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Are The Colts Really "America's Team"? (3 Viewers)

toppshelff

Footballguy
I was surprised at the comment. Obviously the Colts are good, and Peyton and Dungy are liked well beyond this city...

But "America's Team"?

What would be the factors that would crown a team with such a title?

For instance...

1) Outstanding merchandising beyond home market

2) National commercial endorsements for multiple players

3) Strongly polarizing opinions. For instance, I loved the Steelers in their heyday, although I was from elsewhere. However, I also loved whoever Dallas was playing when they were winning it all. Replace the word Dallas with Miami in the previous sentence.

Others?

Obviously, there is no good definition for such a title, but the comment is sure to spark a debate, methinks.

 
I was surprised at the comment. Obviously the Colts are good, and Peyton and Dungy are liked well beyond this city...But "America's Team"?What would be the factors that would crown a team with such a title?For instance...1) Outstanding merchandising beyond home market2) National commercial endorsements for multiple players3) Strongly polarizing opinions. For instance, I loved the Steelers in their heyday, although I was from elsewhere. However, I also loved whoever Dallas was playing when they were winning it all. Replace the word Dallas with Miami in the previous sentence.Others?Obviously, there is no good definition for such a title, but the comment is sure to spark a debate, methinks.
There is no such thing as "America's Team". Fact of the matter is, most true NFL fans could care less about 31 teams.
 
Doo said:
I would think at this point New Orleans is "Americas Team". I could easily see it going back to Dallas if they step up their game.
:goodposting: I also kind of agree with the guy who said most fans don't care about 31 teams, and hence there is no "america's team." I don't interpret "america's team" to mean the team that everyone in the US roots for though. I see it more as meaning the team people rally behind once their team is out. I think there was a lot of goodwill towards the saints this season by most people, even during the regular season before anyone's team was out.
 
Doo said:
I would think at this point New Orleans is "Americas Team". I could easily see it going back to Dallas if they step up their game.
:goodposting: I also kind of agree with the guy who said most fans don't care about 31 teams, and hence there is no "america's team." I don't interpret "america's team" to mean the team that everyone in the US roots for though. I see it more as meaning the team people rally behind once their team is out. I think there was a lot of goodwill towards the saints this season by most people, even during the regular season before anyone's team was out.
In that case, I would venture to say that fans rooted for the Saints moreso because they are perennial losers than because of Katrina. I don't consider any team "America's Team" but I like to see new blood and I love rooting for the underdog.
 
They should start with being Indiana's team. There was that segment before the SB that showed fan supports for the Colts dwindled past Lafayette.

 
1. You can't take something like that said on local TV seriously. Local TV, especially in Indy on a playoff run like that, always hypes the home team.

2. They aren't America's team, but they are one of the top 5 draws in the NFL right now.

 
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What would make anyone think the Colts are "America's Team"?
Peyton is the face of the NFL. Just check the ads. Dallas was considered America's team, everyone either loved them or hated them. The same seems true for Indy right now.
 
I was surprised at the comment. Obviously the Colts are good, and Peyton and Dungy are liked well beyond this city...

But "America's Team"?

What would be the factors that would crown a team with such a title?

For instance...

1) Outstanding merchandising beyond home market

2) National commercial endorsements for multiple players

3) Strongly polarizing opinions. For instance, I loved the Steelers in their heyday, although I was from elsewhere. However, I also loved whoever Dallas was playing when they were winning it all. Replace the word Dallas with Miami in the previous sentence.

Others?

Obviously, there is no good definition for such a title, but the comment is sure to spark a debate, methinks.
There is no such thing as "America's Team". Fact of the matter is, most true NFL fans could care less about 31 teams.
:thumbup:
 
NFW.

The colts have a very small bandwagon fanbase outside of Indy similar to the 49ers in the early 90s. As soon as Peyton leaves it will shrivel up and die.

 
No. Not the Packers, not the Bears, not the Pats, not the Saints. In fact the Saints are probably only rooted for because everyone feels sorry for them.

The Cowboys always have been and always will be America's Team. Love them or hate them...that is what makes it happen. Their fan base is large and wide.

 
Its propaganda, any winning team would be Americas team. They just have to stick America in there since everyone hates this country, but everyone loves a winner. Personally, I hate the colts.

 
If they were America's team, there would have had a lot more than 35%-40% of the stadium rooting for them on Sunday.

 
The colts have a very small bandwagon fanbase outside of Indy similar to the 49ers in the early 90s. As soon as Peyton leaves it will shrivel up and die.
Please.The game posted the third highest rating in television history. Does that make them "The Team"? I doubt it, but much of what I've read lately suggests that Indiana does not have a great fan base. Do NFL sales reflect that opinion? From what I have seen here in Indy the state, the ownership and the fans are solidly behind this team now as they were the day the truck rolled into town.
 
plymkr said:
No. Not the Packers, not the Bears, not the Pats, not the Saints. In fact the Saints are probably only rooted for because everyone feels sorry for them.

