How did you become a fan of your favorite team(s)? (6 Viewers)

[Kiddnets]

In the Jets thread some of us were discussing how we ended up fans of this tough team to root for - really enjoyed some of the stories and am interested in general on how others became fans of their favorite teams. Didnt see a thread on it so figured I'd ask - if it exists somewhere feel free to merge -

I'll start with my Jets origin story....let's hear yours.

Fandom is such a personal journey - Im asked all the time - why not just stop the torture and pick a new team. Thats just not possible.

I was brought up a Jets fan as my father purchased season tix in the 60s - the day they signed Namath . I went to Shea as a little kid - my dad tipping the usher a few dollars instead of buying me a ticket - and I saw OJ Simpson run wild through poor Jet D. But also remember Jerome Barkum catching a TD at the last second and my dad and I screaming our heads off - then celebrating in the Shea Diamond Club bar where somehow as a young kid I was surrounded by drunks with Klecko, Lyons and Gastineu coming in to drink with the fans to celebrate.

Then moved to NJ where we kept season tix but began tailgating which has been a staple for decades which continues at the air conditioner unit - Met Life

Gamedays now not only includes my dad and I but close friends, cousins, people we met over the years in the lot and now my family wife and kids. It brings us together - we are conditioned for losses but still enjoy the time and game. Wins are rare but sweet when they are meaningful - been a while for one of those!

My dad saw a Super Bowl - I wasnt born yet and Im not so sure Ill see one before my time is over - but my kids have to - or so says Chat GPT - so it does make me smile that maybe when they are old and Im long gone the Jets will win it all and they'll remember my dad and I and all the good times leading up to it. My dream is they pull it off one more time while we are all together. Maybe too much an ask but thats the thing in sports - you never know! And as stated above - the euphoria would last for weeks! Still cant even imagine it -

Anyway - its part of my DNA now like most lifelong fans so I have to endure some nonsense like Woody and the press but still somehow I love this team and cant get enough. With all of life's craziness - its an escape that you can do with others - which is why I love this thread as well! IMO thats what life is all about.

 

[Mr. Mojo]

I grew up in LA area and my parents were both Ram fans for a long time.
So I started with the Rams.
When George Allen (my favorite coach) left the Rams for Washington, I started rooting for the Redskins, too.
I rooted for both until Georgia Fronteiri ruined the Rams team and moved them to St. Louis. Then it was just the Redskins.
After the Rams moved back, I started rooting for them again (along with the Commanders).

 

[kupcho1]

Fandom is such a personal journey - Im asked all the time - why not just stop the torture and pick a new team. Thats just not possible.

This isn't my story, but I thought I'd pass it on in light of this statement.

My friend is also a (needless to say long suffering) Jets fan and a season ticket holder. He's now hours away from the scene of the crime (i.e., MetLife stadium) so he doesn't attend a lot of games in person. However, one he attended with his young son a few years back was memorable for all of the wrong reasons.

It was the butt fumble game.

As you can imagine, it was a somber drive home that day. On the way back, my friend told his son that if he wanted to he could pick another team to root for and that he'd be fine with it. His son thought about it for a while, but eventually decided to stick with the Jets. I assume he didn't want to disappoint his dad and probably regrets it to this day.

 

[MTskibum]

I grew up where there were no teams, Wyoming, Montana, ND, etc. My family was from central PA and we all rooted for Steelers so I generally rooted for them as well and considered myself a huge steelers fan for most my life. I have seen a game in three rivers stadium before it was demolished and also saw a couple Penn state games in happy valley.

When I lived in the rockies about 1/4 of people rooted for Broncos, 1/4 of people for Seahawks, 1/4 of people root for either Vikes/Pack, and then 1/4 people root for other. However, nowadays 90% of Wyoming is bills fans, lol.

However, when I moved to Houston I slowly started rooting for the Texans. I guess when people asked why i was a steelers fan i could not say i was from PA, since i am not and i did not want to appear to be a bandwagon fan, so i just started rooting for the local team.

 

[B Maverick]

Odd mix of teams here: Manchester United, LA Dodgers, Boston Celtics, LA Chargers


Grew up in San Diego but my Dad was from NY. He grew up with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He became a Celtics fan after seeing them play vs the Knicks when he was young.
Since Dodgers and Celtics is what was on (TV or Radio), I grew up rooting for them. We still talk about those teams today...

When I got into football, Chargers were the home team, so I became a fan. Despite their move to LA (which is closer to me now that I'm in the OC) I still root for them.
Not big into hockey, so I don't support any teams but do like going to games (best live sport). Kings or Ducks.

As a huge soccer fan (grew up playing and still play today) I was on a trip to England/Norway/Denmark in 92. Saw Arsenal v Leads and Manchester United v Lillistrom and became a huge United fan.

 

[Kiddnets]

Fandom is such a personal journey - Im asked all the time - why not just stop the torture and pick a new team. Thats just not possible.

This isn't my story, but I thought I'd pass it on in light of this statement.

My friend is also a (needless to say long suffering) Jets fan and a season ticket holder. He's now hours away from the scene of the crime (i.e., MetLife stadium) so he doesn't attend a lot of games in person. However, one he attended with his young son a few years back was memorable for all of the wrong reasons.

It was the butt fumble game.

