Bandwagoning & Fan Loyalty

[Andrew]

gangsta4life's thread got me thinking...what is your approach to bandwagoning and fan loyalty? What do you consider to be the unwritten rules for being a fan of a particular team or player?

As I said in gangsta4life's thread, everyone has to jump on the bandwagon at some point and do so for any reason that makes a team or player appealing to them. When a team is on the way up or winning and when a player is on the rise or at the top of their game, that's when they're attracting new fans and there's nothing wrong with that. To call yourself a diehard fan though, you've got to stick with them through the good times and the bad, short of them crossing some line where you just can't bring yourself to support them any more. Where that line is drawn is up to you.

As far as taking an interest in other teams, I think it's acceptable even as a diehard fan but you can't reasonably claim to be a diehard fan of more than one team. In my case, I took a bit of an interest in the Wizards during MJ's two years, though the Bulls were still "my team". When they played one another, I wanted MJ to have a great game but for the Bulls to get the win.

During that era I tended to develop an interest in other teams and players as well, which kept my interest during the Playoffs and in some way be invested in the outcome. I believe that when "your" team is eliminated it's fine to be happy for another team's success or have a preference as to who you'd like to see win for whatever reason (to see the team that beat your team lose, a veteran player get their first ring, etc)...just don't bandwagon or claim to be a fan of that team. Give them their due and hope that your team can do better next season.

What's your take? What unwritten rules do you think a diehard fan has to follow, and what are the exceptions (if any)?

[Mavs4Life]

Have your main rise with them, fall with them team (Dallas, but also watch and support other teams (PHO,BOS, I even joined Miami a little this season... before the whole Finals thing, mixed relationship). The main thing is once you jump on the wagon, no jumping off when the team loses bad or anything like that. That makes you a true bandwagoner, it's okay to jump on, just don't jump off.

[Kenny]

I'm usually of the mindset that I go for the team that's from your city/town. Since I don't really have that (except for maybe the Clippers since I stayed near LA), bandwagoning isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's definitely more shameful when people jump off it. Unless it's State of Origin, I see nothing wrong with rooting for multiple teams. I'd categorise myself as a Denver supporter, but I like the Clippers, Spurs (actually, any team from Texas) and any small market team that will come against a big market team in the playoffs.

A part of me still has that player following mentality, but it's on the other side of the coin I find. I don't care much for the Celtics because of a particular distaste towards Kevin Garnett. Historically I've liked Miami (without being considered a fan), but since the super best friends joined forces, I want to see the team fail as well now. I'd say the same thing about the Lakers and Kobe, but I have a distaste for the whole franchise.

So I guess what I'm saying is, I think it's okay to jump off the bandwagon if there's particularly elements of the franchise that have changed that you don't agree with. However, I think it's weak just to disown a team just because they're not winning a certain amount of games.

[NovU]

The franchise are business entities to me in some ways so sticking by one team no matter what, doesn't make sense to me that much. For me, Wade became my favorite playe first before becoming a hardcore Heat fan. I also came to like their management and all that.

[benji]

The only reason "diehards" whine about "bandwagoners" is that bandwagoners aren't loyal enough to the tribe and nothing is more important than loyalty to the tribe. (And if you aren't loyal to the tribe YOU'RE AGAINST IT AND UNDERMINING IT!) The bandwagoner is even more desperate regarding tribal status in that they seek to be identified with the "superior" tribe rather than just any tribe let alone the "by birth" tribe.

[The X]

I bandwagon teams who pick up good young talent, draft well and play a good brand of basketball. I jump off bandwagon when the front office blows it up either to win a title (Heat trading Odom, Butler etc for Shaq) or dumps salaries/picks/players (Phoenix giving away two 1st Rd picks to Sonics to take Kurt Thomas' contract).

I enjoy teams that play entertaining, team basketball. Mid 90's Lakers, early '00's Kings, mid 00's Suns etc.

I have had a soft spot for Mavs since they drafted Dirk and Nuggets since they drafted Melo (& even now after the trade).

I think most of all I like underdogs, which is why you won't see me supporting big market teams (unless they are in transition stage with requisite young talent, interesting roster).

