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Original poster

How do you choose a team to follow?

32 replies

OnTheOffensiveLine · 30/01/2022 16:29

If you're a fan of a sport but weren't raised to follow a sports team, how did you choose one?

I'm trying to become a fan of American Football and it's early days yet as I'm still trying to learn the rules but I'm hoping to pick a team in the near future.

How did you choose?

OP posts:
ArcherDog · 30/01/2022 16:33

I support a team because my Uncle did. He supported it because it was local.

My Mum is a lifelong supporter of Leeds, despite living in the SE and having no connection, because it was one she could spell when she was younger.

Other reasons can be liking a particular player, or even just liking the animal mascot or colour.

I don’t think you have to have a convincing reason, just pick a team and don’t change.

LadyLolaRuben · 30/01/2022 16:34

The team my dad and family supported which is our local team. When i moved away from home, I chose one of my local teams.

ParkheadParadise · 30/01/2022 16:42

I was raised on Celtic, their history and their pride
With my culture and my faith, I wear the green & white
🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

Generations of my family have supported Celtic FC. There is NO other team that comes close
HH

dancerdog · 30/01/2022 16:45

@parkheadparadise agreed!

ElenaCouch · 30/01/2022 16:48

Best looking player?

Jokes!!

But nah, best looking player Smile

DrDreReturns · 30/01/2022 16:48

I support my hometown football team (Ipswich.) I got into it because friends at school supported them and I joined in.

MrsAvocet · 30/01/2022 16:51

Various ways.
We support a couple of cycling teams because of particular riders or staff we know who work for them, and an Australian rules football team because we've got distant relatives who sent our kids merchandise when they were young.
Oh and my DS follows the Pittsburgh Penguins ice hockey team, for no other reason than he likes penguins!
Maybe you could choose a city that you'd like to visit one day for some other reason, then you could go and watch your chosen team if you ever make the trip?

VariationsonaTheme · 30/01/2022 16:54

Often it’s the first team you see/remember winning something. Or one that has a nice story of some sort happen to them (Leicester City)

katieak · 30/01/2022 16:55

Any links to any of the places in the US where they have teams? If not, a place you'd like to visit where you might actually get to go see a game if you were to visit? The NFL is great when you get into it!

FredAndChips · 30/01/2022 16:59

Oh I love NFL. OH picked his team cause it was the first game he ever watched when he was a kid. I picked mine cause they were underdogs with a nice shirt colour. We're in the UK, so no local team, or family team connections. Across our whole family we support five different teams, so playoff season is always rather competitive.
Hope you enjoy it going forward.

DeedIDo · 30/01/2022 17:09

Penguins here too, mainly because the company I worked for had an office in Pittsburgh.

Celtic because their games were always on in the pub.

Gem176 · 30/01/2022 17:22

@ParkheadParadise my OH is a lifelong Celtic fan purely because he's an awkward git and his family all supported Rangers 🤣

My dad is a lifelong rangers fan and all of his 5 sisters married Celtic fans and now his daughter has followed that particular family tradition, he just laughs and thanks his lucky stars that his son is a rangers fan (also married to a Celtic supporter though)

The family group chat is always a good laugh on old firm days 😊

@OnTheOffensiveLine I follow rugby, unlike the rest of my family who are football, and I didn't have a "team" other than the national side until a holiday to Cork, loved the place and people so much that Munster became my team after a cracking night in the pub watching them!

ParkheadParadise · 30/01/2022 17:42

@Gem176
😂😂😂

Original poster
OnTheOffensiveLine · 30/01/2022 20:19

Thanks all for sharing . It's reassuring to know that I don't need some deep or meaningful reason to follow a team.
I have 6 or so that appeal for one frivolous reason or another. Once I've learned the rules, I'll watch those teams and try to narrow it down.

It's a pity that Andrew Luck isn't still playing or I might have gone with The Colts. I'm more of a lineman girl but I've fallen a little in love with him after seeing what a sweetheart he seems to be on and off the field.

OP posts:
katieak · 30/01/2022 20:50

@OnTheOffensiveLine

Thanks all for sharing . It's reassuring to know that I don't need some deep or meaningful reason to follow a team. I have 6 or so that appeal for one frivolous reason or another. Once I've learned the rules, I'll watch those teams and try to narrow it down.