As you can imagine, it was a somber drive home that day. On the way back, my friend told his son that if he wanted to he could pick another team to root for and that he'd be fine with it. His son thought about it for a while, but eventually decided to stick with the Jets. I assume he didn't want to disappoint his dad and probably regrets it to this day.

If he stayed a fan after the butt fumble that's a true fan for life now!

 

[Kiddnets]

Odd mix of teams here: Manchester United, LA Dodgers, Boston Celtics, LA Chargers


Grew up in San Diego but my Dad was from NY. He grew up with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He became a Celtics fan after seeing them play vs the Knicks when he was young.
Since Dodgers and Celtics is what was on (TV or Radio), I grew up rooting for them. We still talk about those teams today...

When I got into football, Chargers were the home team, so I became a fan. Despite their move to LA (which is closer to me now that I'm in the OC) I still root for them.
Not big into hockey, so I don't support any teams but do like going to games (best live sport). Kings or Ducks.

As a huge soccer fan (grew up playing and still play today) I was on a trip to England/Norway/Denmark in 92. Saw Arsenal v Leads and Manchester United v Lillistrom and became a huge United fan.

Seeing a lot of dad factors already - team love passed down like genetic traits.

Location is an obvious driver - but in rare instances of neither I find it so cool when people tell me a game or moment that hooked them in on a team!

 

[Scoresman]

49ers - Grew up in SF area in the 80s, so no brainer really. My mom was raising me single and we would go to training camp every year. One year while getting Ronnie Lott's autograph, he really flirted with my mom. I still give her crap to this day for not making Ronnie Lott my stepdad.

Gonzaga - Married into a Gonzaga-loving family, and their Cinderella -> Annual Contender transition during that time roped me in.

 

[Snoopy]

Born that way, but was a mom factor rather than a dad factor.

 

[Gally]

I never really had any real team allegiances growing up just outside of Los Angeles. Most people were Raider, Dodger, Laker fans. To keep things interesting I usually just rooted against the favorite teams to make it a little more fun but never really had a true allegience. I kind of liked the Chargers with Fouts and the high flying offense and I started following and really liking the Angels because of Rod Carew. I watched hockey and the only games on were the LA Kings so I naturally became a Kings fan which only strengthened when Gretzky came to town.

But here is my story on becoming a Vikings Fan:

I started playing fantasy football in 1985. The league we started required you to have an NFL team name as your name. We didn't do the dumb make up your team name stuff. This was serious business. I paired up with a buddy to share a team. He was a Steeler fan but his dad was also in the league and took the Steelers as his team name so we decided to put a bunch of names in a hat and pull one out. We pulled out the Vikings. So then I started getting Vikings hats and shirts for the draft and would wear them around town. People would come up thinking I was a Vikings fan and I would tell them I wasn't. They would always be confused and asked why I was wearing their gear so I explained to them it was my fantasy football team. Nobody back then knew what FF was so I had to explain it every time. I got so sick of explaining what it was I finally just said F*** It, I am a Vikings fan and it's been misery ever since.

I am still a huge LA Kings fan (had season tickets for 6 years and got to see two Cups be raised) and I like the Angels still but am probably more of a Royals fan these days. That is because a kid I coached in high school was drafted by the Royals and played for them for 10 years. It made it easy to follow them and I really liked the way they played and many of the players so it has kinda stuck.

Growing up in the early 80's just outside of LA it was a must to be a fan of the showtime Lakers with Magic. That was appointment watching so I was a big Lakers fan at that time as well. All the way up until the Shaq/Kobe Lakers. I was team Shaq so when that whole thing happened and Shaq left I went on hiatus because I couldn't stand Kobe. I kind of lost touch with basketball during that time and never really got it back. Games are just boring to me now for the most part until the playoffs where things get serious.

Welp, that's my team rooting stories.

 

[Zow]

I think we did this before, but here are mine below.

NY Mets - were in the news a bunch when they won in 1986 and (I was 3) I liked their colors so I became an instant fan. I then realized in preschool that they were rivals with the local favorite team, the Phillies, and I enjoyed being the antagonist. Baseball was basically the focus of my life until college so, as a kid, everything had to be blue and orange and I liked them the most of all sports teams.

Vikings and Timberwolves - My extended family is all from Minnesota so my parents hooked me in early (just couldn't get me off the Mets for MLB). I really came to root for the Timberwolves when I got to attend their private practices at my college and interact with some of the players and staff. This was in the early 2000s with KG (my favorite athlete of all time - his practice intensity was incredible to watch) and they were pretty good for at least a season or two in there. My son really likes them now too so it's been a joy being able to watch games with him.

Maple Leafs - I originally liked the North Stars for the same reason above, but when they moved to Dallas I jumped onto the Maple Leafs as they were my favorite team to play in NHL 94 and NH 95. Big Doug Gilmour and Mats Sundeen fan.

At some point it would be really, really nice for one of these teams to win a championship in my lifetime where I am cognitive enough to remember it (honestly don't remember the 1986 series).

 

[B Maverick]

Odd mix of teams here: Manchester United, LA Dodgers, Boston Celtics, LA Chargers


Grew up in San Diego but my Dad was from NY. He grew up with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He became a Celtics fan after seeing them play vs the Knicks when he was young.
Since Dodgers and Celtics is what was on (TV or Radio), I grew up rooting for them. We still talk about those teams today...

