Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting event?

[kenny]

I don't get it.
I know people vary, and I'm not criticizing.
I just don't get it, I've tried to understand, but there's a hole in my brain that, in many other people, is filled with tremendous passion.

With pro sports YOU are not playing.
Why do you feel good, or anything, if "your team" (whatever that means) wins?
I can sort of understand if your mini-DNA unit is playing, but not total strangers ... and just because they are from your geographic location?
Huh?
If your location's team wins or loses it says nothing about you.

Why does it matter?
If you like a sport, go play it.
Then I'd understand feeling good if the team you actually play on wins.

Help.

 

[missy]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I don't get it either. Perhaps it is the living vicariously thing.

 

[KaeKae]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I'm much more like you, Kenny and Missy, than any sports fanatic. The closest I come to loyalty is thinking it's nice when a local team wins the big game. The LA Kings just one the hockey championship, and a parade was held today. That's a nice thing, I am happy for the loyal fans. So, what's for dinner.

But, living with my husband, and before that, my brother and father, I do see the more extreme loyalty. Father, when he was living, and Brother always have lived near NYC, so it's probably been easy to simply maintain the home team loyalty: Mets and Giants. Hubby and I have moved around, but he still is a NY fan. The Yankees, the Jets and the Rutgers University teams, to be exact. Even living across the country, that hasn't changed. We've gone to Dodgers and Angel's games, when the Yankees were playing there. He's looking forward to driving north to see Rutgers football play this coming fall. I think it's more than a habit, some how it's ingrained that there is a connection that I just don't see or feel.

eta: I feel the same kind of thing if the NY teams win big. Rutgers I do feel more of connection to, having gone to school there, but I don't want to drive five hours to see them play football. If it's on tv, I'll probably put it on, so I have an idea of what kind of game they play. I like basketball more, we used to have season tickets, so I can follow that game well, if they even play in the LA area, I'd be happy to cheer them on. But, then again, don't tell hubby that I'd be happy to see UCLA play, too.

 

[OreoRosies86]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I'll give you my honest assesment.

There are few universal things. Smiles, math, sports. It is something anyone can find common ground on if you know even just the basics. I don't speak Japanese but I could see people playing a game of baseball in Japan and join in like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I think that is what subconsciously ignites passion in sports fans. Its a social activity that can represent us at our best and worst.

 

[kenny]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I think that is what subconsciously ignites passion in sports fans. Its a social activity that can represent us at our best and worst.

Represent?
Huh?
What does that mean?
So, why do I not feel "represented" by, or give a hoot, what my local Los Angeles sports teams do, or American Olympic teams do, or American soccer teams do?
I'm passionately patriotic but fail to make a connection with sports or have any feeling/emotion about sports when played by strangers.

What is wrong with me?
Put another way, what might explain the enormous different in importance of local pro sports teams to people?

Again, I'm not criticizing.
I'm not saying others are wrong.

I truly, sincerely don't get it, though I've been asking this same question for around 50 years.
No answers, yet.

 

[redwood66]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

Its entertainment plain and simple. Some are entertained by professional sports of one type or another and develop a loyalty for one team based on geography, the team's ability or style of play. If you are not entertained by the sport then you would not care about it right?

 

[sonnyjane]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I think that is what subconsciously ignites passion in sports fans. Its a social activity that can represent us at our best and worst.

Represent?
Huh?
What does that mean?
So, why do I not feel "represented" by, or give a hoot, what my local Los Angeles sports teams do, or American Olympic teams do, or American soccer teams do?
I'm passionately patriotic but fail to make a connection with sports or have any feeling/emotion about sports when played by strangers.

What is wrong with me?
Put another way, what might explain the enormous different in importance of local pro sports teams to people?

Again, I'm not criticizing.
I'm not saying others are wrong.

I truly, sincerely don't get it, though I've been asking this same question for around 50 years.
No answers, yet.

Curious because I wonder if it makes a difference... Did you ever participate in competitive sports? I did. I don't consider myself a fanatic for things like baseball, football, hockey, etc., but I do really get into the Olympics (at least the summer ones).

