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Good maps in posts #3 and #9. Virginia almost solidly roots for Washington, D.C. teams - especially NFL, NBA and NHL. Maryland is more divided because of Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Philly teams. It's interesting that the eastern part of North Carolina roots for D.C. teams as well.
Not completely sure I understand what you're asking, but basically spectator sports seem to be less important to people here than things actually occurring in their lives (like hunting, fishing, camping, snowmachining, general stuff happening around town, etc.), in comparison with certain other places.
BTW, I'm originally from Azle, just northwest of Fort Worth.
I'll tell ya this, our fan base here in DFW may not be RABID as people in the Northeast or some Midwest cities, but we're more loyal to our teams than than most other cities in the U.S. and the area is often scene as one of the best sports cities in America.
But we do have several transplants here as well....
For MLB, Most of Arkansas and some of Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi support the St. Louis Cardinals.
Quoted for truth. In fact, their popularity is as far reaching as Southern and Central IL with older Black men in particular. I've heard lots of stories about the St. Louis Stars, a Negro League team. In fact, when it comes to baseball, Peoria, Il is divided into Cub fans and Cardinal fans! Of course, the Redbirds of Memphis are a minor league affiliated with the Cardinals.
I know a guy from Arkansas who tells me the Cowboys are big throughout most of the whole state. Which really isn't much of a surprise but worth noting.
I think the Braves are the most followed professional team in South Carolina. NFL wise I think most people who don't follow either the Falcons or the Panthers tend to root for teams that have former USC/Clemson guys on the roster.
I must agree here. Although, I'm judging from my time in the while I was stationed in Fairbanks, AK: 90-93. I use to love watching a Cub vs Braves game w/ my South Carolina buddies. They loved the Braves, for sure! Yes, we were able to watch those events way up in Fairbanks, AK.
I've said it before on this forum and I'll say it again, I think professional sports team rep their city (and its metro), not any state. Flagship state schools rep their state. To me, names like the Texas Rangers, New Jersey Devils, and the Carolina Hurricanes are awful. The "Golden State" Warriors is an abomination. States are too big and culturally diverse to be represented by one team.
I'm willing to give a pass to the Patriots because Boston is for the most part seen as the undisputed cultural capital of New England. Same for the Minnesota teams regarding Minneapolis/St. Paul. But other than that, I disagree with the notion that states are more important to team territories than metros. The Commoncensus maps make that pretty clear.
I've moved all over the country, and I've never rooted for the home team where I lived. In fact, I usually root against the home team, just to spite my friends who are only "fans" when the home team is winning, and ignore sports when they are not winning.
I have my favorite teams that I root for, and if I moved to Iowa or South Carolina or New Mexico, why on earth would that make me discontinue my allegiance?
I grew up in Wisconsin before the Braves moved in from Boston. Most people were Chicago Cubs fans, since we could hear their games on the radio (there was no TV). The Brooklyn Dodgers also had a large following.
People who automatically root for all their local sports teams seem so shallow to me, that I don't think too much about what motivates them. With their provincialism, they probably also think their local shopping mall and morning deejays are the best in the world.
I've said it before on this forum and I'll say it again, I think professional sports team rep their city (and its metro), not any state. Flagship state schools rep their state. To me, names like the Texas Rangers, New Jersey Devils, and the Carolina Hurricanes are awful. The "Golden State" Warriors is an abomination. States are too big and culturally diverse to be represented by one team.
Florida Panthers - named for the state's most dangerous predator, the Florida Panther
New Jersey Devils - Named after the legendary "Jersey Devil"
Those teams are named the way they are NOT to represent the entire state (well, Texas and Florida and not too much New Jersey in this case), they're named for special reasons.
As for a team represnting an entire state/region like New England, the Tennessee Titans, and all Carolina and Minnesota teams, what's wrong with that? By having just the name, it encompasses ALL of the state and their history/culture.
People who automatically root for all their local sports teams seem so shallow to me, that I don't think too much about what motivates them. With their provincialism, they probably also think their local shopping mall and morning deejays are the best in the world.
I think the opposite. Straying from their local teams to jump on the fad bandwagon team of the day is what is shallow. Being able to attend home games, hear home broadcasts, and mingle with fellow fans totally trumps being the lone wolf fan a long way from home. The people I know who are fans of out of town teams, who aren't from there or do not have a family or personal connection to that area, do so to be different or combative among their peers. They are the bottom of the food chain in the sports fan world.
I've said it before on this forum and I'll say it again, I think professional sports team rep their city (and its metro), not any state.
They rep their fan bases. I consider their territory where ever their fan base is in the absolute majority. In some cases it encompasses entire states, in other cases multiple states, and in other cases just a fraction of a state and even metro area! It's fluid, as expansion, competition, demographic changes, etc. cause fan bases to ebb and grow.
I The "Golden State" Warriors is an abomination. .
The Philadelphia Warriors (and likewise the New York Giants) brought their name with them when they came to San Francisco.
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