par with the Blackhawks. There are teams to whose hard-earned success I am not averse, like the Oilers and Isles, but that's still pretty neutral in nature, I feel.

I'd say you pretty much have to commit to one team in terms of any serious watching, merchandise-amassing, garment-rending, and whatever else goes into liking a team. Two favorite teams is less a hedge than it is just sheer emotional/monetary exhaustion -- at least as far as the NHL goes, one would have to think.

[The Six]

I'm fine with it. I do it in baseball, I grew up an A's fan and became a Padres fan when I moved to San Diego. I justified it because they're in different leagues and rarely meet. That and I just like the Padres organzation, their ballpark and their commitment to the community, the military and their season ticket holders. The A's don't have any of that so it was a nice difference.

Plus you hate everything San Francisco. Right.

True, and the Padres and their fans do hate San Francisco (along with most of the NL West). So it was a natural fit. :censored:ing Giants.

I don't think San Diegans hate anything. Petco is one of the most welcoming places for fans of opposing teams.

[tBBP]

I think lots of people have 'second-favorites', whether it be because of family ties, a cross-country move, or --as is my case-- a franchise relocation.

Long story short:

I was a Bengals fan living in Indiana. Then, the Colts relocated to Indiana when I was a young boy. The Bengals are still my favorite, but I support the Colts whenever they're NOT playing the Bengals.

I'm in the same boat. Everyone in here knows my NFL team A. Up until around four or five years ago, the Jaguars were my team B, simply because A/ they're a Florida team and B/ I loved their logos and uniforms (I know, I know...OITGDCCSLC). But then Gene Smith's and Jack Del Rio's ineptitude just completely turned me off to them-and the identity ovethaul just finished that all the way off. Then in '09 I got stationed out in Maryland, where oddly enough I started following the Colts a little closer—probably because I worked closest with my Indiana training brigade. The folliwing year I got sent out to Indiana to be with that brigade; as such, Indiana is where I've been most of the past three years, and sometime between then and now the Colts became my de facto team B.

(Now what's funny is that I might be relocating again soon, and if that happens and I latch onto that municipality's local team...it'll end up being my third Team B in the same division. You can't make this stuff up.)

[JackieMoon]

I don't see anything wrong with it. In football I have two, Cincinnati and Denver.

[Island_Style]

I have my loyal four. (Jags,Panthers,Marlins,Magic). Those will never change (unless Jax gets a franchise) I have other teams that I "like". The Giants and Bears will always have a soft spot in my heart. However, I will always hope the Jags will destroy them when they meet. There are teams I will pull for come playoff time when my team isn't in there. I got to have a reason to watch, right? Those could change from year to year.

[OnWis97]

To each their own. I personally do not, but I did as a kid (mainly uniform based).

Actually, I guess I do in college: I have degrees from Wisconsin and Iowa. Wisconsin, my undergrad school, is my team...but I somewhat cheer for Iowa, my grad school, when they are not playing Wisconsin.

It makes sense to me if you have a reason; perhaps you grew up in Wisconsin and are a die-hard Brewer fan, but you move to Dallas and go to enough Rangers games that they become your #2. Generally speaking, just having a random one makes minimal sense to me, but as I said, to each their own.

For the pros, I usually root for someone else in the postseason, once my team is out (almost always from the beginning), but that changes based on number for ex-Badgers, players I like, etc. For example, even though I'd love to see the Cubs (and their long suffering fans) win a World Series, I don't consider them a "favorite".

[mattb6]

of course its fine to have 2 favorite teams. especially if you grew up liking a team, then moved to a new city and liked that new city's team just as much.

[Arts11]

Knee-jerk reaction was "no, you cant," but after careful thinking, I think it's okay, but with a caveat: I think most serious fans that do have 2 "favorite" teams are really only diehards for just one of them, with the other being a clear second (even if they do call them a favorite), and that's okay. I don't think it's ever really possible to have 2 equally favorite teams in the same sports league.

As for myself, I moved around a couple times growing up, but I always retained loyalties to my teams, even when I moved to other cities with their own teams. However, I will say that I developed "rooting interests" for the new local teams. I never really considered myself a fan of them, but I have to acknowledge that I would root for them more than I would any old random team, though never nearly as much as my teams.

[Funky Bunky]

You can have a few teams that you like besides your team, but you can't have more than one favorite.

In baseball, I like a few teams like the Giants and Diamondbacks, but my only true favorite is the Angels.

[DL Watt]

Growing up in Arizona, I spent many a Spring watching the Indians at near by Hi-Corbett field, naturally, I was an Indians fan. Come 98, when the D-Backs strolled into town, naturally I hoped on board in support of our new franchise, but will always be an Indians fan as well.

I think it is more acceptable for outside the division teams, then to be a Giants/ D-Backs fan. Too many matchups throughout the season to be a fan of both.

[bosrs1]

I'm fine with it. I do it in baseball, I grew up an A's fan and became a Padres fan when I moved to San Diego. I justified it because they're in different leagues and rarely meet. That and I just like the Padres organzation, their ballpark and their commitment to the community, the military and their season ticket holders. The A's don't have any of that so it was a nice difference.

Plus you hate everything San Francisco. Right.

True, and the Padres and their fans do hate San Francisco (along with most of the NL West). So it was a natural fit. :censored:ing Giants.

I don't think San Diegans hate anything. Petco is one of the most welcoming places for fans of opposing teams.

I know most don't. It warms my heart and pisses me off at the same time.

[Kramerica Industries]

I guess I would say that I never really root against the NY Giants or the NY Rangers, but I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm a "fan" of those teams, per se' (though Brad Richards and John Tortorella being in the Rangers organization doesn't hurt).

In baseball, there's just no way. I watch at least four or five times as many AL games as I do NL games. I couldn't be a fan of an NL team because I wouldn't have the time to watch them.