No love for the hometown team?

#1

Coach_Z

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#1
I teach high school in Atlanta, and not one single student of mine is a Hawks fan. It seems like every student chooses "their team" based off a player, rather than representing their hometown. Lotta Golden State and OKC fans, but none of them have ever been to San Fran or Oklahoma.

I'll say, "Why do you like OKC?" And they'll go, "Because Russell Westbrook is my favorite player." "What if he tears his ACL and never plays again?" "Them I'd probably cheer for Golden State because I like KD or Cleveland for Lebron."

Now, I understand the Hawks aren't winning titles, but they're not trash, either. But these kids pretty much talk straight up s*** about their hometown team. Makes no sense to me. Y'all see this a lot?
 
#2
#2
I teach high school in Atlanta, and not one single student of mine is a Hawks fan. It seems like every student chooses "their team" based off a player, rather than representing their hometown. Lotta Golden State and OKC fans, but none of them have ever been to San Fran or Oklahoma.

I'll say, "Why do you like OKC?" And they'll go, "Because Russell Westbrook is my favorite player." "What if he tears his ACL and never plays again?" "Them I'd probably cheer for Golden State because I like KD or Cleveland for Lebron."

Now, I understand the Hawks aren't winning titles, but they're not trash, either. But these kids pretty much talk straight up s*** about their hometown team. Makes no sense to me. Y'all see this a lot?

Absolutely. Everyone loves a winner.
 
#3
#3
Everybody is a passive 6ers fan here. Nobody likes other teams, but there's a definite sense of 'for the love of all that is basketball, show me something'

So they generally go about their day thinking about the flyers, Phillies and eagles..while mostly pretending basketball doesn't exist
 
#4
#4
Everybody is a passive 6ers fan here. Nobody likes other teams, but there's a definite sense of 'for the love of all that is basketball, show me something'

So they generally go about their day thinking about the flyers, Phillies and eagles..while mostly pretending basketball doesn't exist

Well it's not the Phillies are any good either
 
#8
#8
I teach high school in Atlanta, and not one single student of mine is a Hawks fan. It seems like every student chooses "their team" based off a player, rather than representing their hometown. Lotta Golden State and OKC fans, but none of them have ever been to San Fran or Oklahoma.

I'll say, "Why do you like OKC?" And they'll go, "Because Russell Westbrook is my favorite player." "What if he tears his ACL and never plays again?" "Them I'd probably cheer for Golden State because I like KD or Cleveland for Lebron."

Now, I understand the Hawks aren't winning titles, but they're not trash, either. But these kids pretty much talk straight up s*** about their hometown team. Makes no sense to me. Y'all see this a lot?

I think it's like that for most professional teams in Atlanta, but it especially holds true for the Hawks.
 
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#9
#9
Atlanta is a bad sports town. In my sports econ class we looked at research that showed the Braves attendance fluctuates with winning/losing more than any other team.
 
#13
#13
One big problem for the Braves is the fan base is scattered all over the south and the fans are less willing to drive 4 hours for a ballgame when they suck.
 
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#14
#14
The desolate area surrounding the stadium doesn't do much for the locals either
 
#15
#15
The desolate area surrounding the stadium doesn't do much for the locals either

People not familiar with the area never get that. The people that come to the games are predominantly in the northern suburbs and the stadium is in an awful section of town south of downtown with no good hotels or even restaurants or shopping in the area and no public transportation access. You have to really want to go to a game.
 
#16
#16
I teach high school in Atlanta, and not one single student of mine is a Hawks fan. It seems like every student chooses "their team" based off a player, rather than representing their hometown. Lotta Golden State and OKC fans, but none of them have ever been to San Fran or Oklahoma.

I'll say, "Why do you like OKC?" And they'll go, "Because Russell Westbrook is my favorite player." "What if he tears his ACL and never plays again?" "Them I'd probably cheer for Golden State because I like KD or Cleveland for Lebron."

Now, I understand the Hawks aren't winning titles, but they're not trash, either. But these kids pretty much talk straight up s*** about their hometown team. Makes no sense to me. Y'all see this a lot?

I see lots of Hawks shirts at my kid's elementary school. Maybe when they get older and more insecure they have to start frontrunning. Or maybe it's just that the Hawks were terrible when this year's high schoolers were in elementary school.

Pro sports in Atlanta is a tough sell. The only sport most of the locals care about is college football and all the transplants only care about their pro teams up north. All that gets passed down to their kids.
 

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