The Cowboys Steelers always have been and always will be America's Team. Love them or hate them...that is what makes it happen. Their fan base is large and wide.
FIXED. :confused: ;)

 
plymkr said:
No. Not the Packers, not the Bears, not the Pats, not the Saints. In fact the Saints are probably only rooted for because everyone feels sorry for them.

The Cowboys Steelers always have been and always will be America's Team. Love them or hate them...that is what makes it happen. Their fan base is large and wide.
FIXED. :shrug: :(
I would definitely give the Steelers a close 2nd.
 
The colts have a very small bandwagon fanbase outside of Indy similar to the 49ers in the early 90s. As soon as Peyton leaves it will shrivel up and die.
Please.The game posted the third highest rating in television history. Does that make them "The Team"? I doubt it, but much of what I've read lately suggests that Indiana does not have a great fan base. Do NFL sales reflect that opinion? From what I have seen here in Indy the state, the ownership and the fans are solidly behind this team now as they were the day the truck rolled into town.
I'm not debating that they are Indiana's team. Only single NFL team state that there is a question of that is Arizona.
 
No stadium or franchise has the special feel that the Packers do. Small town...hugely successful....storybook franchise.

Packers are America's Team.

 
As of earlier in the season when Harris Interactive did their last poll on America's team, Pittsburgh was America's team with a league-leading 16% of the fan base, followed by Dallas with 15%, Indy with 13%, and Green Bay with 11%.

I don't know what you call the last place team. Iran's team maybe? Anyway, it's Jacksonville, the only team with 1% of the vote.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Colts on top if they do a poll again this year, as it looks like super bowl winners jump up quite a bit the following year.

Dallas incidentally had 1 out of every 4 NFL fans cheering for them back in 1998. By 2002, their fan base had dropped by more than half, from 25% to 11%. Ouch.

 
1. You can't take something like that said on local TV seriously. Local TV, especially in Indy on a playoff run like that, always hypes the home team.2. They aren't America's team, but they are one of the top 5 draws in the NFL right now.
:goodposting: dj is right. The rest of the sporting world is going to have to give Indy a break as we try to cope with our first major Championship since the ABA Pacers... and does that even really count? The local media is having a field day with this and the Colts fans are coming out of the woodwork. Please excuse our City if we go just a little overboard. With only the Colts and Pacers as major league franchises, this doesn't happen to us often.Personally, I've very happy for the city, Dungy, Manning, Polian, and the rest of the Colts organizartion. I wouldn't call myself a "die-hard" Colts fan, but living in Indy for the past 15 years I've grown to like them and root for them on Sundays. But I've done my best not to jump on the bandwagon. I'm just running beside it and cheering!That being said - no way the Colts are America's team. I agree with whoever posted above - Hell, the Colts aren't even Indiana's team. I grew up in the Region (NW Indiana) and they are rabid Bears fans up there from LONG before the Colts left Baltimore. My wife's family still lives in that area and they wouldn't have dreamed of rooting for the Colts.
 
Its propaganda, any winning team would be Americas team. ... everyone loves a winner.
:lmao: They're the flavor of the month until the regular season starts up again, just like who ever won American Idol is America's favorite singer until the next season of the show starts.I'd be curious to see the merchandising ranking for this year - that would be illuminating in regard to this discussion.
 
America's team Q&A:

1) Which team seems to have the most related posts on this national/internation message board?

Seems like Steelers if I were to guess.

2) Which team had the most lopsided fan representation in Superbowl ever?

Steelers last year...well greater than 85% I'm sure...in fairness though Seattle has a very small fan base.... if it were Cowboys, Bears etc it would have been closer to 50/50 but even the '95 Superbowl in Tempe, Arizona (2 states removed from Texas...there were slightly more Steeler fans in attendance out there.

3) Which team easily has the most fan representation in visiting stadiums?

Steelers..no arguement...and most of the fans are not folks traveling from Pittsburgh...there aren't that many folks living in Western PA and also their not that wealthy to be traveling the country. . There is just more Steeler fans actually living in Arizona, Ohio, Baltimore, Tennesse, San Diego etc than any other team fans.

Unless someone has any other arguements against, I think this is settled.

I'll give KC & GB props for best tailgaiters and hometown fan support....but its not on the national level like the Steelers are.

