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Over the years, there's been an argument about sports teams define a city. Some say it does, others say it doesn't. I guess because they see the "classic" franchises such Yankees, Red Sox, Red Wings, Celtics, Bulls, etc. being pushed in the media. Some might even think if the sports team are doing great; the city must be doing great. I'm from Cleveland and I'm a fan of all Cleveland teams, and it's been since '64 since we last saw a major sports title. But, I haven't given up as the old saying goes, "Since you've been down, the only place you can go is up." So, I'm just asking the question: Do sports teams make or define a city? Why or why not?
Yes. Look at a city like Green Bay Wisconsin. If the packers weren't there, it would be like any other mid sized city in Wisconsin. The Packers pretty much define Green Bay. There are some other places too. I would argue my home state of Nebraska is defined by the cornhuskers. No other college team is loved by a whole state border to border as the cornhuskers. Some teams do get close to this. I think the Cowboys in a way defined Dallas since they were so successful, but few, cities are defined by their teams in the sense that the team put the city on the map.
Greenbay33 is right. The Green Bay Packers go back to the earliest beginnings of the National Football League, some ninety plus years back. Though Don Hutson's name doesn't appear much on the pages of City Data's football sub forum, Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Ray Nitzshke, Jim Taylor, Forrest Greg, Herb Adderly, and Willie Wood DO get plenty of mention,and they are all-pro and HOF players-ALL of them.
Longtime Packer Coach Vince Lombardi, along with Baltimore Colt quarterback Johnny Unitas and Cleveland Brown running back Jim Brown were among the players primarily responsible for transforming America from a baseball watching nation to a football watching nation. It didn't happen overnight but these three men started that change.
The Green Bay Packers are one of the hallmark franchises of the NFL. Fact!
Absolutely not. Maybe a small town like Green Bay. But, I cant think of any other city in America that is defined by a sports team. If so, that city probably has very little going for it.
Absolutely not. Maybe a small town like Green Bay. But, I cant think of any other city in America that is defined by a sports team. If so, that city probably has very little going for it.
See now I would disagree. I think that every American city's identity is somewhat tied to its sports franchise(s). Even take a city like New York, ask someone from another state or another country to name 5 things about New York, and I guarantee that one or two of them will be sports teams.
It's the same with countries all around the world. Take soccer in European nations. A city like Manchester, England is forever going to be liked with United and City. Liverpool will always be linked with their team. Barecelona will be linked with theirs.
Sports are a defining culture in our society and I would think every city can somewhat be defined by their team(s).
They certainly can. This doesn't just apply to large cities and pro sports teams. I grew up in Texas where football is king. A lot of small towns shut down on Friday and Saturday nights because the football game is the biggest attraction in town. In fact, we can apply this logic to entire states. Indiana and North Carolina are huge basketball states. Sports has a way of connecting people who otherwise would not be connected (maybe because of political ideology or cultural differences).
The thing about real sports towns, they have real fans. I am a Boston fan, I like the Redsox when they win, and I am still a fan when they lose. I will still wear my Redsox shirt when they win the world series, and I will wear the shirt when they do not even make the playoffs. I live in Florida now, and it seams like there is just no loyalty to there teams from there fans, people are tampa bay rays fan come playoff time, but forget about them if they stink the next season. I am glad to come from a state that has such passion for sports.
The thing about real sports towns, they have real fans. I am a Boston fan, I like the Redsox when they win, and I am still a fan when they lose. I will still wear my Redsox shirt when they win the world series, and I will wear the shirt when they do not even make the playoffs. I live in Florida now, and it seams like there is just no loyalty to there teams from there fans, people are tampa bay rays fan come playoff time, but forget about them if they stink the next season. I am glad to come from a state that has such passion for sports.
Come talk to me when you're from Detroit and you have the Lions
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