Bandwagon Fans

[e_wheazhy_]

http://nextimpulsesports.com/2014/08...ct-like-miami/

Pretty interesting article on Miami heat (and other "bandwagon" fans.

I agree that fans should totally boycott (not attend) games if their team sucks. That's the only way I see as fans that we can make ownership listen to us and finally spend money. Take a team like the leafs. They fail to make the playoffs year after year and still the stupid fans pay tons of money to get disappointed. But ownership (at least old ownership) takes for granted that the fans are emotionally invested in their teams and continue to see profits soar. They know they don't need to change the status quo, the idiots (us) will keep tuning in.

I believe we as fans deserve better. Thoughts?

[The Great One]

I've been boycotting Blue Jays games for 20+ years now.

[ball4life]

yes, definitely "fans" should boycott if their team sucks. But leafs is the "religion" of Toronto.. huge difference. will never change even if we bring the NBA finals here.

[DanH]

I've been boycotting Blue Jays games for 20+ years now.

Started midway through their second championship season, eh? Strict fan.

[basstreblevol]

I agree that fans should boycott games if their team isn't performing. As the Brad Epstein wrote, "Name me one industry where consumers should be expected to pay for bad products." Sports fans should follow suit which would result in two options - one, ownership will see that they have a failing product and try to improve it or two, ownership will sell the team since the profits wouldn't be there (not likely but look at the Vancouver Grizzlies and Seattle Supersonics.)

My one problem with this article is the way that the writer perceives bandwagon fans. Yes, true fans don't have to attend games to be true fans but the bandwaggoners aren't the people in the bleachers during winning seasons. A bandwaggoner isn't one that attends games then stops when their team starts losing, they're the fan from out of town that jumps on and off ship each season and posts on some form of social media chanting and cheering for a team as if they've been a fan since they were a wee little sperm.

I've been boycotting Blue Jays games for 20+ years now.

You should stop the boycotting and start the "bandwagonning" since the Jays are making some noise this year. Haha...

[Halifax Raps Fan]

Not sure of basstreblevol is getting at. I live in Halifax, and have attended three or four games a seaon when I can get to Toronto, watch every game, buy Raptors products and have followed them since inception. So I am a bandwaggoner?

Perhaps your definition needs some adjusting?

[basstreblevol]

Not sure of basstreblevol is getting at. I live in Halifax, and have attended three or four games a seaon when I can get to Toronto, watch every game, buy Raptors products and have followed them since inception. So I am a bandwaggoner?

Perhaps your definition needs some adjusting?

You've been a consistent fan since '95 so you're not a bandwagonner. I just read my previous post and it didn't make a whole lot of sense...it must've been before my morning coffee.

The writer states that the public associates attendance with bandwagonners which I don't agree with. The average sports fan knows that you don't have to attend games to be a bandwagonner. Someone who jumps on the bandwagon only pays attention when the team is dominant while I believe a true fan is someone who stays loyal to their team regardless of what their record is. Sorry if I offended you as that was not my intention, that out of town remark was a result of my mind being a million places at once plus some fatigue. I just joined the forums and I find it amazing to see how big a following the Raptors have outside of Toronto.

[webfeat]

People should spend money on things that give them value. If the team sucks but you still have a great time attending a game, then by all means go and watch! Boycotts should be reserved for political statements, like boycotting the Clippers if Sterling is still the owner.

[The Great One]

You should stop the boycotting and start the "bandwagonning" since the Jays are making some noise this year. Haha...

They're not making the playoffs this year.

[OldSkoolCool]

Weren't we all bandwagoner's at one point? We jumped on with little knowledge and only because we were excited by the team...however over time we have stuck with the team and become "real fans".

Fan's of basketball are true fans. People who only cheer for one team are the bad, self centered, egotistical New York-type fans.

For example, this season I am going to start watching some of the Charlotte Hornets (because Lance+Kemba), the Kings (Stauskas+Boogie), PHX (Ennis) and wherever Wiggins ends up. And I already watch a lot of the Raps and Blazers.

I may not fall in love with all the teams as much as the Raps, but does this make me a bandwagon fan? Or a fan of basketball?

[yabadabayolo]

Weren't we all bandwagoner's at one point? We jumped on with little knowledge and only because we were excited by the team...however over time we have stuck with the team and become "real fans".

Fan's of basketball are true fans. People who only cheer for one team are the bad, self centered, egotistical New York-type fans.

For example, this season I am going to start watching some of the Charlotte Hornets (because Lance+Kemba), the Kings (Stauskas+Boogie), PHX (Ennis) and wherever Wiggins ends up. And I already watch a lot of the Raps and Blazers.

I may not fall in love with all the teams as much as the Raps, but does this make me a bandwagon fan? Or a fan of basketball?

Depends if you begin to mindlessly cheer for one of those teams when their good but then dissappear when a losing season occurs.

And then you start mindlessly obsessing over another winning team until they suck...then the process continues

Myself personally watch every raps game and only cheer for the raptors but that doesnt mean i wont watch other games. I wont cheer for the other teams but i will still watch them.

Do you know what im saying?

[e_wheazhy_]

Depends if you begin to mindlessly cheer for one of those teams when their good but then dissappear when a losing season occurs.

And then you start mindlessly obsessing over another winning team until they suck...then the process continues

Myself personally watch every raps game and only cheer for the raptors but that doesnt mean i wont watch other games. I wont cheer for the other teams but i will still watch them.

Do you know what im saying?

I get what you mean. Personally I can't cheer for any other team but the raps, but that being said, I still watch some blazer games, clipper games and plan to watch some hornets games as well as lots of NCAA games

[The Great One]

I probably would watch some Wolves game next season. Rubio + Wiggins + LaVine would be a lot of fun to watch. Lots of highlight reel plays for sure.

[OldSkoolCool]

Depends if you begin to mindlessly cheer for one of those teams when their good but then dissappear when a losing season occurs.

And then you start mindlessly obsessing over another winning team until they suck...then the process continues

Myself personally watch every raps game and only cheer for the raptors but that doesnt mean i wont watch other games. I wont cheer for the other teams but i will still watch them.

Do you know what im saying?

I do. But I didn't say that I would stop watching them if they started losing.

Hell, look at the Raps and Blazers last 5 seasons.

I don't think you understand what I am saying. We were all bandwagoner's at one point, so who cares?

I probably would watch some Wolves game next season. Rubio + Wiggins + LaVine would be a lot of fun to watch. Lots of highlight reel plays for sure.

I actually kind of want this, and I am hoping the Cavs mortgage their future in a short sighted move because they are the luckiest, yet dumbest franchise in the NBA.

A Rubio+LaVine+Wiggins+Pek lineup is a good start to buidling a winning core

[Letter N]

I hate the concept of bandwagon fans and the hate they get.

If you're a fan of the sport then you should be seeking out the best the sport has to offer. Who cares what city or who the employer is, I want to see the best football possible so when the Rams were showcasing the best football I was a fan of theirs, when the Colts were I was a fan of theirs, the hell do I care about allegiance to some city I don't live in or have any ties to, I just want good sports.

Bandwagon is the silliest concept and makes little to no sense to hate on. I'm so sorry to the "hardcore" fan that I want to cheer on once in a generation players like Lebron, Crosby, Manning and Cabrera. Let me just ignore them and hate on them until hopefully, maybe (but probably not) one of them ends up on the team owned by a billionaire who wouldn't know me from the other nameless millions but who just happens to have his tax-funded stadium in the city I live in.