It's a pity that Andrew Luck isn't still playing or I might have gone with The Colts. I'm more of a lineman girl but I've fallen a little in love with him after seeing what a sweetheart he seems to be on and off the field.

Tell us which ones and we can tell you if they're worth following or not 😂
PiggyPlumPie · 30/01/2022 20:57

My dad was a big American football fan back in the mid-80s when it was first over here.

He showed us a list of all the teams and we each picked one. Cincinatti Bengals for me.

Football is a bit different - Derby born and bred and Derby till I die. 🐏🐏🐏 Even though I now live near Aberdeen.

Original poster
OnTheOffensiveLine · 30/01/2022 21:15

Tell us which ones and we can tell you if they're worth following or not 😂

Well.

Cowboys. Texas is my favourite State. I have a friend who lives in Dallas and everyone hates them, and I tend to like people/things that most people hate.

Steelers. Two of my favourite movies are set in PA steel towns and I come from a city with a rather rough and ready reputation.

Tampa Bay Bucaneers.
The idea of watching a game in the snow doesn't appeal too much and there's less chance of that in FL. I love their team name, they have a pirate ship and when I was researching yesterday theirs was the first UK fan site that appeared.

Jaguars. They have a smaller fan base which appeals. They have games in London so are more accessible and again it's FL. Not much success but that means it's a bigger deal when they win.

Ravens. Ravens are one of my favourite birds and I love Poe and purple. I've heard the team are hard hitters which appeals but that they can/used to cross the line into being down right dirty.

Raiders. Amazing stadium but they don't seem so loyal to their fans considering how they've moved around. I had a childhood obsession with their merchandise and love the name but their fans seem to have an overly aggressive and sometimes violent reputation.

Packers. I love that they're fan owned.

I'm open to others but that's the teams I'm considering at the moment.

OP posts:
Wafflesnsniffles · 30/01/2022 22:50

Im interested to know why you've decided to become a fan of a sport and then choose a team to follow. And learn ALL the rules.
Presumably because you realised you love watching american football? There are loads of sports I love to watch on tv and Im pretty clueless about the rules and support no particular country/team.
Im probably being a bit dense......... sorry!

Id choose a team based on which city in America I most fancied visiting, plus which ever has team kit colours you like, plus songs, logo etc that most appeal.

Stookeen · 30/01/2022 23:32

@ElenaCouch

Best looking player?

Jokes!!

But nah, best looking player Smile

I once chose a fantasy football team based entirely on the looks of the players — I know less than nothing about football — and it did rather well.
PiggyPlumPie · 31/01/2022 08:22

My dad was a Steeler and my mum is a Packer! Both good choices imo!

Kanaloa · 31/01/2022 08:24

Look up which team wins most often then follow them?

Kanaloa · 31/01/2022 08:24

Or choose the one with the nicest colours in case you get really into it and want to start wearing the merch!

AndNobbyDancing · 31/01/2022 08:29

If I was to chose (ime you are normally born into or it just Happens) then I'd look at how they behaved. There ethos etc.

NFL is one sport I've never really got into, but on your list above Packers (fan ownee) or Jaguars (likely to be able to watch a game) would be my starting point.

Jota67 · 31/01/2022 08:39

@ParkheadParadise

I was raised on Celtic, their history and their pride With my culture and my faith, I wear the green & white 🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

Generations of my family have supported Celtic FC. There is NO other team that comes close
HH

Same here. It's in the blood 🍀❤️
WeddingBella · 31/01/2022 08:55

Not sure I'm much help. DH likes NFL so when we were in San Fran a few years ago we went to watch a game (San Fran v Dallas).
DH is 100% a 49ers fan and has been since he started following the sport.
I decided while we were there to support the Cowboys purely so we were on opposite sides. I even went to one of the little shops in the stadium and bought myself a Cowboys hat Grin
I don't follow the sport particularly but DH tells me when they're playing and I will watch and cheer them on for 10 mins before I get bored.

We also follow rugby in this house but for that I support my local team and my country.