You say that, but as I get older, I'm finding I'm moving away from team "loyalty" in a lot of cases. Just because you cheered for a team when you were a kid, why does that lock you in? As was said, players leave, coaches change, owners change. Why does a fan have to stick with it? What if the team plays an absolutely boring style? The team only cares about your "loyalty" in so far as you spend money on them. Otherwise, they really don't care. Is there "street cred" for it? What does it get you really? It's a business. How many times have people switched grocery store chains, department stores, Gamestop vs E&B... why are sports teams different?
I always got a kick out of the people at NFL games that would get in the face of someone wearing the visiting team's gear. Do they think the players are going to grab a beer with them for "defending the honor?" A restraining order is more likely. I'm not talking about good natured ribbing, I'm talking about getting into the face, screaming and yelling, sometimes threatening violence.
I say this fully admitting that 20 years ago I would have never thought this line of thinking would ever enter my mind. But when you stop and think about it, it seems a bit silly, IMHO. Why does an adult need another adult's signature on something that isn't a contract or a check? Something could also be said about a grown man wearing a shirt with another man's name on it. Maybe I'm fully reaching curmudgeon status, I don't know. But I think a number of things underpinning the sports industry could look like a real house of cards if one pulls back the curtain.