So who should X bandwagon this year? Top of list has to be Minnesota Timberwolves. Love, Derrick Williams & most of all, Ricky Rubio. I hope Clippers do well also.

[George7]

Well, personally, I think it wouldn't be a surprise for people like me,who grew in countries far away from the US,to be bandwagoners, like many of my mates,who are doing that all the time,mostly supporting the team that has the best talent,or LeBron plays...

Well,for me (and other one-two guys I know),I think that I can be placed to the loyal fans' side. I've been supporting the Bulls as many time as I remember my self playing basketball and watching NBA, and other than the last 2-3 years, I have seen the Bulls in really tough situations for them(in fact,my first, as I haven't seen the Jordan era live as well. And I will be still sticking with the Bulls for the years to come,even with their ups and downs...

Well,I am going for sure to watch any team that is going to play good-looking basketball, like the Thunder,the Knicks and the Clippers(as it seems!), but still I will be supporting Bulls to win,even if my favorite player leaves,like Ben Gordon did 2 years ago,and if Rose does the same in the future...

[Andrew]

So I guess what I'm saying is, I think it's okay to jump off the bandwagon if there's particularly elements of the franchise that have changed that you don't agree with. However, I think it's weak just to disown a team just because they're not winning a certain amount of games.

That's another point of interest: what does it take to end a fan's devotion? There are obviously a lot of Knicks fans who don't like the moves they've made or the way the team is run, but continue to take an interest in the games, cheer on the team and buy merchandise. Where do you draw the line?

Honestly, I'm not sure myself. I couldn't describe a scenario off the top of my head but it'd have to be really, really bad.

The franchise are business entities to me in some ways so sticking by one team no matter what, doesn't make sense to me that much.

It's not really that different from sticking by one player, or a favourite brand or TV show for that matter. In each case there's something there that's appealing, something that keeps your interest and inspires fanatical devotion.

[Kenny]

I think it's easier for me to say that being from the outside looking in. If I was actually from the city my NBA team was in, I think I'd be more fanatical because that's how I am with all sports. A lot of my favourite sporting teams have made questionable decisions over the course of my life (most recently the Brisbane Lions), but I've always managed to stick with them if they were a Brisbane or Queensland based team.

As I said, those teams I have a distaste for because of recent acquisitions, I was never particularly a big fan of them anyway, except for players like Larry Bird, Alonzo Mourning and a few others who were associated with the Celtics and Heat. Teams I bandwagoned towards during my childhood (Bulls, Spurs and Rockets) are all teams I still like on some level, even if it's less than say the Nuggets and Clippers.

[Axel The Great]

I remember I've been a Rockets fan since before I started following basketball. Bandwagoning is probably the biggest reason I dislike the Lakers, and also the Heat to a certain extent; I can't remember how many people I've met that call themselves Laker "fans", but in reality they just dick-rode them when they won those two championships. The same can be applied to other teams, like the Spurs or the Celtics, but the Lakers are the biggest example in recent years. These days here in Houston, those "Laker fans" are probably wearing Mavericks merchandise, which is an upgrade from Lakers in my opinion, but I still don't approve of it because of the disloyalty they are showing.

I agree with badreligionau that I've always been for the mindset to support your hometown/city's team. With international NBA fans, that's not possible. Bandwagoning is okay in that case, but if you stop supporting that team it better not be because they're not winning enough games or they didn't win the championship on said year.

Take someone like me, I will wear my Kevin Martin jersey any day of the week, and I've even had people who don't know a fourth of what I know about basketball come up to me and say "the Rockets suck". I sometimes just laugh and walk away when people say that, because chances are if they were to follow basketball, they'd support the "best" team and disown it sooner or later. My point is that even though the Rockets aren't in their best years, I am still proud to be a fan. If they were to become a perennial playoff team, those that have Rockets merchandise would be digging it out of their closets to show it off.

Because I'm a loyal Rockets fan does not mean I can't take interest in other teams, as Andrew said in the OP. I have an interest in the Spurs and the Mavericks, because they're fellow Texas teams. I've also had a liking for the Orlando Magic, since I went there a year ago.

