Sunday, April 22, 2012

Sports Fans vs. Team Fans

Living in a "baseball town" like St. Louis, I have been thinking a lot about the difference between a true baseball fan and simply a team's fan.  The truth is, I would not call St. Louis a baseball town.  Yes, it has a great team and a great baseball history.  But the truth is, people here only care about the Cardinals (and only when they're winning) instead of the game of baseball.  When I moved here, people expected me to stop being a Mariners fan and automatically become a die hard Cardinals fan.  Yes, I will go to games and root for the Cardinals (as long as they aren't playing a team I like better), but I have been a Mariners fan for 17 years...I won't just "give them up."  The difference between a baseball fan and a team fan is the team fan will only go to a game if their favorite team is playing.  A baseball fan will go to a game no matter what team is playing.   A team fan will wear team gear and cheer for their team when the team is doing well.  A baseball fan will wear their team's gear and cheer for their team, no matter how the team is doing.  A team fan will say "I knew we had it" when their team does well.  A baseball fan knows when their team isn't the best, but still has faith.  I am proud to be a Mariners fan.  I will cheer for them every day of the year.  Yes, they may not be the best right now, but when they do eventually do well, I will be proud to say I have been a fan all along.  Team fans, where are you when your team is not playing well?  Now I'm not lumping all Cardinals fans into this.  There are some who are true baseball fans.  But I have noticed there is a difference between small market fans and big market fans.  That is why people who wear a Seattle hat, or a Toronto hat, or even a Tampa Bay hat will always get a little more respect from me than someone wearing a Cardinals, Red Sox, or Yankees hat.  Why?  Because you know that small market fan is truly a fan.

1 comment:

  1. I get it. I am more of a baseball fan. I do like to tune in a game on the radio, and it doesn't matter much who is playing. Driving around town or puttering around in the yard, baseball seems to fit into the pace of life in real time. It is easy to follow along and stop what ever you may be doing when things get really interesting. This spring it is the Chico State Wildcats. This summer the Giants will be on.

    I dont' watch much on t.v. unless it is post season.

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