Is Being a Bandwagon Fan Logical?

[Mike]

Is Being a Bandwagon Fan Logical?

The NFL, and your favorite team are nothing more than a product. And like all great brand names a strong association is made between the product and the end customer via marketing that is focused on creating 'psudo memories' and positive mental associations with the given product. Later, when the product is shared in a social situation, real memories are created and associated with product.

The NFL and your favorite team is no more than a collection of memories. If you think about it, everything about a team can change: their logo and colors, their player, their name, their home city, etc... so really its nothing more than a bunch of memories. Now, what spots tend to dominate is our association with 'our team' with a very strong emotional investment. All of this is emotional response, not logical.

Sif you were to be logical only doesn't it make most sense to support and follow the most entertaining teams oppose to following a team that looses. When purchasing other products customers use a more logical approach buying the best quality or convenience they can afford but do not do the same when it comes to following sports teams. In other areas, wouldn't you rather own a BMW over a Ford, or Ferrari over a Corvette, or Sony TV over an RCA TV? So if you were to be logical only doesn't it make most sense to support and follow the most entertaining teams oppose to following a team that looses?

[Mouldsie]

It sure isnt as fun

[Skooby]

I like a good game & haven't got to see many in the past 13 years.

[THRILLHO]

As a Bills fan I never have to worried about being called a "bandwagonner."

[BLeonard]

I'm sure that, to some people, being a bandwagon fan is completely logical... If not, the Harlem Globetrotters wouldn't be nearly as popular as they are.

Personally, I'm wired a different way, as I assume most Bills fans are... I simply can't root for another team, even though I sure as hell would like to sometimes.

The problem for me is, I'm not only a Bills fan, but a Chicago Cubs fan too... It's pretty much a double whammy.

-Bill

[Marcala12]

as long as the BIlls win one Super Bowl before I die it will have all been worth it.

[OpIv37]

There is nothing logical or rational about being a fan.

I've said it before and I've said it again. Russ Brandon is a marketing genius because he continues to sell us inferior goods and we keep buying. If you went to a restaurant two or 3 times and got bad food and bad service, would you go back? If you bought a car that constantly broke down, would you buy the same type of car again? If you watched a TV show that wasn't entertaining, would you keep watching? The list goes on and on....

Yet, somehow, year after year the Bills suck, and year after year we buy tix and merch and spend our Sundays planted in front of the TV watching this ****ing misery. And it's not just the Bills- it's multiple fan bases across multiple sports. We're probably tops amongst loyalty from fans of such a poor team, but we aren't the only ones. And Bills fans have another factor: essentially being extorted into following the team because of the potential to move if we don't.

So, yes, being a bandwagon fan is much more rational and much more like how we would behave with any other product.

[OpIv37]

as long as the BIlls win one Super Bowl before I die it will have all been worth it.

I'm 33. The average American male lives to be about 76. So, assuming that I live to the average age (and the NHL stops canceling seasons), the Bills and Sabres combined have about 86 more chances to win a title before I die.

I'm not holding my breath.

[gebobs]

Being a bandwagon fan, i.e. following the most entertaining team at the time, does not jibe with human nature. You may as well ask people to switch national allegiance or religion. Humans are by nature tribal beings.

[jdaltroy5]

Depends on what your definition of "Bandwagon" is.

If you keep jumping ship to the hottest team, then you're not even a real fan.

I have a friend who was a Detroit fan for years. After they drafted Stafford he switched allegiances to the Pats. He used to smack talk me all the time about the Pats owning the Bills after that. I couldn't even take him seriously.

I have no problem is your allegiance to the Bills wanes after all these years. Can you blame anyone?

Just because someone doesn't support the Bills with the same fervor, doesn't mean they aren't fans. I used to go to every game rain or shine. Now, I still have season tickets (well my Dad does), but he sells them all on stubhub. Once they get good again, we'll go back. He's just holding them because they're 4 rows up on the 20 yard line.

I don't think that's being a "bandwagonner" it's just logical. Why would I spend 8 Sundays and thousands of dollars on something that I know is going to just piss me off and frustrate me?

[OpIv37]

Being a bandwagon fan, i.e. following the most entertaining team at the time, does not jibe with human nature. You may as well ask people to switch national allegiance or religion. Humans are by nature tribal beings.

I'm not sure those are good examples though. People do switch national allegiance, or at least develop co-allegiance. I've met a lot of people from other countries that have came to the US, and while most still have an affinity for their home country, they also love the US and some have even said they would never live in their home countries again.

In terms of religion, well, if the god in one religion was constantly answering prayers as if he was a genie on methamphetamine granting wishes, and a god from another religion kept promising to answer prayers but instead just kept striking people with lightning, well, I think you'd see a few more people switching.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Being a sports fan at all is a completely irrational act. Why should I spend good money and valuable time watching a collection of total strangers playing a child's game? I could have invested that money in the market and spent those hours studying a marketable skill if I was being purely rational.

