Opposing Fan Experience

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

95% of the games I go to I’m rooting for the away team. Never had an issue. Don’t be an idiot & you’ll be more than fine. Start chirping a bunch of drunks, you’ll more than likely have a bad time.

Did have someone in Detroit put a smoke out on my jersey a few years back during a playoff series while out for an intermission smoke. But it was a cheap jersey from China and didn’t even realize till I got home.

Adult males should not wear a jersey unless they play for the team. Women and children, all good.

You sound fun!

 

[Avs2022]

Avs fans in Orange County (Ducks are home team). It's awesome going in my Forsberg jersey and celebrating with the tons of other Avs fans in my section (usually lower bowl 205 or 206. Sometimes club 300's). For the last 3-4 years, it's like an Avs home game in those section.

When i go see the Kings/Avs, it's a different story, they have morr dedicated fans. A couple times some drunk people have chirped me, but I just smile and don't say anything. I've learned the more alcohol they consume, the more I should ignore them.

 

[Oddbob]

FWIW I used the search function and didn’t get many hits that I felt were relevant to my topic:

I’m a Wild fan in Oklahoma, which makes it hard to experience a home game, however I have tickets to their game in Dallas on the 27th.

I’ve never been an away fan at any professional sporting event, but we’ve all seen videos of altercations between fans, I’m not trying to get beat up lol.

I’m kind of nervous about my wife and I wearing Wild gear. Would we be better off wearing neutral clothing?

I’m probably overreacting as I’m somewhat of an anxious/worrisome person in general.

Can anyone offer some insight on their experience in general as an opposing team fan, especially in Dallas?

You can always wear whatever you want. Anyone that gives you legit grief would just be a loser anyhow. Far as I can tell most negative fan experiences come from the people who drink too much.

 

[Voight]

I don't mean to alarm you, but 94% of our nation's murders take place in Dallas

It's tied with DC and Buffalo for most presidential assassinations.

 

[OilersFanatics505]

Adult males should not wear a jersey unless they play for the team. Women and children, all good.

Easy there Paul Revere.

 

[Marty Party]

Don't most arenas have home/away sections? I know Bridgestone arena does

No, not true, I've been to the Bridge for 100's of games.

And to the OP, you're not going to be a blip on their radar. Home crowds are used to seeing different away fans at every game. Wear your team gear and have a good time.

 

[jkrdevil]

Don’t be an asshole and you will be fine.

 

[Esq]

I've seen the Hawks in various cities wearing my red jersey in a sea of something not red. Keep your cheering measured, be nice, and enjoy the game.

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

When I lived in Philly, I'd catch a Panthers game every year. The locals I knew warned me not to wear any Panthers stuff, cause they were a rough crowd, of course I always did. My experience was most Philly fans were older folks and kids on their phone all game. Never had an issue.

Not sure how long ago this was. But there's been a noticeable change in Philly. Maybe with the team being less competitive for awhile or maybe hockey fans are finally a bit more accepting. As a kid I got heckled in opposing gear, by drunk adults. Now my wife and I walk around in peace.

 

[blueinbigd]

Lived in Dallas since 83 but still a die hard Blues fan hence my user name
Been to many Stars Blues games some playoffs wearing Blues jersey with no problem
Im sure that alot of Stars fans were Blues fans at one time my brother included
Talked to many people down here who's favorite team used to be Blackhawks Wings Bruins etc.
Dont talk shit and your fine but you can still cheer on your team

 

[All Mod Cons]

You wanna try Millwall, Stoke, Burnley, Middlesbrough, Wolves, Leeds or Bristol City away on a Tuesday night.

That'll keep you on your toes.

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

As someone who has been to a game as an away fan in every US NHL Arena besides TD Garden as I'm a B's fan you'll have a completely great time unless you're in Raleigh. Great arena and staff probably my personal vote for best venue for hockey but those fans clearly don't encounter away fans often with how salty they are at your presence.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

My brother, Pen’s fan, wore Pens jersey at MSG, Islanders and Devils. Said he only went stealth at Philly and Boston.

 

[QuizGuy66]

As someone who has been to a game as an away fan in every US NHL Arena besides TD Garden as I'm a B's fan you'll have a completely great time unless you're in Raleigh. Great arena and staff probably my personal vote for best venue for hockey but those fans clearly don't encounter away fans often with how salty they are at your presence.

Actually Raleigh probably encounters more road fans from the northeast than most arenas. A lot of NJ/NYC transplants down there so that might make some them a little more defensive agro (though I have had no issues there when I have gone to see the Devils).

Long time ago now but I remember a Devils/Flyers series where a Flyers fan father and son had bought the strip for the whole series for the seats next to me. So we basically watched the games fine talked about our teams a bit but we're cordial but once in a while someone a few rows behind us would talk shit and the dad would stand up and turn around ready to fight the guy and the son would get him to sit down and settle down and then we would just resume talking hockey

It was a lot more prevalent years ago - I think heavily invaded fanbases are more sensitive to it (the Devils have really grown out of the phenomenon fanwise as the home/road fan balances has gotten more like most arenas). I do remember a Toronto/Devils playoff series where someone a few rows behind me landed a bullseye with a full soda square in the back of Leafs fan who was a few rows ahead of me. Again this was like 20+ years ago.