Where do you draw the line? ... I couldn't describe a scenario off the top of my head but it'd have to be really, really bad.

Same here. When the Rockets were that close to unloading Kevin Martin, my favorite player right now, I didn't know what to think. I went to bed thinking that the Rockets would most definitely not get a winning season after unloading all that talent in Scola, Martin and Dragic and only receiving Gasol in return. I woke up the next morning and breathed a huge sigh of relief that the league cancelled it. I can see where people came from in that the trade was "fair", but only to New Orleans and LA, but people seem to forget how bad the Rockets were getting raped in the deal. I've never liked David Stern, but I fully support his decision in vetoing that deal.

[Lamrock]

I'm a Blazers homer, but I also like to watch the last three rounds of the NBA Playoffs.

[Andrew]

Same here. When the Rockets were that close to unloading Kevin Martin, my favorite player right now, I didn't know what to think. I went to bed thinking that the Rockets would most definitely not get a winning season after unloading all that talent in Scola, Martin and Dragic and only receiving Gasol in return. I woke up the next morning and breathed a huge sigh of relief that the league cancelled it. I can see where people came from in that the trade was "fair", but only to New Orleans and LA, but people seem to forget how bad the Rockets were getting raped in the deal. I've never liked David Stern, but I fully support his decision in vetoing that deal.

I've not been all that happy with certain moves the Bulls have made over the years but I think it would take a lot more than that for me to stop being a fan. Teams rise and fall as the years go by, so the opportunity is there to correct mistakes, make better moves and have gambles pay off, as we saw with the Bulls last year. In the moment I might fume about this or that, but I don't think it's enough to lose my support.

With individual players, I think that's an easier question to answer. If a player committed a serious crime or otherwise disgraced themselves, that'd be a situation where I couldn't cheer for them anymore.

[NovU]

The franchise are business entities to me in some ways so sticking by one team no matter what, doesn't make sense to me that much.

It's not really that different from sticking by one player, or a favourite brand or TV show for that matter. In each case there's something there that's appealing, something that keeps your interest and inspires fanatical devotion.

Probably why it makes me a bandwagoner. A favourite brand or TV show, main reason anyone can be a fan is because of love for their products, not entirely for their name. To me, the players, stories, and presentation are the products which I can relate to more and find more appealing.

[Andrew]

To each their own. Nothing wrong with being a fan of players more than specific team, or following a player from team to team.

[Mavs4Life]

I felt it when we lost Nash, though we still had a pretty good year in 05'. Still it just wasn't the same, even more when we lost Finely, but I was way more okay with out, he was entering the Twilight Zone.

[shabba_93]

I've stuck by Phoenix through thick and thin since around the time they drafted Amare however at times I've followed the lakers, heat and bulls down the years. Also followed the Pacers somewhat last season, hopefully they can have another good year as I will no doubt keep an eye out for them again this year. Will always be a Pheonix fan however, no matter how much they suck these days.

[Axel The Great]

I've not been all that happy with certain moves the Bulls have made over the years but I think it would take a lot more than that for me to stop being a fan.

Don't get me wrong, that vetoed deal is not close to being enough for me to stop supporting the Rockets. It just would have been something that crushed my hopes of a good season for them.

[Nick]

It's the fine line in this question that sort of pushed me into just following the "bigger picture" of the NBA, rather than just one team.

I'm with badreligion in that it's the city you live in (or near) that would determine my fan boy-ness of a team. Since i live in Australia, it doesn't really make sense for me to follow one specific team, so i don't. I just follow the league in general. I enjoy seeing competitive matches, great teamwork, great performances. I don't care who it is. I just love basketball in general.

I must say i'd like to follow one specific team. But i just don't have any reason to attach myself the results of one team. It doesn't increase the enjoyment of watching games for me. I used "attach myself" to the Phoenix Suns. Simply because i liked their jersey colours in NBA Jam in the 90's when i was a kid, i also really enjoyed watching the Marbury/Amare/Marion trio, and i was also convinced they would only get better. But eventually i realised it was pointless and fake of me to care solely about one team, when in truth, there were many other teams i enjoyed just as much.

