Switching sports fandoms

[Alex Houston]

I've seen threads on here about why people root for a given team and why they support one that's out of market, but I'm curious to hear if any of you switched teams over the course of time and what was your rationale for doing so. I've contemplated one in my weaker moments of being a San Jose fan, though I don't know if I could ever pull the trigger. Or if you haven't, would there ever be a situation where you could see yourself doing so?

[mattb6]

no way i'd ditch the cavs, could possibly ditch the browns if they have some over the top new jersey, or new ownership i don't like, and i can easily see myself going against Ohio State in a couple of years.

[OnWis97]

For me it would have to be a pretty unique circumstance, like an actual friend of mine playing for a team. I guess I have done it with my move to college...putting the Wisconsin Badgers above the Minnesota Gophers (about whom I was lukewarm anyway). This worked because I had a more direct connection to the school and living on campus and going to games made it fun.

Most often, I cannot see how I could really make it "authentic." For example I could say "the Timberwolves are in a league not really designed for their success and I am now a fan of the (Heat? Clippers? Lakers? Bulls?)." That's silly.

When the North Stars moved, I tried it with the Red Wings (and no, not for frontrunning...they were not quite there yet...it was for the best reason;;;UNIFORMS!). It did not take. I was pulling for them to win the Cup in their first appearance vs. the Devils and glad when they won later on, but my "Fandom" was manufactured at best. I really did not have a team. So I personally could never swap teams under circumstances that did not involve a team relocating. Of course, I was born/raised/live in a 4-team town so who to cheer for is implied.

[raysox]

I'm pretty much always and forever will be a Tampa fan. But I figure if I moved to say, Chicago. And the only thing on tv is the Blackhawks then I'd start to follow them, and eventually would unofficially switch over.

[ninersdd]

Had the Kings moved, then I'll admit that I would not pick up another team to root for in the NBA. Sure, I did like the Bulls in the late 90s thanks to Space Jam, but I can't see myself liking another team/following the league in general.

[illwauk]

I grew up a fan of Marquette hoops, and Wisconsin football and hockey. For most of my childhood, UWM wasn't even a D1 program, and remained a fairly inconsequential one until I was fortunate enough to arrive there just in time to see the Panthers make the NCAA tourney for the first time. After that, I embraced the Panthers and their underdog status and began rooting against UW and MU.

I was also a North Stars fan before they moved. I tried becoming a Red Wings fan because of my connections to Michigan, but it never felt authentic, so I gave it up altogether. The fact that the North Stars move coincided with Bettman/Wirtz deciding that Florida and California were better markets for hockey than Wisconsin assured that my NHL fandom would never reach its potential, in spite of my love for hockey.

[Billy B]

I could never switch allegiances on any professional team. I grew up an Illinois fan, but would have switched entirely to another school if I didn't end up going here. My dad and I have joked about not being Cubs fans anymore and just picking someone else to cheer for, but I could never actually go through with that. If I move out of Chicago at some point, I'd probably adopt that city's teams as my "second" teams (as long as they weren't rivals), but it wouldn't be the same.

[CheeseHusker]

I was a Dallas Cowboys fan as a young kid. I lived in Nebraska then and had relatives in Texas. I also liked the Oilers, but not as much, and also flirted with the Packers and Jets (green uniforms). But it wasn't that strong... in Nebraska you were college football first, NFL second. An explanation as to why is probably unnecessary.

I moved to southern Wisconsin in the mid-80s. My school was about 2/3 Packers and 1/3 Bears, even at a time when the Packers were hideous, and the Bears were in the midst of their greatest era. I tended to favor the Packers, because the Packer fans were at this point much less arrogant and obnoxious than the Bears fans were. I didn't have a dog in the fight. So I kind of followed Dallas and Green Bay together. Their paths didn't really cross a whole lot.

What changed for me was Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson, and the influx of Miami Hurricanes that came with it. I was more a fan of Staubach-Dorsett-Drew Pearson-Too Tall Jones Dallas and those guys were all long gone.