We get the tourist fans a bit who comes to the area when their team is doing an NJ/NYI/NYR swing - they make a vacation of it.

I remember when Winnipeg was back in the league there was a decent number of fans who had come down cuz the flight and game ticket were cheaper than the off-the-chart prices the first couple of years the Jets were back.

Genuinely don't be a jerk keep the banter light and you'll be fine.

 

[Hoek]

Does anyone even really hate Wild fans? Probably safer than wearing a jersey from a more notorious fanbase or a clear rival.

But yeah, basically don't make yourself a target by being too loud or obnoxious yourself and you'll probably be fine.

 

[Brodeur]

I caught a Devils@Stars game a couple seasons ago and I wasn't hassled at all. As others noted, you probably wouldn't be a target unless you were bringing attention on yourself.

But I suppose there's some degree of luck and who you're sitting by. One of my more annoying experiences was going with my friend (Kings fan) to a Kings@Ducks game. We had some teenagers sitting behind us who had some thundersticks and they were antagonizing us the entire game. After one Devils@Kings game, I had a drunk Kings fan yell some very uninspired trash talk as we were walking in the parking garage. Relatively easy to not acknowledge, although I was cognizant of where he was just in case; This was several months after a couple Dodger fans brutally attacked a Giants fan.

Occasionally I'll have a solid conversation with the stranger sitting next to me. I went to Rangers@Devils game in 2019 and had a great time talking hockey with the Rangers fan to my right.

 

[Pablo El Perro]

Not sure how long ago this was. But there's been a noticeable change in Philly. Maybe with the team being less competitive for awhile or maybe hockey fans are finally a bit more accepting. As a kid I got heckled in opposing gear, by drunk adults. Now my wife and I walk around in peace.

I lived in Phili from late 2012 or so to 2017. So, it definitely wasn't during the Broad Street Bullies days.

 

[Rec T]

Don't get drunk, don't be a dick, & come up with some creative chips to give back when you get some (mild) heat. If you're seen as being there to have a good time, you should be treated as such.

And, assuming that you followed the above, if, if a drunk asshat starts giving you/your wife crap, ask the people around you to help. Most people are good people & don't want to see others actually abused. Generally they don't want to get involved but will tend to step up if actually asked (if only to go get security).

 

[JPT]

FWIW I used the search function and didn’t get many hits that I felt were relevant to my topic:

I’m a Wild fan in Oklahoma, which makes it hard to experience a home game, however I have tickets to their game in Dallas on the 27th.

I’ve never been an away fan at any professional sporting event, but we’ve all seen videos of altercations between fans, I’m not trying to get beat up lol.

I’m kind of nervous about my wife and I wearing Wild gear. Would we be better off wearing neutral clothing?

I’m probably overreacting as I’m somewhat of an anxious/worrisome person in general.

Can anyone offer some insight on their experience in general as an opposing team fan, especially in Dallas?

Just don't take a ride in a convertible and you'll be OK.

 

[JPT]

If you're wearing the other team's gear, and that team is, you know, actually playing, that's completely normal and nobody will bother you.

I have seen people just try to stir the shit. For example, wearing a Rangers jersey to Islanders vs Sharks.

But that's just acting out of pocket. If you act out of pocket, you're gonna find trouble regardless of who you're supporting. The vast majority of fights I've seen are between people rooting for the same team.

Seems like a reach to just assume someone wearing a jersey of a team not playing is them trying to start shit. Maybe they are, but it's more likely that they're just wearing a hockey jersey to a hockey game.

 

[LuGBuG]

Going to Montreal for Mondays game and willl 100% be wearing my Zegras jersey cheering them on. Going with two Habs fans though so my chirping will be directed at them.

 

[DrDangles]

Don't be an ass and you'll be fine

Some cities have a reputation, but I never had a problem in Dallas when I lived in the area.

 

[Hennessy]

Loudly remind everyone around you that Dallas are the North Stars and that cowboy hats are ridiculous on 98% of the people wearing them. Then claim that the Alamo was a liberal conspiracy and that you know who really shot J.R.
You'll be fine.

 

[Machinehead]

Seems like a reach to just assume someone wearing a jersey of a team not playing is them trying to start shit. Maybe they are, but it's more likely that they're just wearing a hockey jersey to a hockey game.

And it just happens to be the arch rival? Nah these people know what they're doing.

 

[JPT]

Loudly remind everyone around you that Dallas are the North Stars and that cowboy hats are ridiculous on 98% of the people wearing them. Then claim that the Alamo was a liberal conspiracy and that you know who really shot J.R.
You'll be fine.

Don't forget to mockingly say "don't mess with Texas" any time the Wild score