When I got into football, Chargers were the home team, so I became a fan. Despite their move to LA (which is closer to me now that I'm in the OC) I still root for them.
Not big into hockey, so I don't support any teams but do like going to games (best live sport). Kings or Ducks.

As a huge soccer fan (grew up playing and still play today) I was on a trip to England/Norway/Denmark in 92. Saw Arsenal v Leads and Manchester United v Lillistrom and became a huge United fan.

Seeing a lot of dad factors already - team love passed down like genetic traits.

Location is an obvious driver - but in rare instances of neither I find it so cool when people tell me a game or moment that hooked them in on a team!

My earliest football memories are the 82 Chargers v Dolphins playoff game and the 85 Bears losing to Miami. My buddy growing up was a big bears fan (he moved from Illinois to San Diego).
Figured one home team would be good to support, so Chargers it is.

 

[Kiddnets]

I think we did this before, but here are mine below.

NY Mets - were in the news a bunch when they won in 1986 and (I was 3) I liked their colors so I became an instant fan. I then realized in preschool that they were rivals with the local favorite team, the Phillies, and I enjoyed being the antagonist. Baseball was basically the focus of my life until college so, as a kid, everything had to be blue and orange and I liked them the most of all sports teams.

Vikings and Timberwolves - My extended family is all from Minnesota so my parents hooked me in early (just couldn't get me off the Mets for MLB). I really came to root for the Timberwolves when I got to attend their private practices at my college and interact with some of the players and staff. This was in the early 2000s with KG (my favorite athlete of all time - his practice intensity was incredible to watch) and they were pretty good for at least a season or two in there. My son really likes them now too so it's been a joy being able to watch games with him.

Maple Leafs - I originally liked the North Stars for the same reason above, but when they moved to Dallas I jumped onto the Maple Leafs as they were my favorite team to play in NHL 94 and NH 95. Big Doug Gilmour and Mats Sundeen fan.

At some point it would be really, really nice for one of these teams to win a championship in my lifetime where I am cognitive enough to remember it (honestly don't remember the 1986 series).

great stories - i find it even more interesting when fandom is not from location or family - just sort of happens with a triggering event. some real diverse teams there! As a fellow championship draught fan I wish everyone could experience one!

 

[Gally]

At some point it would be really, really nice for one of these teams to win a championship in my lifetime where I am cognitive enough to remember it (honestly don't remember the 1986 series).

It is truly amazing. Watching the Kings finally raise the Cup after 45 years of existence (and 27 years of my fandom) was like nothing else. Just truly emotional. I will say that being a fan of a franchise that hasn't had ultimate success for multiple years makes the experience of finally winning truly life altering and amazing.

I couldn't imagine it would have that kind of impact for people that win championships after five or six years of being good and then winning. You really haven't paid your fandom dues to make the championship truly special.

 

[urbanhack]

Purdue - Dad went to Purdue - entire family is all Purdue.

Both situations below are framed from the fact that I was born and raised in Northern Indiana. Never felt like a bandwagon jumper so didn't instantly become a Bears and Cubs fan like everyone else.

White Sox - During the summers or 1982 and 1983 I found a local AM radio station that carried all of the White Sox games. Went to sleep every night those summers listening to the games and 83 was the playoffs so really became a fan at that point and then went to some games the following years at old comiskey park.

Vikings - Didn't like the Bears and the Colts hadn't arrived quite yet to Indiana. But my older next door neighbor was a huge Vikings fan. This was probably 76 or 77 with Tarkington, Ahmad Rashad, Matt Blair, Chuck Forman, Sammy White, & Co. Immediately became a die hard fan from 3rd grade on.

 

[jwb]

Fandom is such a personal journey - Im asked all the time - why not just stop the torture and pick a new team. Thats just not possible.

My wife: we just moved to NC. Why not leave those Jets behind and pick a new team.

Me: Not possible. You can't change teams. I can make the Panthers a strong #2, but I'm a Jet fan forever.

My Wife: But I'm your second wife. Are you saying a football team is more important than a wife?

Me:

 

[HellToupee]

Steelers/Red Sox/Bruins/Celtics/Florida

Growing up in the Boston area the Patriots home games were rarely on TV. The same teams were always on , Steelers , Raiders , Dolphins & Cowboys .All my friends we fans of of one of those teams, my dad was a Giants fan

Sox/Bs/Celts by birth

 

[glvsav37]

NY Islanders fan here, really the only team I have an allegiance to.

I didnt get into hockey until well after their 4 cup run, more early 90s when i was in HS and they really sucked. They were the closest team to home, my friend group was split between the Isles or rangers, and I didn't want to take the train into NYC to watch a game. Plus tuesday and thursday nights were 2 for 1 college ticket nights, 2 tix for $14. The Nassau coliseum was usually so empty, we would move to glass by the 2nd period.

Funny thing is that years later I learned that Mr Pickett (original owner of the isles) was a client of my grandfather's business and he was invited to all 4 of their Stanley Cup parties at Mr Pickett's house, but he turned him down b/c he didnt know anything about hockey.

 

[glvsav37]

Maple Leafs - I originally liked the North Stars for the same reason above, but when they moved to Dallas I jumped onto the Maple Leafs as they were my favorite team to play in NHL 94 and NH 95. Big Doug Gilmour and Mats Sundeen fan.