I'm sure if i lived in Minnesota then i'd follow minnesota. If i lived in LA i'd follow one of the LA teams. Heck, if i lived in Toronto i'd probably follow even follow Toronto. But i don't. To me every basketball team represents a business/organization, not my city, so it just seems silly of me to follow a team.

[George7]

Well, even if you're not from a city an NBA team is,you can find reasons attach with it. Personally i was attached with the Bulls for many little reasons...

First,I'm an Olympiakos fan,here in Greece. As a little kid,I used to like all things with red colors(like Olympiacos' colors),including teams(that's a reason I became a fan of Ferrari as well in F1,aside from my dad being a supporter as well),and i started to follow the Bulls a little bit. Because of me starting playing basketball more and more,I started watching basketball games and movies as well and it's no surprise that Jordan and the 90's Bulls were the first thing I liked that much from the NBA. And not forget the Olympiacos-Bulls game on McDonals' Cup,which make me like Chicago more. Combined with me liking Bulls jerseys colors i've started to watch more and more NBA and the Bulls,especially when Greek National TV got the NBA games' rights and broadcasted many NBA games.

Those may not sound like some serious reasons to start following a team,but in fact those little things made me become a fan of the Bulls. I have never thought of changing a team to support those 7 years i'm closer to the team, and i've lost my sleep many times just to get up and watch Bulls play. And I've cheered for them as well many times. Still remembed how overjoyed I was when Bulls made the comeback in game 1 against the Pacers last year, especially in Korver's 3,and how nervous i felt as long Pacers where in front and time was winding down..

[Lamrock]

Mavs4Life, May not have felt the same, but the Mavericks drastically improved that season actually.

[Mavs4Life]

Yes and we advanced to the Semi's to face the Suns, which was a fun series to watch. Plus, Nash may have never gotten those double MVPs if he didn't go to Phoenix.

[Houndy]

I abosolutely dislike bandwagons. Being from Dallas, living in Dallas, I have loved the Mavs ever since I've played basketball (age 5). Now, since they've won the title, I see people who have no knowledge of basketball wearing the title shirt and saying, "Ive been a Mavs fan since I was born." I mean, I've had someone (like Axel's case) come up to me who has no idea how to even shoot a basketball say, "The Mavs choke." I mean I follow the Bulls, but I don't cheer for em. There's a difference between following and cheering for.

[Cleveland wins]

I usually support my former home town team, or where i live now. So that means i support the cavs, heat, and a little bit of the magic. I also support a new team, the clippers, because they're a team who haven't made the post season in years but are trying to build a winning team. I also support teams where family members live or where city's i've been to or states i've been to.

[yeahnah]

Coming from a non-basketball family in rural NSW, all I knew about the NBA when I was little was of the Lakers and the Kings and the Nets. However, I chose the Timberwolves when they were the first team I played as in NBA Live 2001, and I've loved them ever since. When it comes to playoff time, I go for the underdog/more liked roster/cooler jersey.

Unlike other sports such as the AFL and the Super Rugby comp where I'm more a fan of the game; I'm attached to one team no matter what. I have mates who go for about seven different teams depending on current form etc. who don't even know the starting five for the teams, but I don't mind too much.

I think a lot of people overreact when somebody bandwagons. I mean, it's their choice, and at the end of the day you can say to yourself that you are a real fan. Of course, Minny has no bandwagoners these days so I'm not directly affected...

[Andrew]

It's the tribe mentality as benji said, though I think it also comes about because of the way certain bandwagoners act. Like I said, everyone has to jump on the bandwagon at some point but it's the ones that constantly jump off and jump on another bandwagon that draw the most ire from fellow sports fans. At the risk of throwing out a generalisation, the fans that are in a perpetual state of bandwagoning also tend to adopt the most annoying habits: claims of always being a fan of a team they've been supporting for five minutes, extreme fanboyism (but only so long as the team is winning), basing arguments and observations on a small sample size, that sort of thing.