Priority of teams in your city/region

[bark22]

Tulsa, OK

1. OU Sooner Football
2. Dallas Cowboy Football
3. St Louis Cardinal Baseball
4. OSU Cowboy Football
5. Jenks/Union High School Football
6. University of Tulsa Basketball

 

[Ramy]

You are absolutely, positively full of it, and you know it. I live closer to there than you do, so I am going to give a more qualified answer. Just listen to sports talk radio up there, and you will find where the interest lies:

1. Bengals
2. Reds
3. UC (basketball only)
4. Xavier
5. Kentucky basketball

Now I'm pretty much talking about passion level, not number of people who are fans of the team. Otherwise, the Reds would be on top.

The Reds are trying (and failing) to hang on to the tradition that Cincinnati is a baseball town. Sports talk show host and Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty has said several times that the Bengals are more popular than the Reds in Cincinnati (over the airwaves of the Reds' flagship station), and he's right. This observation was also raised by a writer in Cincinnati Magazine two years ago (don't remember the name).

There is a passion elicited by the Bengals in fans, positive and negative, that the Reds just cannot match. You can go through a whole Reds season, and pretty much be able to expect a fairly even-keel response from their fans (one of which am I), whether they win or lose. The Reds are looked upon very positively, but they do not do well at the gate. However, if the Bengals are having a bad season, the level of ire seems to be raised (at least on the radio), until the fans realize that getting upset when Mike Brown is your owner is a waste of time. Similarly, when the Bengals are winning, the city is practically on fire.

All that said, outside of Cincinnati itself, the Bengals have not been able to get as much of a stronghold in the surrounding region. The Reds will probably always be more popular in places like Louisville and Columbus.

You think because you live in Lexington you are able to give a more qualified answer, I don't think so. For a very brief time when the Bengals had a good season of over .500 they might have been more popular, but not that they are back under .500. Nobody thinks they can do it because the defense stinks worse than a pile of year old garbage. Especially now that they let Justin Smith go.

 

[brainfry]

You think because you live in Lexington you are able to give a more qualified answer, I don't think so. For a very brief time when the Bengals had a good season of over .500 they might have been more popular, but not that they are back under .500. Nobody thinks they can do it because the defense stinks worse than a pile of year old garbage. Especially now that they let Justin Smith go.

Are we changing the parameters of the debate now? OK, fine. I think the Bengals will stink it up this year because they are installing a new defense with players that are subpar to begin with. I think Marvin Lewis has lost the initial respect he had from his players. Their schedule will kill them.

None of what I just said advances or hinders my point. I would like to think that a team's popularity should be irrespective of recent ups and downs in its performance.

 

[Ramy]

Well I still think the Reds are more popular than the Bengals.

 

[Peter Parker]

I don't know how old you are, but I will say that under 40, Patriots are #1 and over 40 Sox are #1.

You must live ina different New England than I am familiar with. The patriots are a very successful (recently) and popular sorts team. The Red Sox are an integral part of the region. If the patriots were too leave people would eventually root for other teams. If the Red Sox left thee would be mass suicides.

Compare the celebration in 2004(or 20070 with any of the celebrations for the Pats. I don't even believe that this subject is being seriously discussed. The Patriots are currently one of the elite teams in their sport. That gets people excited but if they were to have two straight losing seasons Patriots tickets would be as easy to come by as they used to be. The Red Sox and to a lesser extent the Bruins will draw in NE no matter what.

 

[Neutron]

For Dallas/Ft. Worth I would have to say this as far as popularity goes:

1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. Dallas Stars
4. Texas Rangers

I personally like all 4 equally.

 

[BillD1984]

You must live ina different New England than I am familiar with. The patriots are a very successful (recently) and popular sorts team. The Red Sox are an integral part of the region. If the patriots were too leave people would eventually root for other teams. If the Red Sox left thee would be mass suicides.

