Serious question for sports fans

[Arugula Latte]

First, please understand I am not asking this in a sarcastic, snarky way. I truly am trying to understand a concept that seems to be of great importance to many millions of people but just passes me by completely.

Why do you care when Team X beats Team Y on a given day, and why do you care when Team Y beats Team X? Why do you care that Team X won a pennant ten years ago or that Team Y might have a shot at such-and-such championship?

(If it is hometown identification, how do you square that with the fact that most of the team members are from somewhere else or likely to move on to some other team?)

Thanks for any insight. :hi:

[maveric]

1. For me its hometown affiliation.

I grew up in the Boston area so The Sox, Pats, Celtics, Bruins, Boston College, UNH and U Mass are my teams. I've lived in San Diego for the past 25 years so the Padres, Chargers and <shudder> San Diego State are also favorites.
You have to be a sports fan to understand this loyalty and to appreciate the rivalries.

[Baclava]

2. Winning teams mean happy fans...

Keeping fans happy is important....

[JohnKleeb]

5. Whoa

:)

[Spider Jerusalem]

9. Go Steelers!

:wow:
(I don't even LIKE football, but that pic gets my approval)

[HEyHEY]

3. It differs - hometown always takes precedent

However, I know people who literally change favourites from year to year depending on what players on on teams. My buddy lombardo is a prime example. He loved the players on the Astros last year. So he was cheering for them... five years ago he didn't give a shit about them.
Same in hockey, any team Vinny Damphouse was on, he always cheered for.. just cause he liked Vinny.

For me, Hometown is no 1, but for sports in which my hometown has no team, it's just the way things worked out.

For instance, I'm a Kansas City Cheifs fan because when I started watching NFL they were always on and had The Nigerian Nightmare, who I really liked...so to this day I'm a Chiefs fan.

I'm a big Baltimore Oriels fan because my mom always liked Sandy Alomar, so I did too.... when I got into baseball he was playing for them.

[kanrok]

4. For me it's a mix of things

Hometown affiliation is a primary issue, but not the only one. For instance, I grew up in Chicago. I'm a south-sider by birth. I LOVE the White Sox, Bears, Blackhawks and Bulls. I HATE the Cubs. An irrational behavior, I know, but a remnant of my youth. Another issue is socialization. My father, cousins uncles and friends were all huge sports fans. Hence, I am a huge sports fan. Playing sports is another factor. By playing all these sports (as well as golf), I learned to appreciate the subtleties in each of the games. I have a great appreciation for anyone who performs their work or avocation excellently. I've always been amazed at excellence, in all fields. Some enjoy gambling on the outcome of events. I don't, but I can see the attraction. All of this just scratches the surface of each sports fan's unique world view. (World with a small "w"). When I want team "Y" (let's say the Boston Red Sox) to beat team "X" (let's call then the "Assmunch Yankees") it's got to do with a deeply felt series of reasons that are too complex to list here. I'm not a fan of either team, although the Bosox are my sentimental favorites, and second in my heart behind the White Sox. Some attribute this to an innate love of articles of clothing. I say it's because the Bosox were underdogs for many, many years. Anyway, scratch a sports fan and you'll get answers similar to these

[nytemare]

6. I saw a special about this on Nova, I think

They did brain scans of those watching sports, and it turned out the same areas of the brain lit up as if they were doing the activity themselves.

I am a huge Redskins fan, and have been loyal through thick and thin, mostly thin, lately. I also had the opportunity to play football, and have been athletic most of my life. I grew up in DC, and suppose it was family who got me into it at first. It may just be a desire to be a part of the excitement?

I was reading last week in "Billions and Billions" by Carl Sagan about this very thing! His argument was that most of human history, excluding the last 100+ years, we have been hunter/gatherers, and we have not evolved much past the hunter/gatherer mindset. He proposed that sports are one thing that "exercise" that part of the brain that isn't exercised by sitting at a desk at work.

Pretty interesting stuff!

[WilliamPitt]

7. It's the non-violent transition from city/state warfare to sports

Troy was always happy when Sparta was defeated...even though people died. City association is a big deal to a lot of people - think the pride people from New York, Boston, Philly, Chicago, etc take in where they are from - and sports is an extention of that.

Better a baseball game than coming home on your shield, but it's all the same thing. People haven't really changed in 5,000 years. We're just a little smarter about how to channel the human desire for low-grade warfare and competition.

[catzies]

8. I know people who treat politics like that.

"Bandwagon fans" is not just a phrase used in sports.

Some people just have to be on the winning side and bash the losing side.