I completely understand people's devotion to a sports team.
Every win is your win, every loss is your loss. You feel the pain of every sack and hip check; you feel the sting of every missed catch or fumbled ball. You live and breath your team and no matter how dismal the season may turn out to be, you're right there next season with your face painted, squinting from the nosebleeds as your team takes to the field, ice, or court.
It's a feeling of belonging, of brotherhood, of being a part of something bigger than you and that's really what sport is all about.
What I fail to understand, however, is why those same devotees have a hate-on for the bandwagon jumpers?
It was inevitable with Brett Favre packing his bags for the Big Apple that the bandwagon naysayers were already griping about the fans hopping on the Jets wagon for the upcoming season.
Die-hard Jets fans, who haven't had a whole heckuva lot to cheer about since the Joe Namath years, are already reminding the bandwagoners that "true" Jets fans don't need any freeloaders, hard-up to find a team to support, just because Favre is the No. 1 quarterback in New York.
There is, however, a much bigger picture that many fail to see.
- B/R Ticket Guide
I'm a fan of the Atlanta Falcons and have been for years. It has never been easy being a Falcons fan and the one time where things were starting to look up, a certain quarterback decided fighting dogs in a ring in his basement—and then shooting them dead if they didn't win—kind of put the kibosh on a promising future for the team.
However, during Michael Vick's brief tenure at the helm of the Atlanta offense, the Falcons bandwagon started getting more and more crowded.
Some whined and complained but I embraced these new-found Falcons faithful, most of whom jumped ship moments after the dogfighting story hit the headlines.
In that time, however, those faux-Falcons fans filled seats at the Georgia Dome and spent, perhaps, millions of dollars on T-shirts, hats, foam hands, and other assorted Falcons swag, bringing in a lot of extra coin for the club.
If you've got a superstar on your team, or your city has a championship team, it's like a license to print money, money that can be used to improve the stadium, lure marquee players, whatever the club owners deem necessary.
Why do you think the Jets secured the services of Favre in the first place? Not only does the club want to appeal to the "true" Jets fans, they also want the bandwagon jumpers to get on board, even if it's only for a season.
And besides, who's to say a bandwagoner won't become a die-hard fan? Would you not embrace them then?
Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees fans are the biggest bandwagon bellyachers, but have absolutely no reason to complain about a couple of interlopers donning a pinstripe hat and a Sox jersey for a couple of seasons because it swells your numbers.
There are some teams in all the different leagues out there that would love to have the kind of fan base Boston and New York enjoy, even if a chunk of them leave for greener pastures when the going gets tough.
You can bet that some of the money the bandwagon jumpers spent on Yankees gear helped pay for that shiny new stadium being built next door to Yankee Stadium.
In life, friends come and friends go, in and out like busboys at a busy diner. You say hello, you live together through a season and then you say goodbye. You'll be back next year, but like that best friend you had in grade one, the bandwagon jumper may be gone for good.
In the meantime, you remember the good, laugh at the memories, and be glad he left his lunch money behind.
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3 months ago
Oh my God how I love this article. It is what I had just been thinking after catching a lot of flack from MMA fans. Getting people stirred up enough to jump on the sports bandwagon is what a sport's writer dreams of, not that it will bring any rewards to the writer. I have followed one sport or another for years and had favorite players on too many teams to count. It has been one of the most rewarding pursuits of my life. And what poignantmemories came to mind when you mentioned old friends from school. Really, this is an excellent article, a great read and you have made a good point. My hearty congratulation and a big thumbs up! *****
from 3 months ago
Thanks Dorothy! As a casual observer of the sports world with devotion to only two teams, I shouldn't be ostracized if I happen to pull for the New York Giants for a season or promote the Chicago Blackhawks for a few games.
If I think a team is performing well, playing well and adding something to the league as a whole, why shouldn't I get on board?
And you bring up a good point about being a fan of a particular player. If that player is traded, why wouldn't I want to follow him as he begins with a new team?
from 3 months ago
Once again I agree with you completely. I think you are my new hero on this site. And if you can find a way to promote the Blackhawks, they need all the help they can get, so thanks in advance.
from 3 months ago
I'll see what I can do! I got a soft spot for the Blackhawks, probably my number two team behind the Montreal Canadiens.