Then, the Packers finally started to get a clue. When Dallas began knocking the Packers out of the playoffs on a seemingly regular basis, my allegiance had changed for good. Soon after, I actually lived in Green Bay. In that time, I went from pretty solid to hardcore.

[McCall]

When the football Cardinals left (I was only 7 or 8 years old and more into baseball and basketball) me and my brother kind of became Bears fans (he still is to this day). Once the Rams came to town, I immediately became a fan. I'm more of a St. Louis fan I guess. And all-around Missouri fan, except maybe Kansas City teams. At least the Chiefs. Don't like the Chiefs.

[Mings]

I've seen threads on here about why people root for a given team and why they support one that's out of market, but I'm curious to hear if any of you switched teams over the course of time and what was your rationale for doing so. I've contemplated one in my weaker moments of being a San Jose fan, though I don't know if I could ever pull the trigger. Or if you haven't, would there ever be a situation where you could see yourself doing so?

You live in Wicker Park, why are you not a Blackhawks fan? I've lived in Ukie Village and now Logan Square and it took me less than 6 months to convert.

[CubsFanBudMan]

Short of relocations - team or individual - you never really switch. Deep down the first team you fall in love with is likely who you are stuck with. I say that as someone who currently despises their No. 1 team and their ownership. I'd love to switch teams (and have taken to following the Midwest League team of my youth as a pseudo-substitute) but I can't really do it. Too much history. How do you reconcile Ryne Sandberg as your favorite player growing up but some other team as your favorite? Heck, I even missed the window to change my username. (Sorry Harry, don't drink Bud, either.)

[CubsFanBudMan]

I've seen threads on here about why people root for a given team and why they support one that's out of market, but I'm curious to hear if any of you switched teams over the course of time and what was your rationale for doing so. I've contemplated one in my weaker moments of being a San Jose fan, though I don't know if I could ever pull the trigger. Or if you haven't, would there ever be a situation where you could see yourself doing so?

You live in Wicker Park, why are you not a Blackhawks fan? I've lived in Ukie Village and now Logan Square and it took me less than 6 months to convert.

Ten years since moving to Chicago and a Stanley Cup and I still can't honestly claim the Blackhawks over the #$%^& Florida Panthers. Loyalty... smh.

(Go Wolves, though.)

[Alex Houston]

I've seen threads on here about why people root for a given team and why they support one that's out of market, but I'm curious to hear if any of you switched teams over the course of time and what was your rationale for doing so. I've contemplated one in my weaker moments of being a San Jose fan, though I don't know if I could ever pull the trigger. Or if you haven't, would there ever be a situation where you could see yourself doing so?

You live in Wicker Park, why are you not a Blackhawks fan? I've lived in Ukie Village and now Logan Square and it took me less than 6 months to convert.

Long story short, I was one of those who was disgruntled by the policies of the old administration under Dollar Bill and refused to join since '09 because in my eyes, I'd be bandwagoning, which is one of the worst offenses a sports fan can make. I like to compared it to that episode of Family Guy were they think Peter is dead and he comes back to find Lois has married Brian and how Peter is upset that Lois doesn't just dump him because he's back around now. That's sort of the situation I found myself in.

I ended up getting into the Sharks back when I started high school for different reasons and it felt disingenuous to just drop them once the local team started winning. If the Hawks were in the East, then I suppose I could try dual fandom, but 2010 left a pretty bitter taste in my mouth. It's frustrating for sure, though I've concluded if I were to jump ship to a new hockey team, it'd probably be Boston. I just like their style and think their backstory is pretty cool.

[Alex Houston]

I could never switch allegiances on any professional team. I grew up an Illinois fan, but would have switched entirely to another school if I didn't end up going here. My dad and I have joked about not being Cubs fans anymore and just picking someone else to cheer for, but I could never actually go through with that. If I move out of Chicago at some point, I'd probably adopt that city's teams as my "second" teams (as long as they weren't rivals), but it wouldn't be the same.