You can't apply these concepts to fandom.

The emotional investment is what makes it satisfying. I pulled for the Packers in the Super Bowl a few years back (I was living in Madison at the time). When they won, it was fun, but it meant nothing - because I had no connection to them. But that same investment is what makes it burn when the Bills lose.


I'm sure that, to some people, being a bandwagon fan is completely logical... If not, the Harlem Globetrotters wouldn't be nearly as popular as they are.

What? Who the hell watches the Globetrotters because they win? People watch the Globetrotters because they put on a show.

[Historian]

People from this area have been put down and picked on about the weather since the Blizzard of 77.

Their need for respect stems from that.

Unfortunately, people tie that longing for respect a little too closely with the fortunes of the football and hockey team.


Nobody judges your city by the number of schools, or college grads, or state of the art hospitals, or even museums and vintage archetecture.

They judge you by the fortunes of your sports teams. In today's culture that's what equates to success.

It's silly, but it's the reality of the situation.

[Blondie]

I LOVE it when my BUCS win! I will be their BIGGEST cheerleader in this house when they are winning! When they are losing I curse the Glazer's and wish they never invested in the European soccer team!

Coastal .. btw .. when the BILLS are winning he too is a fan!! sssshh .. don't tell him I told you guys!!! :D

[gebobs]

I'm not sure those are good examples though. People do switch national allegiance, or at least develop co-allegiance.
There are exceptions to every rule. Some switch national allegiance. Some switch religions. Some even *gasp* switch teams. Group association remains though and the longer one is vested in a group, the harder it becomes to switch.

[gebobs]

I LOVE it when my BUCS win! I will be their BIGGEST cheerleader in this house when they are winning! When they are losing I curse the Glazer's and wish they never invested in the European soccer team!

Coastal .. btw .. when the BILLS are winning he too is a fan!! sssshh .. don't tell him I told you guys!!! :D
Does he agree with you that Fitz is a good quarterback?

[Blondie]

Does he agree with you that Fitz is a good quarterback?

Oh god no. He just humors me and says "ya baby whatever you say!!!" ... LOL ..

We do NOT agree on everything in this house!

[gebobs]

Oh god no. He just humors me and says "ya baby whatever you say!!!" ... LOL ..

We do NOT agree on everything in this house!
You might want to on this issue. He's right. Fitzpatrick is a chump.

[Blondie]

You might want to on this issue. He's right. Fitzpatrick is a chump.


LOL .. I am NOT a BILLS fan. I am not going to be one of those wives that becomes a fan of her husbands team just because. So I cheer for Fitzpatrick, and I happen to really like his beard.

Your team is a MESS.

**** the BUCS are a mess as well, but they are my team and I will always be a fan of theirs first before any other team.

The 49ers are "my" other team that I like to see win, and then I have several other players that I cheer for throughout the league.

I personally want to see Fitz make it! I think he is like a Trent Dilfer ...

[OpIv37]

LOL .. I am NOT a BILLS fan. I am not going to be one of those wives that becomes a fan of her husbands team just because. So I cheer for Fitzpatrick, and I happen to really like his beard.

Your team is a MESS.

**** the BUCS are a mess as well, but they are my team and I will always be a fan of theirs first before any other team.

The 49ers are "my" other team that I like to see win, and then I have several other players that I cheer for throughout the league.

I personally want to see Fitz make it! I think he is like a Trent Dilfer ...

We all cheer for Fitzpatrick. We all want him to make it.

The difference is that, after watching him play, most of us don't see how that is possible. He's a turnover machine who makes slow reads and has accuracy issues. And he pads stats by airing it out late in blowouts.

[Blondie]

We all cheer for Fitzpatrick. We all want him to make it.

The difference is that, after watching him play, most of us don't see how that is possible. He's a turnover machine who makes slow reads and has accuracy issues. And he pads stats by airing it out late in blowouts.

Well if it makes ya feel ANY better Tony Romo has thrown MORE INT than Fitz ..

Hell his stats are better than Romo's!

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=0&statisticCategory=PASSING

[OpIv37]

Well if it makes ya feel ANY better Tony Romo has thrown MORE INT than Fitz ..

Hell his stats are better than Romo's!

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=0&statisticCategory=PASSING

That's setting the bar a little low. I really don't care if Fitz has better or worse stats than Romo, except 1: wins. I'd much rather be 4-0 with Fitz averaging 11-20 for 180 yards and 1 TD a game than be 2-2 with Fitz putting up good numbers in every category except INT's.