ETA: I also agree that it's just pure entertainment. It's been going on for hundreds (even thousands) of years. Fortunately less gladiators are eaten by lions now.

 

[Niel]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I think that is what subconsciously ignites passion in sports fans. Its a social activity that can represent us at our best and worst.

Represent?
Huh?
What does that mean?
So, why do I not feel "represented" by, or give a hoot, what my local Los Angeles sports teams do, or American Olympic teams do, or American soccer teams do?
I'm passionately patriotic but fail to make a connection with sports or have any feeling/emotion about sports when played by strangers.

What is wrong with me?
Put another way, what might explain the enormous different in importance of local pro sports teams to people?

Again, I'm not criticizing.
I'm not saying others are wrong.

I truly, sincerely don't get it, though I've been asking this same question for around 50 years.
No answers, yet.

To be fair you just got an answer.


I truly enjoy sports. Many sports. I enjoy the way you can route for a team and at that moment all of your cares and worries are encompassed into one essentially meaningless event. It brings people together. Its entertaining.

Why do people like movies. Or knitting. Or diamonds.

 

[kenny]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

Why do people like movies. Or knitting. Or diamonds.

Very good point.

 

[kenny]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

Did you ever participate in competitive sports?

Yes, I loved individual sports where you are just 'competing' with your own personal best, like running, swimming and gymnastics.
I was very good and loved it, though to this day don't care about anyone else doing these sports I loved.

I still swim laps and love it.

Team stuff? No.

 

[ForteKitty]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I feel that way about looking at diamond exhibits. It's not mine, and I can't take it home, so why do I care?

 

[stracci2000]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

Gosh, I just hate sports, and always have. I suffered through gym class in high school.
I could never understand people using the word "we" when they speak about the team they follow.
Drives me nuts! You are not on the team! LOL
I grew up in Pittsburgh where Steeler football is a way of life. It is everywhere, and you absolutely cannot get away from it. You can't understand how bad it is unless you have lived there. You can paint your house, or your car, black and gold, and paint the Steelers logo across your garage door, and people will come from all over just to drive by and see it. Pittsburghers love it. They are all crazy!
I have gotten mean looks for saying this in the past, but I think that sports are organized warfare.

 

[OreoRosies86]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

Of course you got an answer. My perspective of why some people like sports and feel passionately about them. Why does anyone like anything? I'm sure the jewelry hounds here would be just as passionate about a huge jewelry show. Differing interests don't mean anyone is broken somehow. People vary, yes?

 

[ForteKitty]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

Although I'm not an avid soccer fan, I'm happy to see so many people cheering on the USA team. How sad would it be for the players if they had no fans in the crowds, or anywhere?

 

[Laila619]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

It is kind of silly, but I guess it's no more so than people taking magnified pictures of their engagement rings and diamonds.

 

[OreoRosies86]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

It is kind of silly, but I guess it's no more so than people taking magnified pictures of their engagement rings and diamonds.

True. I bet so many people wander in here every day saying "$10,000 for a diamond?! Who gives a sh!t?!"

 

[lambskin]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

IMHO, pro sports have become corporate entities and not teams. Sponsorships demand what shoes athletes wear and what they drink. Seat tickets are so high they have priced out the average fan and it is all about sky boxes and corporate tickets as bonuses or client entertainment. Concessions are so over priced that a family of four can not afford a few hotdogs sodas and beers. Athletes are no longer role models as their supposed philanthropic charities are scrutinized for improper accounting and they are in the news for their illegal activities, arrests and steriod abuse. Some athletes won't autograph anything for a fan because they won't make any money off of it. City loyalty is no longer relevant as franchise owners threaten to leave the home town and pimp out their team to a city's highest bidder to provide tax incentives and for tax payers to pay for the new arena. The salaries that the players command are high-win or lose or injured or in jail. Pro sports are monopolies and until fans stop supporting the excesses the sky is the limit. If I want to watch exciting sports with motivated players who are happy to see fans, I go to the local high school.

 

[arkieb1]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I don't get it.
I know people vary, and I'm not criticizing.
I just don't get it, I've tried to understand, but there's a hole in my brain that, in many other people, is filled with tremendous passion.