An old friend of mine was a lifelong Islander fan. However there was a stretch in the 90s and 2000s where they really sucked.

He decided it was time for a change. So he wrote to every NHL team announcing his "Fan Free Agency" declaring he was moving on and was looking for a new team to root for. The Leafs were the only team to respond, so he became a leafs fan.

and yes....gilmore, sundeen AND Felix Potvin were great to watch on that team. I have my potvin card hanging on my wall in my office as my "Classic Goalie Mt Rushmore" collection.

 

[dgreen]

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[General Malaise]

I grew up where there were no teams, Wyoming, Montana, ND, etc. My family was from central PA and we all rooted for Steelers so I generally rooted for them as well and considered myself a huge steelers fan for most my life. I have seen a game in three rivers stadium before it was demolished and also saw a couple Penn state games in happy valley.

When I lived in the rockies about 1/4 of people rooted for Broncos, 1/4 of people for Seahawks, 1/4 of people root for either Vikes/Pack, and then 1/4 people root for other. However, nowadays 90% of Wyoming is bills fans, lol.

However, when I moved to Houston I slowly started rooting for the Texans. I guess when people asked why i was a steelers fan i could not say i was from PA, since i am not and i did not want to appear to be a bandwagon fan, so i just started rooting for the local team.

Great read! Love the part about Wyoming.

Hear ya about rooting for a local team. I'm a Dallas native but have lived in Oregon almost 30 years now so MUCH more fun rooting for the Blazers instead of the Mavericks and I've gone to many more Blazer games than Mav games....like by a factor of 50+.

 

[General Malaise]

Fandom is such a personal journey - Im asked all the time - why not just stop the torture and pick a new team. Thats just not possible.

My wife: we just moved to NC. Why not leave those Jets behind and pick a new team.

Me: Not possible. You can't change teams. I can make the Panthers a strong #2, but I'm a Jet fan forever.

My Wife: But I'm your second wife. Are you saying a football team is more important than a wife?

Me:

 

[-OZ-]

Pretty boring here.

Detroit teams - I grew up 3 miles north of motown, during the 80s so really liked the tigers, bad boys of basketball, Barry and the others, but really loved the Red Wings.

University of Michigan - part of our childhood included visiting A2 and my dad was the biggest fan of the Blue you’ve ever seen.

Kansas Jayhawks - when we were stationed at fort Riley, KS, the Army decided to send me to any state law school I chose (within a set budget). My wife wanted to stay in Kansas. So I chose KU. I liked them before but this cemented it.

Tennessee titans - even growing up in Michigan I knew I wanted to move south to either Tennessee or Kentucky. The oilers moved to Nashville right as I started dating my wife, who also wanted to move south. Her dad got transferred to Nashville, so it seemed like destiny to end up near Nashville (we’re less than two hours south now). This was also during the McNair and Eddie George days who were fun to watch.

 

[General Malaise]

Born in Dallas when the Cowboys were coming off their 70s success and witnessed three straight NFC championship defeats, none tougher than The Catch, which sent me sulking under our kitchen table despondent, a feeling I would embrace throughout the 80s until Jimmy, Troy, Emmitt and Irvin arrived to our rescue. The early 90s were glorious! I was in college a few states over, in the heart of Saints' country. I was a loud, obnoxious Cowboys' fan, feeling so alive with new triumphs. Watching them win a Super Bowl was just an unbelievable sensation. Two more to follow and surely the good times would roll on!

I split town in '96 after their 3rd Super Bowl win, driving 2,000 miles away to my new home, confident that more Super Bowls were forthcoming. 30 years later..... :(

My Cowboys' fandom waned years ago once I started playing fantasy football and one day, I bet against the Cowboys in a game I knew they would lose and my loyalty and love has never recovered. A passive fan at best; more angry than anything at what's been managerial malpractice.

Wife is from Detroit area and all her family lives back there. She and my twin boys are huge Lions' fans, so I root for the Lions when they do. Not a BIG fan but it's nice to cheer on success again, even if it's not really MY TEAM.

Even when Dallas had some good seasons recently, I never let myself get too sucked in. Jerry is like a cheating spouse; he lulls you back in with charm and belief and will provide great weeks of fun and entertainment only to cheat on you again with the hot secretary, breaking your heart yet again.

 

[-OZ-]

You can't change teams. I can make the Panthers a strong #2, but I'm a Jet fan forever.

TBH, I’d generally agree but William Clay Ford Sr was so damn bad that I changed primary allegiances. I’m thrilled that Sheila seems to have turned things around big time but the Lions lost me almost as much as the titans grabbed me.
But then considering recent play, maybe I just fear success

 

[Zow]

Maple Leafs - I originally liked the North Stars for the same reason above, but when they moved to Dallas I jumped onto the Maple Leafs as they were my favorite team to play in NHL 94 and NH 95. Big Doug Gilmour and Mats Sundeen fan.

An old friend of mine was a lifelong Islander fan. However there was a stretch in the 90s and 2000s where they really sucked.

