ernest_t_bass;441584 wrote:The funny thing to me are the people who invest so much of their lives into a sports team b/c in reality, you don't mean shit. You're just another fan, whether you're die hard or "bandwagon."
Right on. Thats the part I try to understand. I guess, if it justifies someones self-worth to feel like a "real" fan, good for them. I've like some teams for many, many years. Others, I've jumped around from time to time. Time and money are way too important to me to waste my entertainment budget (of both) on things that don't entertain me. The logo on a jersey doesn't make the sport. The people playing, coaching, etc. determine whether I want to invest. I guess that is frontrunning or whatever and so I'm not as great of a fan for being such. Okay. But what return do you get for your noble loyalty? You get refunds or discounts for wasting your money when the team is bad? You get invited to hang out in a luxury box just because you had the cheap seat season tickets when they were 1-15?
The one explanation I've heard before is that if you've stuck with a team for so long, then it is that much sweeter when they finally win something. And you feel like a part of it. Hmm, I love being emotionally involved in sports, but outside of some affiliation (like you work for them or play or have a friend/relative that plays, etc.), I've got things like a family and friends and job and responsibilities that I am "a part of". Those things kind of keep sports in perspective - its a temporary outlet, not an element of the definition of my character.
Nobody on "your" team is going to know or care if you change allegiances. So if you are insignificant, you can't make too much out of "loyalty".
