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A lot of these people are just bandwagon, also known here as T-shirt or WalMart fans. They want to follow the team that's winning so they can feel like winners too. When their team stinks, the shirts somehow disappear. True fans wear the gear even if they lose every game.
Maybe they support the school they wish they'd gone to or hope their kids go to. Maybe they want to feel like they are part of something. Maybe they want to have something in common with others. Maybe they see something in the school, the coach, the program, that they like or can can identify with. Maybe they like the mascot. Maybe they do it just to irritate someone else. Who knows. People like what they like. Who cares?
Big college athletics is a business. A big business, and they are very successful at marketing their brands. This behavior wouldn't be as big as it is if you didn't see games on like 100 channels every Saturday and see them hyped all week long on TV. I was in Sydney, AU last week and saw American College Football (the way it was billed) being hyped on TV there! It was kind of strange hearing it all being hyped with an Aussie accent. College football is no different than the NFL except they don't pay the players as much.
Almost repped you until you pulled the, "Who cares?" card. Obviously myself and some other people have noticed, so WE care. I think it's a legitimate question.
Almost repped you until you pulled the, "Who cares?" card. Obviously myself and some other people have noticed, so WE care. I think it's a legitimate question.
I wasn't trying to be rude with my Who cares comment. My point was, what difference does it make? We are all entitled to enjoy what we enjoy. I personally don't get the whole NASCAR craze or people who like hockey, but who cares if I don't get it? I know they don't care that I don't get it and I don't worry about it. It's really not worth my time or effort to worry about it or their time either. Different strokes. We all have a right to like and support whatever we chose to. That's all.
^^Funny YOU should mention Stony Brook. We went to Omaha two years ago to visit family when the college baseball world series was happening there. Stony Brook was the "Cinderella" team that year that made it when they weren't favored to do so. We saw them play on a hot, hot, afternoon. Sadly, they didn't win.
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still don't think that anyone will ever get wildly excited about college sports in NY or New Jersey. The fans focus more on the NFL.
This issue caused a misunderstanding between me and my extended family from Nebraska. I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the year before we got married the U of NE beat Penn State in football. My extended family thought they were being hilarious razzing me about that game, about Joe Paterno (now disgraced as well as deceased) being a good loser, etc. Actually, I went to PSU's big in-state rival (at the time), the U of Pittsburgh, and furthermore, the Steelers had just won the Super Bowl. I couldn't have cared less about Penn State. Now people in central PA, farther from Pgh and Philly, may have a lot of PSU homie sentiment.
I wasn't trying to be rude with my Who cares comment. My point was, what difference does it make? We are all entitled to enjoy what we enjoy. I personally don't get the whole NASCAR craze or people who like hockey, but who cares if I don't get it? I know they don't care that I don't get it and I don't worry about it. It's really not worth my time or effort to worry about it or their time either. Different strokes. We all have a right to like and support whatever we chose to. That's all.
I don't think professional level sports is comparable to college level. Professional level anything isn't connected to a school and doesn't have an Alum network. Also it's all about the money and is designed to attract fans from all over. The demographic they focus on is completely different.
In Central NJ, everyone is pretty crazy about Rutgers and Princeton teams (and the universities in general). Not because they necessarily went to them, but because the two universities are part of a much larger community that incorporates the general population. The universities provide us with hospitals, research centers, and many positive initiatives. You basically have to try really hard not to be involved with the universities one way or another with everything they have going on.
They are involved with libraries, art exhibits, meetups, fundraisers, public education, etc. It's just one big community whether you are enrolled or not.
In Central NJ, everyone is pretty crazy about Rutgers and Princeton teams (and the universities in general). Not because they necessarily went to them, but because the two universities are part of a much larger community that incorporates the general population. The universities provide us with hospitals, research centers, and many positive initiatives. You basically have to try really hard not to be involved with the universities one way or another with everything they have going on.
They are involved with libraries, art exhibits, meetups, fundraisers, public education, etc. It's just one big community whether you are enrolled or not.
Those are super legit reasons to be supportive of any University. At least in TX most folks just support whatever college team based on something completely arbitrary.
I don't think professional level sports is comparable to college level. Professional level anything isn't connected to a school and doesn't have an Alum network. Also it's all about the money and is designed to attract fans from all over. The demographic they focus on is completely different.
LOL! College football and basketball certainly are businesses!
Sheena - don't speak on LI and NYC and mention that as NYS
In my part of Upstate NY Syracuse athletics are huge and it's a relatively small private school - the vast majority of the fans don't have a connection to attending the actual school
Also in my area there were a lot of Notre Dame fans, Penn State fans, Michigan fans, Ohio State fans, etc
As for Stony Brook, one of my buddies in HS went there to play football - that made a whole bunch of people in my area become interested in Stony Brook athletics .... that type of thing would happen whenever a local kid made good, being a small town and all
I think anyone who puts too much caring into what teams other people like probably need a few new hobbies, however they must also realize that many people develop their sports allegiances when they are young. You pick a team, you pull for them, you follow them and in many cases it's a lifetime commitment.
I chose my favorite NFL team when I was 5, my favorite college football team when I was 7, my favorite basketball teams when I was 10 ........ 25+ years later those are still my teams. My thought process at that age is obviously different than my thought process now, I've lived in a whole bunch of different states, my career ambition at age 6 ranged between being moving to seattle and becomming a police officer or becoming a laser eye surgeon in any location
I applied and was accepted into the college that has been my long standing favorite NCAA football team - but chose not to go there and ended up at a school that has no football team.
That doesn't mean that I can't turn on the TV and be entertained.
Sports is entertainment - it's fun. The fun can be enhanced when you have that connection. My alma mater basketball team and entire athletic program is my #1. I'll even watch field hockey or some other such sport if my school is playing an important game. That doesn't preclude me though from then flipping on the TV and watching a program that I've followed for 25-30 years.
When I move to an area I typically embrace the local college programs. It's fun when they do well and it can create a nice environment. I'll take my kids to their games. My kids may grow up as fans of those teams and may follow them for life - it doesn't mean that would be the best educational route for them though.
In the current media age it's also so much easier to follow any team - you get such a broader exposure and it's great.
LOL! College football and basketball certainly are businesses!
Exactly - a very big business.
They do try to attract fans and revenue from as wide of a net as they can. Not only to drive program specific revenue, but to increase the footprint and influence of the program.
If a school in PA is consistently on TV throughout the midwest there is more recognition in those states which helps with recruiting, etc. It also helps spread the name of the university. There is a direct correlation that schools have noticed between something like success in the NCAA tournament and raw number of applicants.
Both college and pro teams look to do very much the same thing - dominate their local market and then stretch out as many additional revenue streams they can.
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