He decided it was time for a change. So he wrote to every NHL team announcing his "Fan Free Agency" declaring he was moving on and was looking for a new team to root for. The Leafs were the only team to respond, so he became a leafs fan.

and yes....gilmore, sundeen AND Felix Potvin were great to watch on that team. I have my potvin card hanging on my wall in my office as my "Classic Goalie Mt Rushmore" collection.

Yes, loved Potvin as well. His fight with Hextall was classic (and I watched it repeatedly with Flyers fans - great times!).

 

[Zow]

Fandom is such a personal journey - Im asked all the time - why not just stop the torture and pick a new team. Thats just not possible.

My wife: we just moved to NC. Why not leave those Jets behind and pick a new team.

Me: Not possible. You can't change teams. I can make the Panthers a strong #2, but I'm a Jet fan forever.

My Wife: But I'm your second wife. Are you saying a football team is more important than a wife?

Me:

Great response by your wife.

 

[Zow]

At some point it would be really, really nice for one of these teams to win a championship in my lifetime where I am cognitive enough to remember it (honestly don't remember the 1986 series).

It is truly amazing. Watching the Kings finally raise the Cup after 45 years of existence (and 27 years of my fandom) was like nothing else. Just truly emotional. I will say that being a fan of a franchise that hasn't had ultimate success for multiple years makes the experience of finally winning truly life altering and amazing.

I couldn't imagine it would have that kind of impact for people that win championships after five or six years of being good and then winning. You really haven't paid your fandom dues to make the championship truly special.

Yep. And, of course, the teams have gotten close. I recall exactly where I was in 1998 for the Gary Anderson miss and in 2010 for the Favre interception - I mean down to the feeling, who was with me, what I did, etc. Like it happened yesterday. Mets have obviously had a few close calls since then. Leafs and Timberwolves are actually more stress-free and enjoyable watches because I usually go into a season or playoff series with no expectations.

I've stuck with these four teams and intend to forever. Statistically one of them has to win (I figure I have at least 40 more years on this planet so 160 chances), right? And I'll be very happy when they do.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Buffalo Bills / Buffalo Sabres - I grew up here, my dad is a big fan of both. Raised as a fan from childhood.

Buffalo Bulls (college athletics) - I went to school here.

US national soccer team - I don't think I need to explain this one.

Syracuse Orange - childhood best friend's father was an alum and a big fan, and friend was (and still is) a diehard Orange fan. I gradually assimilated into becoming a fan as they're the geographically closest "major conference" school to where I lived. The Donovan McNabb era football and 2003 NCAA men's basketball title helped.

Arsenal FC - soccer was picking up in the US in the early 2000s, and Arsenal was often featured because they were very good at the time (Invincibles 2004 season, 2006 Champions League run, etc). Thierry Henry became my favorite player and I've stuck with them since.

 

[Northern Voice]

I'm now straight up closest team to me, it's always made sense and I was lucky I guess to grow up in a family that had the means to take me to games since I was a child.

So, in order of how much I care about them winning:

Peterborough Petes (OHL) - The junior team in the city I live in, have had season tickets for 35+ years. Started as my dad and oldest brother and I. When my dad passed it was my brother and I for a bit, now over the past ten years, my brother has stopped going and my mom has picked up the torch and her and I go to all the home games. She is 78 and now a bigger fan than me - always been a great family night out, 34 home games a season. I wrote a local column about the team for 10 years, now my brewery does a beer with them. Huge community thing and part of my life growing up to be honest, even if I was never a great hockey player.

Toronto Blue Jays - Baseball was/is my favourite sport to play, so the Jays jump the Leafs in terms of my pro team rankings. Them winning back to back in 92/93 when I was 9/10 probably plays a factor here as well. Always went to games growing up and easily the professional sports team I see the most often to this day.

Toronto Maple Leafs - Yeah.. my family had a 1/8 share of a season ticket growing up so I always went to 4/5 games a year. Eventually the guy who "owned" the tickets kept them for himself so I go less frequently but still here and there... I'm not priced out of seeing the Leafs these days but I usually spend my entertainment $$ on concerts and other events before a Leafs game at this point, though I do watch almost every single game and tend to either pick a game with a friend or get access to my other buddies tickets a couple times a year.

Buffalo Bills - I took a bit more of a winding path here, I didn't watch as much football when I was young, then I got into fantasy before I really had a team I specifically cheered for (I had Marshall Faulk and Clinton Portis jerseys but definitely more fantasy related). Then at some point the idea of "just cheer for the team close to you, you idiot" got me fully on board and going to a bunch of games the past few seasons (thanks @Steve Tasker ) pushed it further. Josh Allen helps too...

Toronto Raptors - total bandwagon fan, I didn't watch or play basketball much as a kid. I've never been to an NBA game or any basketball game but I enjoyed the hell out of the Raptors championship run, it was nice having one of these pro teams actually win something but I rarely even watch their games on TV. If they make another playoff run, I will watch their games at the local pub because it's fun.

 

[Northern Voice]

Interesting? footnote to the above - way back in the day, the junior hockey teams were affiliated with NHL teams and the Peterborough team was affiliated with the Montreal Canadiens, so despite being an hour or so from Toronto, we have a disproportionate number of Montreal fans here. And then because the Leafs have been so bad historically and the games so expensive to attend, a fair number of people have also switched allegiances to the Ottawa Senators (~3 hours away). My city is one of only a couple in Ontario that is considered to be in both the Ottawa and Toronto TV regions (for blackout purposes etc...), so my city has a strange mix of Leafs, Habs and Senators fans.