3 months ago
5 gold ones and a POTD from me mate ... Excellent stuff !
I think bandwagon jumpers are hated because lets look at a scenario ...
Our guy X has supported a team all of his life through thick and thin, winning or losing, come rain or shine ... He feels pain when his boys lose and feels great when the result is brough home ... Then all of a sudden X's team get on a hot streak, things start looking up and it becomes somewhat cool or trendy to like this team ... So our second guy, Y ... Comes along and he is there toe to toe, shoulder to shoulder with the life long fan acting the same ... I think that we get so angry because people looking at the fanbase from the outside in will just suspect that guy X is just the same as guy Y ... Guy X dont like this one bit because his loyalty isnt respected as a thick and thin fan but a bandwagon jumper just like all the rest. It happens to us all ...
Like in my sport F1, McLaren is my team and has been since I was like ... Jeez, I dont know ... Since I was like 10 / 11 or something ... Now all of a sudden we get Lewis Hamilton and there is a surge of fans who apparently have always been McLaren fans ... I like the extra support but I HATE being tarred with that bandwagon brush ! ...
Thats my thoughts, great writing Tim, deserved POTD and 5 stars.
from 3 months ago
Thanks Ben, for the POTD, the 5 Stars and becoming a fan! My bandwagon is always willing to take on newcomers!
I agree with you on being tarred with the same brush because your team has become trendy and then you get labeled as being a bandwagon jumper.
What I suggest is laugh it away and tough it out, embrace the new fans and then when they're gone, thank 'em for the ride and keep on supporting your team.
from 3 months ago
Ha ha ha ... You have a good attitude mate ... If only everyone thought like you hey ?
from 3 months ago
If everyone thought like me, we'd all be having Pop Tarts for breakfast, have a hard time choosing between Homer Simpson and Peter Griffin as the best TV dad ever and journalism would actually mean something again.
from 3 months ago
I like your values, ha ha ha ... I would go Peter griffin for sure ... Hilarious ... Anyone that can have an offspring like Stuey is okay by me ! ... Oh and on the record ... POP TARTS RULE !
3 months ago
Bandwagoner jumpers are just annoying. They can buy the shirts and spend their money on their new found team but just keep your mouth shut lol
Enjoyed the read mate.
from 3 months ago
Heh heh ... fair enough. Thanks Andrew!
3 months ago
Great article and a very good point of view on the issue.
Brilliantly put across.
from 3 months ago
Thanks Jamie, I appreciate it!
3 months ago
this was a very well written article, and while i agree that bandwagoners can be good for the team financially, it sucks as a "true" fan. like andrew said, "keep your mouth shut". they don't know the team like the regulars, they don't understand the tradition, but the worst part is that they don't want to learn it either because chances are they'll just hop off your bandwagon and hop onto someone else's in about 3 years.
3 months ago
excellent points... the one thing i hate though is similar to band wagoners is when a person is a fan of the team but suddenly becomes a die hard... this clearly happened this year in New York with the Giants...
from 3 months ago
I agree Michael. I'm a JETS fan living in CT and rarely do I see a fan. My wife is OK with that because I usually end up talking to them or yelling JETS as I pass them in the store. When the GIANTS won the bowl, all I saw was vintage GIANTS gear from the LT/SIMMS days. It looked like a GIANTS Goodwill bus pulled into town and started handing out used clothing.
from 3 months ago
Thats a really funny point.. trying to act like they have loved the Giants since forever.. but ask them who the QB before ELI was they will look at you all puzzled
3 months ago
Good article.
3 months ago
This is a great article
from 3 months ago
Thanks Chad, appreciate it!
3 months ago
Peter Griffin
3 months ago
Great read buddy. And I've got some stinkers I've stuck with....mets, jets, isles. Jeeze. And carrying Mets and Jets season tix has been rough some years.
But I am going to go to a Jets game or two this year ;)
from 3 months ago
Bob ... I certainly don't blame ya'!
3 months ago
but I just did give away tomorrows tix - NE....I'll be at that one!
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