Y'know, it just boggles my mind to think the Cubs are 105 years removed from their last title. You believe that at least once or twice over the course of life, each fan experiences a championship for their favorite teams, yet there have been thousands of people who were born and raised Cubs fans who never got to experience that. Makes you wonder if they ever had any death bed regrets about that choice.

[Evil G]

I live in a town with zero sports markets in state, but unlike most in the area, I my favorites aren't the Bears, Vikings, Packers, Bulls, Blackhawks, Twins, Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs or White Sox. Instead, I like the Steelers, Clippers, and Yankees. I'm trying to get into the NHL this year, and I'm going to follow the Ducks.

[Funky Bunky]

I've seen threads on here about why people root for a given team and why they support one that's out of market, but I'm curious to hear if any of you switched teams over the course of time and what was your rationale for doing so. I've contemplated one in my weaker moments of being a San Jose fan, though I don't know if I could ever pull the trigger. Or if you haven't, would there ever be a situation where you could see yourself doing so?

You live in Wicker Park, why are you not a Blackhawks fan? I've lived in Ukie Village and now Logan Square and it took me less than 6 months to convert.

Ten years since moving to Chicago and a Stanley Cup and I still can't honestly claim the Blackhawks over the #$%^& Florida Panthers. Loyalty... smh.

(Go Wolves, though.)

Should make the Stanley Cup Florida's going to win in 2018 all the more sweet, though.

[Evil G]

While in Utah?

[sc49erfan15]

I can't see myself ever switching allegiances from the 49ers, Winthrop, Braves, or Bobcats Hornets. I'm a casual Hurricanes fan at best, but don't really see that changing either.

If I moved to or close to a different city with major sports teams, I'd probably start following them a little more and they'd become an adopted "second" team of sorts, but I don't think they would replace the teams I'm already a fan of.

Being an out-of-town fan is fun. I love seeing people wearing 49ers stuff in North/South Carolina. I actually think that moving out of NC/SC would make me a bigger Hornets/Hurricanes fan, just because of the connection to my home state(s).

[CubsFanBudMan]

I've seen threads on here about why people root for a given team and why they support one that's out of market, but I'm curious to hear if any of you switched teams over the course of time and what was your rationale for doing so. I've contemplated one in my weaker moments of being a San Jose fan, though I don't know if I could ever pull the trigger. Or if you haven't, would there ever be a situation where you could see yourself doing so?

You live in Wicker Park, why are you not a Blackhawks fan? I've lived in Ukie Village and now Logan Square and it took me less than 6 months to convert.

Ten years since moving to Chicago and a Stanley Cup and I still can't honestly claim the Blackhawks over the #$%^& Florida Panthers. Loyalty... smh.

(Go Wolves, though.)

Should make the Stanley Cup Florida's going to win in 2018 all the more sweet, though.

I'll start saving for tickets now. Should have $50 to spare by then. I'll start stocking up on plastic rats, too, before demand spikes again.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I grew up a Yankees and NY Giants fan, but root for neither now. Around 1998, I took up rooting for the Expos in addition to the Yankees, party as kind of a yin and yang to my fandom. However, I gave up on baseball after MLB took over the Expos and ran them into the ground (and Puerto Rico), while at the same time the Yankees were adding guys like Jason Giambi, Kevin Brown and Randy Johnson. The contrast in the haves vs. have nots in baseball was so great that I couldn't watch it in good faith anymore.

I was a Giants fan as a kid, but became more attached to the Bills after I left my hometown to go to college. I grew up in Western New York, so the Bills were a more natural fit anyway. I'm still a fan to this day, and while I was rooting for the Giants in their recent Super Bowls, I never felt the same happiness as a fan that I did for, say, the Syracuse championship in 2003 (which to this day is the only title one of "my" teams has won).