With pro sports YOU are not playing.
Why do you feel good, or anything, if "your team" (whatever that means) wins?
I can sort of understand if your mini-DNA unit is playing, but not total strangers ... and just because they are from your geographic location?
Huh?
If your location's team wins or loses it says nothing about you.

Why does it matter?
If you like a sport, go play it.
Then I'd understand feeling good if the team you actually play on wins.

Help.

Think of countries where people are really poor - when their soccer team, football team, racing car driving or whoever, from where they live or whoever wins and beats everyone else it gives people hope, it gives them pride, it gives them a sense of belonging to something that can and is better than their own circumstances. In countries and places where people are not poor it does a similar sort of thing, people feel passionate about their team because it gives them an outlet to channel their energy. In men I think this might be both a good and bad outlet for aggression because I have seen lots of cases of violence at sporting matches. I've also lost count of the angry over zealous parents at the sidelines of kids games - I've seen parents get in punch ups on the side lines at games with young children in Australia for example and the language they use is pretty uncalled for at times as well....

Watching and supporting a team or an individual for entertainment I understand completely and lets face it if someone inspires someone else to do better, to be better, or to want better that is great. The angry side of sport where you beat a guy in the gutter after a football match, or you yell obscenities at the referee of a kids game I don't get at all.

I am not a person into sports either but I guess mostly we all like to win, we all have a competitive side, if we are not good enough to compete ourselves the next best thing is to live vicariously through someone that is or adopt a team that gives us the same emotional set of feelings.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

It is kind of silly, but I guess it's no more so than people taking magnified pictures of their engagement rings and diamonds.

True. I bet so many people wander in here every day saying "$10,000 for a diamond?! Who gives a sh!t?!"

Only diamond lovers "give a shit" about diamonds. The normal people just go...

 

[mayerling]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

Although I'm not an avid soccer fan, I'm happy to see so many people cheering on the USA team. How sad would it be for the players if they had no fans in the crowds, or anywhere?

I don't watch/play any sports but there's something about world competitions that draws me in. I was really happy to see USA win today.

 

[lambskin]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

My hubby gave up on pro sports after the infamous baseball strike. But he remains an avid USA soccer fan. We have been to a few world cup games (I brought our 6 week old baby to Korea/Japan in 2002) and some games in France( at the time preggers and could not drink the wine ). He also was a fan of the local team but it too got costly . The world aspect does make it exciting but like the Olympics, it too has been tainted by controversy and construction debts.

 

[AprilBaby]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I am an over the top fan/stock holder of the Green Bay Packers! Why? Not sure. I don't live in Wisconsin, i just love the team. I go to practices, special events, about five games a year, follow them on twitter...I loved them enough that I bought two stock ownership shares. They make me happy. Just like my diamonds.

 

[blackprophet]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I can't speak for everyone here, but I can draw a parallel for my self.

I've seen how much you love your Octavia and your FCD collection. Think about how you feel when you see the Octavia sparkle, how you notice its intricacies, how your concern for its light performance drives you to clean it every day, and keep the evil lotion away from it.

Thats how I feel when I see a well executed triangle choke. Or a beautiful free kick by Pirlo. Or Marshawn Lynch run over a defender.

And similar to how you are excited for DF to get an Octavia too and experience what you have and share that joy, is similar to how I feel about my favourite teams. There is something there I identify with. Whether it is similar style to how I played that game, or they do something I find entertaining.

The last aspect that there is no parallel for is competition. I love competition, and if you are going to watch sports for the competition aspect for it, you have to choose a side. Some people have a permanent side, some chose a side depending on the day. For most sports, I fall into the latter category.

Let me really confuse you. I'm a born and bread Canadian. My favourite college football team, till the day I die: The Naval Academy
(The one in Annapolis)

 

[amc80]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

Its entertainment plain and simple. Some are entertained by professional sports of one type or another and develop a loyalty for one team based on geography, the team's ability or style of play. If you are not entertained by the sport then you would not care about it right?

This, exactly.

DH is a huge Oregon (Ducks) fan. Any time he is wearing Oregon stuff (which is often) he gets at least one stranger walking by saying "Go Ducks!" And we don't even live in Oregon, just somewhere where there happens to be a ton of Oregon fans. It's a fun way to be a part of something.