 

[Gally]

Yep. And, of course, the teams have gotten close. I recall exactly where I was in 1998 for the Gary Anderson miss and in 2010 for the Favre interception - I mean down to the feeling, who was with me, what I did, etc. Like it happened yesterday.

You and me both.

 

[wlwiles]

Only two pro teams that I have any allegiance to, and one means the entire world to me these days.

1. Saints. Grew up in Mississippi, back in the late 80s and 90s we were in their TV market so they were the only team I had weekly exposure to. This was just after the Aints period, so as a fresh new fan I was plenty warned about what I was getting myself into.
2. Braves. Kinda similar story, back then only two teams were ever on TV - Braves on TBS and Cubs on WGN. The Braves were starting their string of 14 straight division titles (beginning in '91 iirc), and the Cubs were terrible, so my dad and I started rooting for the Braves.

I grew up as a way bigger baseball fan than football, because it was the one my dad was interested in. I played t-ball and Little League from age 5. I learned from folks at the Little League field how to officially keep score, used my allowance money to buy a scorebook, and I would keep score of every game I could, then use it to relay the highlights to my dad when he got home from work that night. It never occurred to me until years later that he could've (and probably did) just put on Sportcenter before bed to catch the highlights. But he'd let me prattle on about how Terry Pendleton turned 3 double plays, Otis Nixon stole 2 bags, Maddux went 8 innings, and our new favorite player Chipper Jones went 2 for 4 with a double. He would always ask "how'd Chipper do today?" Somewhere in his attic all those scorebooks are still in a box.

Dad got diagnosed with Alzheimers two years ago. He doesn't know a whole lot these days, but he remembers every day when he gets dressed that the A on his hat is for Atlanta. My step-mom records them to play for him on their off days and throughout the offseason. Our conversations grow more one-sided (my side, obv) every week, but his best topic is baseball and he still lights up when I ask "How'd the Braves play today?". He might tell me in mid-December that they just beat the Celtics, but he'll tell me the highlights he can remember, just like I used to do for him. He and I got to see the 1995 WS title together when I was 12 years old, and then we got to see another in 2021 just before his diagnosis. I thank my lucky stars every day that I decided to drive to his house to watch the game they clinched the '21 title over Houston. If they never win another one in my lifetime, the memory of those two with him is plenty enough for me.

 

[El Floppo]

Odd mix of teams here: Manchester United, LA Dodgers, Boston Celtics, LA Chargers


Grew up in San Diego but my Dad was from NY. He grew up with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He became a Celtics fan after seeing them play vs the Knicks when he was young.
Since Dodgers and Celtics is what was on (TV or Radio), I grew up rooting for them. We still talk about those teams today...

When I got into football, Chargers were the home team, so I became a fan. Despite their move to LA (which is closer to me now that I'm in the OC) I still root for them.
Not big into hockey, so I don't support any teams but do like going to games (best live sport). Kings or Ducks.

As a huge soccer fan (grew up playing and still play today) I was on a trip to England/Norway/Denmark in 92. Saw Arsenal v Leads and Manchester United v Lillistrom and became a huge United fan.

My parents were from Brooklyn and were huge Dodgers fans...until the heartbreak of the move to LA, at which point they couldnt bear to support them.

They ended up in SF area not long after, so i grew up a Giants/As, Niners/Raiders and Warriors fan. Oakland teams were rocking in the 70s, so being equidistant to both it was hard not to support the winning teams instead of the crap SF teams. That said, i was always an SF team fan.

When i spent time in Milan Italy, i became friends with the guy who worked at the cafe across the street...he was an Inter fan, so i jumped aboard instead of schifo Milan. Went to a few matches with him at San Siro.

Ive slowly (almost 40 years later) been getting behind NYC teams...but ive also lost most of my rooting interest in general.

But I'm a diehard USMNT soccer fan...primarily because i had aspirations to play for it and knew and played with and against guys who did.

 

[titusbramble]

Raiders were the coolest looking team on Channel 4's Saturday morning highlights package in the early 90s. Red Sox were basically not the Yankees in the first series I watched with any sort of seriousness (either 98 or 99 playoff series, forget which). No real affiliations to any other US sports, if anything Jazz because Malone/Stockton were great in NBA Jam and Northwestern football on account of first game watched live

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

My allegiances are also very straightforward.

I was born and raised in Seattle so I've been a Seahawks, Mariners and Sonics fan for each teams' entire existence. I've even become a Kraken fan despite having moved away from Seattle many years ago as there was no NHL team in Utah until recently. The only Seattle pro sports team that is not my favorite is the Sounders because they did not exist in MLS form when I lived there and I have lived in the Salt Lake City area since RSL came into existence (2004), 5 years before Seattle got a team--thus an RSL fan in the MLS.

I've followed the EPL fairly closely for the past several years without a specific allegiance but only recently adopted Newcastle as "my" team when I discovered that my great-great grandfather was born there. My wife was researching my ancestry prior to our trip to England last April and discovered his birth place. We made trip to Newcastle specifically for that reason and saw a game at St. James' Park---it was a pretty awesome experience.

As for college sports, my dad attended the U. of Washington for undergrad and law school. I attended the UW for medical school. It's always been Husky sports teams in my family.