Compare the celebration in 2004(or 20070 with any of the celebrations for the Pats. I don't even believe that this subject is being seriously discussed. The Patriots are currently one of the elite teams in their sport. That gets people excited but if they were to have two straight losing seasons Patriots tickets would be as easy to come by as they used to be. The Red Sox and to a lesser extent the Bruins will draw in NE no matter what.

1,000% agreed!!

 

[BillD1984]

For Dallas/Ft. Worth I would have to say this as far as popularity goes:

1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. Dallas Stars
4. Texas Rangers

I personally like all 4 equally.

It surprises me that the Stars are more popular than the Rangers.

BTW, we've stated how Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, and NYC all have clear cut number ones. But, IMO (granted from a distance), there is no bigger discrepancy between one and two than Dallas/Ft. Worth. The Cowboys are light years ahead of everyone else.

 

[Sparkman]

Living in Chicago here's my take:

1. Bears, traing camp stories of the Bears beat Cubs or Sox highlights on local news.
2. Cubs, a big deal, but overshadowed by the Bears.
3. Bulls. even with mediocre teams, United Center still a constant sellout & great TV ratings
4 White Sox, definately on the upswing after '05 and being in contention this year.
5. Blackhawks, Influx ofnew management really increasing fan base, would have been lower a year ago
6 Wolves, minor league hockey, but a winner.
7 Rush, has a definate fan base.

 

[Hart5150]

You must live ina different New England than I am familiar with. The patriots are a very successful (recently) and popular sorts team. The Red Sox are an integral part of the region. If the patriots were too leave people would eventually root for other teams. If the Red Sox left thee would be mass suicides.

Compare the celebration in 2004(or 20070 with any of the celebrations for the Pats. I don't even believe that this subject is being seriously discussed. The Patriots are currently one of the elite teams in their sport. That gets people excited but if they were to have two straight losing seasons Patriots tickets would be as easy to come by as they used to be. The Red Sox and to a lesser extent the Bruins will draw in NE no matter what.

I am from Maine.

Hello, there were more people at the Pats 02 parade than were at the 04 Sox parade.

2002 you could walk up to Fenway and get a ticket, 2002 there were 60,000 people on a season ticket wait list for the Pats. (Currently over 100,000)

I won't even mention TV ratings.

I love the Sox, but the geezers don't set the sports market in New England. Guys like you, Ryan and Shaugnessey are not going to change that.

 

[anders5189]

It surprises me that the Stars are more popular than the Rangers.

BTW, we've stated how Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, and NYC all have clear cut number ones. But, IMO (granted from a distance), there is no bigger discrepancy between one and two than Dallas/Ft. Worth. The Cowboys are light years ahead of everyone else.

I live down here now and I wouldn't say that the Stars are more popular than the Rangers. The Stars made the WCF this year and it created no more buzz than if the Arena football team won the Arena Bowl. When the Cowboys and Mavs are winning everyone's talking about it. In any event, the college teams, Texas and A&M, are light years more popular than either the Rangers or the Stars. Only the Cowboys and Mavs can really compete with that.

 

[HD MM]

It surprises me that the Stars are more popular than the Rangers.

BTW, we've stated how Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, and NYC all have clear cut number ones. But, IMO (granted from a distance), there is no bigger discrepancy between one and two than Dallas/Ft. Worth. The Cowboys are light years ahead of everyone else.

Isn't Boston still a discrepancy? It seems like a few are going back and forth between the Sox and Pats.

 

[riffjim4069]

For Dallas/Ft. Worth I would have to say this as far as popularity goes:

1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. Dallas Stars
4. Texas Rangers

I personally like all 4 equally.

I proudly dawned my Red Wings attire and flew my Red Wings flag here in Dallas, and I will shamefully wear my Lions cap come September. I have no interested in following the Rangers or Stars, only a mild interest in following the Stars, but I am getting excited about following the Cowboys this fall.

Since I sold my StarChoice receiver and dish prior to leaving Virginia, I doubt I will see more than 1 or 2 Lions games this season anyway. To be honest, I look forward to adopting a local area High School Football team and watching them play more than anything else.