 

[momhappy]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I don't get it either, kenny. My ex was sports-obsessed. Yuck. Not my thing I guess. I agree that it's a means of entertainment/enjoyment, but I've seen folks get pretty emotionally-involved in sports/sports teams (more so than someone who's engaged in some other form of entertainment like a book, a movie, a hobby, etc.) and that's the part that I truly don't understand. If I go to a movie that I don't care for, my whole day isn't ruined like it is for someone who's sports obsessed and their team just lost the big game...

 

[aviastar]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I don't get it either, kenny. My ex was sports-obsessed. Yuck. Not my thing I guess. I agree that it's a means of entertainment/enjoyment, but I've seen folks get pretty emotionally-involved in sports/sports teams (more so than someone who's engaged in some other form of entertainment like a book, a movie, a hobby, etc.) and that's the part that I truly don't understand. If I go to a movie that I don't care for, my whole day isn't ruined like it is for someone who's sports obsessed and their team just lost the big game...

You must not be familiar with The Fandoms.

There's actually quite a large community of people who get very emotionally involved with books and movies. Which, I think, is also the answer to the original question: Community. Diamonds, sports, Harry Potter...whatever floats your boat- finding like minded people who enjoy the same thing you do. It's a place to belong.

 

[Rhea]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I love national sporting events. Just to remind you I live in London. It's a fairly keep yourself to yourself type of place like any large city is. In certain situations it's completely appropriate to talk to total strangers and one of them is about national sporting events. Most local pubs, wine bars, and restaurants in my area are showing the world cup. Wine bars! As in the place I'd rather be than the pub but is normally too high brow to show sports on TV.

The large sporting events are a time when a community comes together and rallies behind one common idea. I miss being in the US where strangers talked to each other, neighbours knew each other's names, and there was a sense of community. I watch the Olympics, Football World Cup, and Rugby World Cup not because I necessarily love the sport but because it's great to be a part of something larger. The local wine bar where all the staff are French and obsessed with organic and biodynamic wines is not only serving tasty wine and olives. They are building a community. People are a bit friendlier. My accent, American, means they ask if I caught the US game for the Football World Cup and if I think the US is going to get through the group stages. And that means something to me. I could care less about the sport itself.

England plays tomorrow night. I'm in England. Most around me will be cheering for England. And I will be as well to give myself something in common with the people around me so that I'm able to join in and be a part of it. Go England!!

 

[kenny]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I don't get it either, kenny. My ex was sports-obsessed. Yuck. Not my thing I guess. I agree that it's a means of entertainment/enjoyment, but I've seen folks get pretty emotionally-involved in sports/sports teams (more so than someone who's engaged in some other form of entertainment like a book, a movie, a hobby, etc.) and that's the part that I truly don't understand. If I go to a movie that I don't care for, my whole day isn't ruined like it is for someone who's sports obsessed and their team just lost the big game...

Yeah, to many it is way more than mere entertainment.
Why does it mean so much to fans if their team wins or loses?
It is like they personally won the lottery or lost their job.

That's what stumps me and has kept me curious and fascinated for half a century.

 

[Laila619]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

It is kind of silly, but I guess it's no more so than people taking magnified pictures of their engagement rings and diamonds.

True. I bet so many people wander in here every day saying "$10,000 for a diamond?! Who gives a sh!t?!"

So true. My parents thought it was the dumbest waste ever when I told them how much money DH spent on my (modest) e-ring diamond.

 

[monarch64]

Re: Why does anyone care which team wins any pro sporting ev

I grew up listening/watching baseball, so I have an appreciation of the sport and I find it relaxing and comforting to have a game on the radio as background noise during the summer. I have a favorite team, but only because it's my father's favorite. This was a common interest between us and a way to bond when I was growing up. I think people like team sports because they bring people together and make them feel like they're part of something. I can talk baseball all day long to any other fan, so it translates over into other aspects of life besides it just being a pastime. But when "my" team loses I don't get all butthurt about it. Maybe because I don't put money on games?!