 

[B Maverick]

But I'm a diehard USMNT soccer fan...primarily because i had aspirations to play for it and knew and played with and against guys who did.

Same.

Hedjuk, Friedel, Henderson, Joe Max Moore (basically any UCLA guy in the mid 90s that went on to the national team) to name a few.

 

[titusbramble]

My allegiances are also very straightforward.

I was born and raised in Seattle so I've been a Seahawks, Mariners and Sonics fan for each teams' entire existence.

This might be a better question for a fresh thread, but I'll ask the question for now anyway - what happened to your NBA allegiance when the Sonics moved? Obviously this is going to be somewhat personal given circumstances and how much someone is invested in a sport, but the idea of teams moving is an almost alien concept outside of the US, and while my NFL team has moved twice since I started following them, my ties are clearly to the Raiders and not LA or Oakland so I can't really compare

 

[General Malaise]

Only two pro teams that I have any allegiance to, and one means the entire world to me these days.

1. Saints. Grew up in Mississippi, back in the late 80s and 90s we were in their TV market so they were the only team I had weekly exposure to. This was just after the Aints period, so as a fresh new fan I was plenty warned about what I was getting myself into.
2. Braves. Kinda similar story, back then only two teams were ever on TV - Braves on TBS and Cubs on WGN. The Braves were starting their string of 14 straight division titles (beginning in '91 iirc), and the Cubs were terrible, so my dad and I started rooting for the Braves.

I grew up as a way bigger baseball fan than football, because it was the one my dad was interested in. I played t-ball and Little League from age 5. I learned from folks at the Little League field how to officially keep score, used my allowance money to buy a scorebook, and I would keep score of every game I could, then use it to relay the highlights to my dad when he got home from work that night. It never occurred to me until years later that he could've (and probably did) just put on Sportcenter before bed to catch the highlights. But he'd let me prattle on about how Terry Pendleton turned 3 double plays, Otis Nixon stole 2 bags, Maddux went 8 innings, and our new favorite player Chipper Jones went 2 for 4 with a double. He would always ask "how'd Chipper do today?" Somewhere in his attic all those scorebooks are still in a box.

Dad got diagnosed with Alzheimers two years ago. He doesn't know a whole lot these days, but he remembers every day when he gets dressed that the A on his hat is for Atlanta. My step-mom records them to play for him on their off days and throughout the offseason. Our conversations grow more one-sided (my side, obv) every week, but his best topic is baseball and he still lights up when I ask "How'd the Braves play today?". He might tell me in mid-December that they just beat the Celtics, but he'll tell me the highlights he can remember, just like I used to do for him. He and I got to see the 1995 WS title together when I was 12 years old, and then we got to see another in 2021 just before his diagnosis. I thank my lucky stars every day that I decided to drive to his house to watch the game they clinched the '21 title over Houston. If they never win another one in my lifetime, the memory of those two with him is plenty enough for me.

Boy, did it get dusty in here or what?

Very nice, WW.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

My allegiances are also very straightforward.

I was born and raised in Seattle so I've been a Seahawks, Mariners and Sonics fan for each teams' entire existence.

This might be a better question for a fresh thread, but I'll ask the question for now anyway - what happened to your NBA allegiance when the Sonics moved? Obviously this is going to be somewhat personal given circumstances and how much someone is invested in a sport, but the idea of teams moving is an almost alien concept outside of the US, and while my NFL team has moved twice since I started following them, my ties are clearly to the Raiders and not LA or Oakland so I can't really compare

I was pretty crushed when Clay Bennett et. al. moved the Sonics to OKC after saying all along that their intentions were to keep the team in Seattle. I absolutely do no root for the Thunder. I will actively root against them as long as the current ownership group is in place.

I will definitely be a new Sonics fan when Seattle finally gets their NBA team back.

 

[freakinback2]

Pats fan. Was six living in Maine. During the summer at a lake house somehow, I tried out and was about to drown. Just too tried to bob above the surface anymore. Parents were not paying attention. The man who saved me played for the Pats in the 60s on the OL. Don't know who he was but he lived in Maine after retirement. I suffered decades of bad play as a fan, but it was sweet once things turned around.

 

[SwampDawg]

Yankees - My mom was a Yankees fan, I grew up in Northeast PA but family was from NJ. Brother took me to a Yankees game when I was young and a fan ever since.

Dolphins - My parents were not football fans, my brother was older and out of the house so sort of discovered football on my own via my friends. They were a mix of Eagle, Steeler and Giant fans. I wanted to be different, we vacationed in Miami and they had cool colors so started routing for them. Was 13 when they drafted Marino so it was easy to be a Dolphins fan then as well.

76ers - Friends were mostly sixer fans so just sort of went with the group on that one. Plus Dr J then Barkley were fun to root for.

Hockey - None, don't watch

Soccer - USMNT, started watching soccer because of my son, don't really have a team other then the US Men and route for the clubs they play on internationally.