 
America's team Q&A: 1) Which team seems to have the most related posts on this national/internation message board?Seems like Steelers if I were to guess.2) Which team had the most lopsided fan representation in Superbowl ever?Steelers last year...well greater than 85% I'm sure...in fairness though Seattle has a very small fan base.... if it were Cowboys, Bears etc it would have been closer to 50/50 but even the '95 Superbowl in Tempe, Arizona (2 states removed from Texas...there were slightly more Steeler fans in attendance out there.3) Which team easily has the most fan representation in visiting stadiums?Steelers..no arguement...and most of the fans are not folks traveling from Pittsburgh...there aren't that many folks living in Western PA and also their not that wealthy to be traveling the country. . There is just more Steeler fans actually living in Arizona, Ohio, Baltimore, Tennesse, San Diego etc than any other team fans.Unless someone has any other arguements against, I think this is settled.I'll give KC & GB props for best tailgaiters and hometown fan support....but its not on the national level like the Steelers are.
I might agree with you that the Steelers edge out Green Bay right now, but to say Green Bay isn't on a national level like Pittsburgh is WAAAAY off. Green Bay has blown away Pittsburgh in national fan support for years. Probably the only reason Pittsburgh is ahead right now is that they have a Super Bowl win while the Packers are at a low point.It's kind of strange the following they have for the population of the area they are in. The only reason for it I've been able to come up with is that in most places, the majority of fans cheer for the local team... but only a segment of the overall population are fans. It seems like in Wisconsin, the entire population are football fans, so even though there are less people in the area, all of them care about football.
 
How about selling out over 100 games in a row whether at home or on the road? The Cowboys are and always will be known as America's Team. It may be fashionable for people to try and attach the moniker to another franchise, but the truth is it's the Cowboys. The Cowboys did not even give themselves the name.

From WikiPedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America's_Team

 
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Speaking as a Colts fan... NO the Colts are NOT Americas team, they are just the flavor of the month. Who rooted for them for all the seasens that they sucked? Not America. The true Colts fans did. Screw the "Americas Team" label, fair weather fans will not be there when the Colts take the inevitable slide to mediocrity that evey team takes eventualy. I and all true Colts fans will still root for them, regardless of their record.

America's team :goodposting:

 
I like the Colts, but they are not "America's Team". By my avatar, you can guess I am a Saints fan and they are not America's team.

I think Dallas has successfully marketed itself as "America's Team", and that is the team that seems to draw the most attention outside of hometown teams.

 
plymkr said:
How about selling out over 100 games in a row whether at home or on the road? The Cowboys are and always will be known as America's Team. It may be fashionable for people to try and attach the moniker to another franchise, but the truth is it's the Cowboys. The Cowboys did not even give themselves the name.

From WikiPedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America's_Team
Nice work......end of thread....imo.
 
Speaking as a Colts fan... NO the Colts are NOT Americas team, they are just the flavor of the month. Who rooted for them for all the seasens that they sucked? Not America. The true Colts fans did. Screw the "Americas Team" label, fair weather fans will not be there when the Colts take the inevitable slide to mediocrity that evey team takes eventualy. I and all true Colts fans will still root for them, regardless of their record.

America's team :shrug:
Damn skippy! Where were all these people during the Jack Trudeau era?
 
Speaking as a Colts fan... NO the Colts are NOT Americas team, they are just the flavor of the month. Who rooted for them for all the seasens that they sucked? Not America. The true Colts fans did. Screw the "Americas Team" label, fair weather fans will not be there when the Colts take the inevitable slide to mediocrity that evey team takes eventualy. I and all true Colts fans will still root for them, regardless of their record.

America's team :goodposting:
Damn skippy! Where were all these people during the Jack Trudeau era?
America's Team? Gimme a break! I love the Colts, but I could care less about a bunch of bandwaggoning fans hopping aboard the train now!Who really gives a crap which team is "America's Team" anyway? Sure Dallas seems to be, but they churn out those marketing dollars more than anyone else to be there.

In my eyes, there is only 1 America's Team, and that is the United States Armed Forces!!!

Go Colts!!!

 
plymkr said:
How about selling out over 100 games in a row whether at home or on the road? The Cowboys are and always will be known as America's Team. It may be fashionable for people to try and attach the moniker to another franchise, but the truth is it's the Cowboys. The Cowboys did not even give themselves the name.

From WikiPedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America's_Team
I don't really care about a label put on a team for marketing purposes (NFL Films) so if you want Dallas to be America's team so be it. Your facts are misleading since most NFL games are sold out. I do wonder why America's Team could not sell out its own stadium in the 1980's. I am sure if you look at Dallas’ sellout record compared to other teams it is not that impressive. Green Bay has sold out every game at Lambeau Field since 1960. I'm sure other teams can boast of similar accomplishments.

 

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