What kind of sports town do you live in?

[elSicomoro]

I was reading this article in the Kansas City Star this morning. Ep could probably shed some light on this, but they were noting how the city seems torn between football and baseball right now. The Royals are battling the White Sox for the AL Central title, and there seems to be hope for a good season for the Chiefs.

This made me wonder about sports allegiances in other cities...and even states. For example, the article noted how St. Louis (my hometown) is a baseball town, which is incredibly accurate. We love the Rams and Blues, but in the end, it's all about the Cardinals.

Philadelphia seems conflicted. I would say more than anything that we are a basketball town. The Eagles are huge (and probably come closest to basketball), the Flyers are loved by many--except for vsp, and the Phillies are finally getting some respect. But this town lives and dies on the shoulders of the Sixers more than any other team. Not to mention, we have 6 NCAA Division I teams in the area--9 if you include not-too-far-away Princeton, Delaware, and Rutgers.

Washington is undoubtedly a football town. They love that NFL team of theirs. The Wizards will slowly lose attention again, now that Jordan is out of the picture (but the Maryland Terrapins are always popular). And the Capitals seem to get most of their love from the suburbs.

Chicago--another conflicted town. 6 Bulls championships did well, but I'd say it's about baseball in the end.

Baltimore--football diehards, indeed. But the O's win out in the end.

What about those of you in places without big league teams? Do college sports rule over all, or do you pick a big league team that's either close to you, or to which you have a minor league affiliate?

[hermit22]

L.A.'s a basketball town. Baseball and hockey come next, in that order, but baseball's split between the Dodger and Angels fans, and, if it hadn't been for the Ducks last year, hockey would have almost no prominence outside the kids who play roller hockey.

But we love our football te---oh, that's right, the bastards all sold out and left town. At least we got rid of them.

[Undertoad]

I feel Philadelphia is a football town.

The reason it isn't a basketball town: when the team was bad, post-Barkley, the fans deserted it and the arena was only half-full for a while. They like it now because feel-gooder Pat Croce spent his time promoting the hell out of it. When Iverson is gone, mediocre, or dead, the fans will desert again.

It used to be conflicted baseball/basketball, but the Phillies franchise has systematically killed baseball here. But even in 1993 it felt like a temporary thing. When the team's world series shot was followed by the strike, and then the team resumed sucking, it really took the air out of the sport here.

But football: even when the team was 3-13 there was only one TV blackout, I believe.

[SteveDallas]

I have to agree with UT. When I moved here from NC in 1990 I had some residual allegiance to the Charlotte Hornets. In those years, when the 76ers were in their record-setting death spiral of a worse record every year for six(? I forget exactly how many) straight years, we often made an effort to go see the Hornets when they were in Philadelphia. There were often more fans in Hornets duds than 76ers.

[headsplice]

As you might have guessed, Minnesota is a hockey state. All three years, the Excel Energy Center has sold every single ticket for every single hockey game played there.
Beyond that, it's hard to say. I would say that basketball, then baseball, then football are the most important, in that order. That being said, if it isn't hockey, Minnesotans are the epitome of fair-weather fans. If the team is doing well, everyone loves them. If not, well, you get the idea.

[warch]

I've always thought it was interesting that Minnesota identifies the state rather than the big town(s). After hockey, I'd say, its Mpls- football, St Paul- baseball.

[Griff]

Two guys who went to my high school are set to make their pro-ball splashes this year. Chris Snee should go in the first round of the NFL draft and speedster Rich Thompson scored his first run for Kansas City the other day

[blue]

Another almost neighbor here....wow, do you know Warch?

Wisconsin is most definately a Green Bay Packer state...I almost (no not really) feel sorry for non Packer fans. And certainly not fair weather...the Packers SUCKED for almost 30 years yet the stadium was always full, waiting list kept getting bigger.

I got on the waiting list around 1994 at just over 40,000, with the new stadium, seating and PSLs I'm ALREADY in the low 30's! But the list itself I think has grown to over 60,000.

And that gives me an excuse to post another pic (Yes we beat the Vikings that day (Dec 30), it was 13 degrees and windy:

[vsp]

Philadelphia is indeed a football town.

I'm biased, because I have no use for basketball whatsoever at any level. With all of the colleges around here and the rich Big 5 tradition, college basketball is big around here, but it's so rare for a Philly-based team to do anything significant in March that it tend to fade rapidly.

Hockey is a niche sport; always has been. Those who follow it are generally diehards; those who don't couldn't name three players when the playoffs start on TV.

The Phillies organization has given the fans precious little reason to care over the years, much less to expect a positive result. The new ballpark will spark some interest, but I don't expect that to translate directly into success on the field.

But when the Eagles are playing, and _especially_ when they're good enough to compete for the playoffs, they monopolize all the talk around the water cooler.

[Oaktree67]

Historically,the Red Sox and Bruins have been the top dogs in Boston and the Patriots were the odd men out;in recent times,however,that's changed a fair bit(and could change even further if the NHL lockout goes on much longer).

[vsp]

Goddamn, THAT was a fine bit of thread necromancy right there.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Oaktree67

Historically,the Red Sox and Bruins have been the top dogs in Boston and the Patriots were the odd men out;in recent times,however,that's changed a fair bit(and could change even further if the NHL lockout goes on much longer).

Uh....Celtics?

[Oaktree67]

Oops.