 

[BillD1984]

Isn't Boston still a discrepancy? It seems like a few are going back and forth between the Sox and Pats.

In all due respect to those other posters, I'm sorry but the Sox are clearly numero uno. I usually preface an opinion on here with an "IMO", but not this time. That's how strongly I feel about it.

 

[Peter Parker]

I am from Maine.

Hello, there were more people at the Pats 02 parade than were at the 04 Sox parade.

2.

Sorry but you are WAY off on this. and i do mean WAY OFF

Estimates for the pats parade range from 1.2 to 1.5 million amazing by any standards but nowhere near the 3.2 million people who showed up along the Duck Tour route.

USATODAY.com - Millions turn out for Red Sox victory parade


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2002/playoffs/news/2002/02/05/patriots_parade_ap/


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2002/playoffs/news/2002/02/05/patriots_parade_ap/


both were impressive but one dwarfed the other.


As for attendance this April the Sox had their 456th consecutive sellout home game. Do you understand how impressive that is? Cleveland Indian fans do. Thy though their team would hold the record forever.

 

[HD MM]

In all due respect to those other posters, I'm sorry but the Sox are clearly numero uno. I usually preface an opinion on here with an "IMO", but not this time. That's how strongly I feel about it.

Ok. That's the way I always felt too. But, as an outsider I didn't know for sure.

I don't understand how a team like the Pats who were so awful as late as 1990 (1-11) and didn't even come into existence until 1960 could be as popular as the Red Sox storied legacy.

Being from out of state, whenever Boston is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is Fenway Park and the Boston Red Sox. Hell, I even thought the Celtics were more popular among the locals than the Pats.

 

[BillD1984]

Ok. That's the way I always felt too. But, as an outsider I didn't know for sure.

I don't understand how a team like the Pats who were so awful as late as 1990 (1-11) and didn't even come into existence until 1960 could be as popular as the Red Sox storied legacy.

Being from out of state, whenever Boston is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is Fenway Park and the Boston Red Sox. Hell, I even thought the Celtics were more popular among the locals than the Pats.

And the Patriots were this close to moving to St. Louis in the early 90's. People were upset, but nothing like it would be if that were the Red Sox.


BTW, speaking of that, when your Browns moved to Baltimore after the 1995 season, my first thought was, " OMG, if the Browns are allowed to move......ANY TEAM can move". It took away my false sense of security for my hometown teams.

 

[Peter Parker]

Ok. That's the way I always felt too. But, as an outsider I didn't know for sure.

I don't understand how a team like the Pats who were so awful as late as 1990 (1-11) and didn't even come into existence until 1960 could be as popular as the Red Sox storied legacy.

Being from out of state, whenever Boston is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is Fenway Park and the Boston Red Sox. Hell, I even thought the Celtics were more popular among the locals than the Pats.

the pats just aren't as popular a sthe red Sox. having said that they are quite popular and while having 1.2-1.5 million people at a victory parde is not as impressive as the 2004 celebration for the Sox it is darned impressive.

As for the Celts it is funny but that is the one team where New England just expects championship performance. So they are OK now but for 22 years people were disappointed.

 

[Peter Parker]

BTW here is an article on the size of the pats waiting list. It is at 50,000 now not 100,000. Darned impressive but not what was stated here. So is their sellout streak as well

wbztv.com - Patriots Tickets Go On Sale Friday

 

[redophile]

A lot of my relatives live in Arizona (Phoenix and Tucson), and I get the sense that their preferences are....
1. Suns
In large part because they were the state's first big pro sports franchise and a history of success
2. D'Backs
Probably the quickest expansion team in any sport to achieve what they have
3. Cardinals
4. Coyotes?

Different situation, but I also have many aunts, uncles and cousins that live in Portland, OR, who I am about to visit up there. For them it seems like the Blazers are their #1 team. They also have a minor league ballclub, the Beavers, but much of their fan base is tied to the Mariners out of Pacific Northwest territory.