Does politics affect what sports teams you support?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Basically yes minus home advantage. For example I'd support the Vikings over any other team. But if the San Francisco 49ers were playing the Dallas Cowboys I'd obviously be for the 49ers. I'd also obviously support a team like the Oakland Raiders or Denver Broncos over a team like the Cincinnati Bengals or San Diego Chargers.

Though in terms of football there are two exceptions to the rule besides the Vikings always being first:

-Any team not from Florida that isn't the Packers beats any team from Florida.
-Any team beats the Packers. Period.

At least that would be my rule if I really followed football.

[fezzyfestoon]

Good god, no.  That's retarded.

[Thomas D]

More often then not I support teams from Democratic areas.

Except for the Yankees. I'd pull for a team from Utah before I'd cheer for them.

[Joe Republic]

Good god, no.  That's retarded.

Show some respect.  This is a BRTD poll.

[Boris]

This only really works when two US-based teams are playing one another. Who does one root for when the Calgary Flames play the Anaheim Ducks, for example? Or when the Toronto Raptors play the Boston Celtics?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

This only really works when two US-based teams are playing one another. Who does one root for when the Calgary Flames play the Anaheim Ducks, for example? Or when the Toronto Raptors play the Boston Celtics?

-Calgary, because at least they have gay marriage and the team isn't based off a Disney movie. But then again Calgary is Stephen Harper's home so until he's out of office I'd have to go with the Ducks.
-I would normally say the Celtics, because the Conservatives are far stronger in Toronto than the Republicans are in Boston. Also metro Toronto is really Conservative and ugly and sprawly. But since the Celtics' name, mascot and colors are so Irish-based, have to go with the Raptors.

[Thomas D]

This only really works when two US-based teams are playing one another. Who does one root for when the Calgary Flames play the Anaheim Ducks, for example? Or when the Toronto Raptors play the Boston Celtics?

In hockey it's their sport, So I always root for the Canadian teams during the NHL playoffs.

[useful idiot]

No, not really.

Most NFL fans are basically the same, aside from some especially annoying ones (Skins, Eagles, bandwagon Steelers fans), and I don't like pro football all that much, so I really don't care who wins most of the time. I basically just pull for whomever is playing those three teams.

Baseball is my passion, and generally I just like to see great plays, interesting games, and good crowd support. I only really dislike the Yankees and (especially) the Red Sox. I like the Cards, Braves, and Mariners the most, but if they're not playing then I want to see both teams in a game do well.

The Duke/UNC divide is often times political in North Carolina, but I'm only a big Duke fan because all my family are Duke fans and I grew up that way.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

For college sports my ranking would be like this:

-Minnesota State University Mavericks (if they're playing)
-Liberal public universities besides other mentioned ones below
-Public universities from more conservative areas.
-Private schools
-Conservative/religious-based private schools. (except for liberal Protestant ones, they rank with normal private schools.)
-Military schools.
-Any team from Brigham Young University.
-University of Minnesota Gophers
-University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux/whatever their new name will be.

[useful idiot]

Did you go to Minnesota State or is there a different reason why you choose them over the Gophers?


I like the Tennessee Vols in college football, but again, nothing to do with politics. My uncle used to teach there when I was a kid....

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Did you go to Minnesota State

Yes. Hence why the Gophers are near the bottom, and the only reason they beat the Fighting Sioux is my brother went to UND and would send me a text gloating every time UND beat Minnesota State.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

For international sports my ranking is like this:

-Scandinavian Protestant countries.
-Non-Scandinavian Protestant countries.
-Catholic countries.
-Asian countries except China.
-Muslim countries.
-Israel
-Any particularly nasty dictatorship
-China
-The Republic of Ireland

For Eastern Orthodox countries it depends largely on the country, I'd support Greece over many European countries for example (not Macedonia though), but would be against Russia in most cases (especially against Georgia.)

[tmthforu94]

Not really. All of my favorite professional teams are from Kansas City, which isn't a huge Democratic base, but isn't Republican either.

[King]

This would only work if you didn't actually care about sports.

[dead0man]

No, I only dislike sports teams for sport reasons.  I don't dislike Chicago teams because Chicago politics is a joke, I dislike them because I'm from the St.Louis area and affiliate with St.Louis sports teams (except the NFL).  I dislike Boston teams because their fans are douchebags.  Same with the Raiders and Cowboys.  I pity Baltimore fans, they do have to live in Baltimore after all (and it's not like they have any fans outside the city limits).

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Most of my favorite teams are from Boston, which is a Democratic city, so no.

[Free Palestine]

That's retarded.

[Joe Biden 2020]

No, I am largely a regional sports fan, meaning since I live in Oklahoma City, I like the Dallas Cowboys (grew up that way) and the Kansas City Chiefs (became a fan in college when they were doing really well in the early aughts.  In the NBA, of course, it's the Oklahoma City Thunder followed by the Dallas Mavericks.  In Major League Baseball, it's the St Louis Cardinals followed by the Texas Rangers (it's fruitless to be a fan of the Kansas City Royals).  If I followed Hockey more than I do, it would be the Dallas Stars followed by the St Louis Blues.  In College Sports it's Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Tulsa, TCU, New Mexico. (Technically, the Rangers of Northwestern Oklahoma State University, an NAIA school, are first before the University of Oklahoma.

I really dislike teams based on their fans or based on division rivals.  Boston fans are horrible, Yankees fans think they are entitled to the World Series every single year, I have never liked the Steelers or the Patriots. The Lakers fans also think they are entitled to the NBA Finals every year.  I also dislike teams who cheat.  This includes USC and Oregon and recently North Carolina.  Oregon cheated against both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in two different seasons thanks to douchebag Pac-10 officials.  If Oklahoma ever joins the Pac-12, there will be an instant rivalry between OU and UO.  Now, I know teams are run by humans and humans make mistakes, so I don't hate a team if they commit a violation and catch themselves or apologize and take corrective action when the NCAA targets them.  Now, if a team repeatedly makes the same mistake over and over, then they get put on my black list.  That's what happened with USC.

As far as division rivals go, I would naturally hate the Eagles, Giants, and Redskins.  I also don't like the Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Portland Trail Blazers because they are my division rivals.  Same goes with the Cubs, Pirates, Brewers, Astros, and Reds.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Well... hmmm how would I put this...

NO

Political animal or not, sometimes you need to switch off, not everything is about partisan politics.

[useful idiot]

No, I only dislike sports teams for sport reasons.  I don't dislike Chicago teams because Chicago politics is a joke, I dislike them because I'm from the St.Louis area and affiliate with St.Louis sports teams (except the NFL).  I dislike Boston teams because their fans are douchebags

I like the way you think. Screw the Cubs and the Red Sox and their horrible fans.

I was really disappointed with the Birdos this year. A team with so much talent shouldn't have finished that far behind the Reds. Wainwright is easily the most underrated pitcher in the NL imo, Carpenter had a typically solid year, and Garcia was a revelation. And of course Albert is Albert. The pieces are there, it just didn't click. Of course the team that lost to the Sox in 04 was far stronger than the one that won it all in 06, so it really just comes down to chemistry and catching the right breaks....

[Хahar 🤔]

Oh, if we're talking about baseball, I wasn't disappointed with the Giants this year at all.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

No (normal).

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

Because I don't care about sports, yes. I like how people are acting as if the way they root for teams isn't arbitrary.

[Meeker]

This thread has taken the Forum's discourse to a whole new level.

[Hash]

Maybe a bit for North American teams, and probably not for European or international teams.