 

[New Binky the Doormat]

grew up a little under an hour from the old Cincy Reds ballpark (Crosley Field) and we went a couple of times a year. I was all about baseball the first 10 years of my life - and remained that way for the next few years even though I played flag and full pads/contact football, and basketball starting at 10, and golf at 13.

plus they were pretty good - they got smashed in the World Series by Mantle's Yankees in '61 (I was only 3 so don't remember that series ...). But by the time I was 5 it was Pete Rose's rookie year and I was completely wrapped up being the bat boy for my older neighbor's Little League team - got to wear a team uniform and everything. Tony Perez came the next year to an already strong team - and they just kept getting better. Bench showed up in '68.

I have talked about here before ...one of the highlights of going to the park was getting fresh, hot roasted peanuts outside the stadium from "Peanut Jim" - this guy has a small roasting hand cart, blackened from years of roasting peanuts. Super cheap, they were hot right out of the roaster. Unbelievable.

for those not as old - it would have been hard to imagine how much more popular baseball was then over all other pro sports - not even close.

 

[WDIK2]

College: Nebraska. Born and raised. Some of my oldest memories are of watching Nebraska football. I remember my great-grandparents and grandparents talking about Nebraska football. I was lucky enough to be in my early-mid 20s and living in Lincoln when Nebraska went on their '90s run. Fun times.

NFL: Detroit Lions. Friends were Vikings, Rams, and Cowboys fans, but I was in Limbo. Then the Lions drafted Billy Sims in the 1980 draft. Always liked his style even though he was a Sooner. Then they drafted Jimmy Williams (one of my favorite Huskers) in 1982 to solidify the deal.

MLB: Atlanta Braves. Small town I lived in didn't get cable until the early '80s so it was Cubs or Braves. Cubs home games were all day games back then so dad always watched the Braves at night. It helped that the Braves started 1982 with 13 straight wins.

NBA: Was a Dr. J era 76ers fan, but have pretty much lost interest since the MJ era.

NHL: N/A. I was at the 2nd ever Colorado Avalanche playoff game. Happened to be in Denver with the wife so thought it would be fun to check it out. Looked up "Colorado Avalanche" in the phone book and was informed I called the number for ski conditions. They must have gotten several calls because they had the correct number for tickets handy.

 

[Wrigley]

Cowboys had the coolest helmets when I was 10( I tend to root for my fantasy team more than any real team now)

My mother, who grew up a Cardinal fan, watched WGN relentlessly when I was a kid.......so obviously Cubs. Side note, my wife lied to me, we've had White Sox weekend season tickets the past 10 years

Blackhawk fan since HS

 

[Andrew74]

I grew up in nowhere TN, so I had no local teams to root for. I became a Chiefs fan at a very young age because I liked the colors. It took 40 years for that to pay off. I became a Penn State fan rooting for them in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl vs Miami. Part was the “good guy” narrative and part was the clean, simplistic uniforms. I don’t really watch baseball anymore but I was a Royals fan because I thought George Brett was the best.

I am obviously an extremely shallow person who makes life decisions based on frivolous traits.

 

[jamny]

Dolphins - Growing up in NYC, a lot of kids liked Joe Namath in the early 70's. My Mom was a Jets fan and the bigger sports fan of my parents. My dad and brother liked the Giants and I rooted for Namath and the Jets with my Mom. But a couple years later brought on the Dolphins and the Perfect Season sealed it for me, much to my Mom's disappointment. My first jersey was Jim Kiick's #21

Mets - I was only 5 in '69 and have no real memory of it but I'm sure that's where it started. The family had the same divide, me and Mom being Mets fans and my brother and father rooting for the Yankees. I do remember '73 though.

Rangers - Not really sure where that came from. No one else in my family really followed hockey much back then and I remember getting a little B&W TV for Christmas so I could watch the games and not bother my parents to watch them on the Living Room TV. Probably more mid-70's than early 70's. Nick Fotiu being my first favorite.

Michigan Wolverines/Boise State Broncos - I was around 20 and just wanted to find a team to root for with no real connection to any teams. I looked for a range of things in a team. I always prefer a heavy running and strong defense oriented football team. Wanted one that got a lot of TV exposure so I could watch the games. Wanted a team with a storied history and a great coach. Got to see the later years of Bo as an early fan. I enjoyed following them through the years but the winning or losing didn't really have that much of an affect on me. It wasn't until we moved to Boise did I find a team that I can root for and really care about. Now, wins and losses mean much more and I didn't have to change the chant..."Go Blue!" I still root for Michigan though but not if they meet BSU.

 

[AAABatteries]

Born in Atlanta, lived in the area my entire life. Went to Georgia Tech. The only non-Atlanta team I root for is Manchester United and that's because ~20-25 years ago when I started following soccer they were on the TV each week.

I've suffered long enough - sweet death will bring the sports relief.

 

[Ilov80s]

Pro sports pretty simple, born and raised and still live in Metro Detroit. My dad was a fan of the local teams as well.

As for college, pretty much the same. I didn’t go to Michigan but my dad did and he’s had season tickets to UM since 1969 so I went to a game or 2 with him every year for as long as I could walk. My wife graduated there and a lot of her family too. I live about 20 mins from Ann Arbor and Detroit so just all pretty straightforward.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

I was born into the Packers, Bucks, Brewers and Badgers. For Chelsea FC it was just chance - was in London for a couple weeks in the late 80s and fell in with some guys who were Chelsea supporters, watched a couple games with them and we partied together and it stuck. I lived in New Zealand for a year in the 80's and have been a fan of All-Blacks rugby ever since.