But that's not who Fitz is. He's not a Dilfer style game manager. He's the kind of guy who wants to go out there and make a big play every time. He'll try to squeeze the ball in tight places, throw back across the field, scramble head first, put the ball up and trust WR's to make a play..... when it works, he looks great. When it doesn't, he looks foolish. He needs to find some balance but it just doesn't seem to be in his DNA. He's all-or-nothing, but unlike other "gunslingers" like Brady and Rodgers, we get the "nothing" a lot more than we get the "all."

[gebobs]

I personally want to see Fitz make it! I think he is like a Trent Dilfer ...
I wish he was only as bad as Dilfer.

[Blondie]

I wish he was only as bad as Dilfer.

DILFER zero to little respect here in the Bay Area. That is what I meant by he is like Trent Dilfer..

[Blondie]

That's setting the bar a little low. I really don't care if Fitz has better or worse stats than Romo, except 1: wins. I'd much rather be 4-0 with Fitz averaging 11-20 for 180 yards and 1 TD a game than be 2-2 with Fitz putting up good numbers in every category except INT's.

But that's not who Fitz is. He's not a Dilfer style game manager. He's the kind of guy who wants to go out there and make a big play every time. He'll try to squeeze the ball in tight places, throw back across the field, scramble head first, put the ball up and trust WR's to make a play..... when it works, he looks great. When it doesn't, he looks foolish. He needs to find some balance but it just doesn't seem to be in his DNA. He's all-or-nothing, but unlike other "gunslingers" like Brady and Rodgers, we get the "nothing" a lot more than we get the "all."

Lol.. he sounds like he fits in perfect. You bills fans are up and down and all over the board!! Lol!

[gebobs]

DILFER zero to little respect here in the Bay Area. That is what I meant by he is like Trent Dilfer..
The lack of respect is well deserved for both of them. Dilfer was a chump. Fitz is a bigger chump. If Fitz is starting in the NFL next year, I pray to Jove it's not with the Bills. If the Nix had an ounce of sense, he would cut Fitz 3 seconds after the final game.

[mjt328]

I'm not sure winning the Super Bowl would feel so good if I was a bandwagon jumper.

I've thought several times about switching to a team like the Packers. They have great fans. They have an excellent history. They are in a small market, which is always easy to root for. They have coaches, players and a front office that give it all every single season. They have been contenders for most of the last 15-20 years. I even have Aaron Rodgers as the quarterback of my dynasty-fantasy team.

But if I switched, there would be no emotional investment.
I didn't suffer through the Don Majkowski years, when the Packers were a joke... so what right do I have claiming them as my team when they are good.

[OpIv37]

I'm not sure winning the Super Bowl would feel so good if I was a bandwagon jumper.

I've thought several times about switching to a team like the Packers. They have great fans. They have an excellent history. They are in a small market, which is always easy to root for. They have coaches, players and a front office that give it all every single season. They have been contenders for most of the last 15-20 years. I even have Aaron Rodgers as the quarterback of my dynasty-fantasy team.

But if I switched, there would be no emotional investment.
I didn't suffer through the Don Majkowski years, when the Packers were a joke... so what right do I have claiming them as my team when they are good.

Yeah, I liken it to picking a team during the Super Bowl. The Bills haven't been to a SB in about 19 years. Yet, it's more fun to root for someone, so I always pick a team I want to win and root for them for that game (usually based on the team I hate the least). If they win, great- it was fun, but it doesn't feel like a Bills regular season win, let alone championship win. If they lose, oh well- it sucks, but not even as bad as a Bills regular season loss (unless it's the Pats or the Jets, because then I know I'm in for at least a year of misery from their ****-talking "fans").

I don't even know what I'd do if a team I liked ever won it all. Hell, it felt surreal just watching the Nationals win win the NL East last night, and a) I don't care as much about baseball as I do about football or hockey and b) it was only a division title- they still have to win 3 series to be champions.

[Mike]

People from this area have been put down and picked on about the weather since the Blizzard of 77.

Nobody judges your city by the number of schools, or college grads, or state of the art hospitals, or even museums and vintage archetecture.

They judge you by the fortunes of your sports teams. In today's culture that's what equates to success.

It's silly, but it's the reality of the situation.

Actually, the people that matter judge your city on those vary things: education/school systems, job market, infrastructure, laws, taxes, crime, etc... If you recall, Buffalo was once a prominent city, the Queen City of NY State. From all of the above mentioned stats, both business and migrants decide weather or not to move to a certain areas based on those qualities. Unfortunately for Buffalo, the city lacks in many of those things. Its not business or tax friendly, the infrastructure is second grade -I live in PHX and I can not even begin to compare the streets and buildings in a favorable light-, and the job market is abysmal as a result. There is a mass exodus of college grads leaving the Buffalo area year after year!

[X-Era]

Yes. Tons of logic and zero loyalty.

[JoeMama]

I would argue negative fans are more loyal than the homers who think we'll be great every year.

At least when we follow the team, we do so under the pretense that everything will go horribly - yet we watch anyway - because we're good troops.