Would you ever consider changing allegiances?

[14ari13]

I have been a (die hard) red wings fan for almost 3 decades. I seriously consider changing the team because of the politics.
As far as I know it is forbidden to discuss the politics on these boards as the discussions get heated quickly and become very nasty.
Since it is forbidden to discuss the politics I won't mention which party I support.
However, are there other reasons you would consider changing the team you cheer for? And why?

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[Axel Sandy Pelikan]

Tread lightly, big dog. This topic will get closed up real quick if it doesn’t follow the actual question of “why or why not would you change the hockey team you root for” because it sure seems like a gateway to politics talk while saying it isn’t.

To answer the question… I may start watching another team more or just become more of a general fan, but I will never forever write off any Detroit team. My fandom does wane if they’re complete garbage vs competitive (like I would make it a point to watch Pistons game when it was the going to work Pistons or the World Series era Tigers) but I’m still overall following. It just depends whether I spend 3+ hours a couple nights a week to watch the whole game or 15 min to watch the highlights

 

[lilidk]

I don't think I change team, but it's possible I will stop following hockey , it will all depends how Red Wings progresses.
Datsyuk will be always my favorite hockey player.

 

[TCNorthstars]

I am not sure what politics have to do with rooting for a hockey team. But no, I am team RW until I die.

 

[19 for president]

I can't see myself ever not considering myself a Red Wing fan but my level of engagement definitely goes up and down. Bad hockey is borderline unbearable to watch. I can handle losing but watching a team fall over themselves and not connect a pass is hard to spend 3 hours watching 82 times a year.

My viewing went up quite a bit last year because the team was semi enjoyable to watch for the first time since the Datsyuk/Z era.

If I gave up the Wings it would likely be because I have given up hockey in general.

 

[saska sault]

Not possible. My teams are my teams for life (Red Wings, Lions, Blue Jays, Raptors Greyhounds), it makes the good moments that much more enjoyable but like others stated.. if a team sucks, I am checking the box score or highlights over investing 3 hours of my free time to watch.

It would feel like cheering for the United States over Canada in the 2010 winter Olympics as a born and raised Canadian. Very similar levels of support in regards to how I view the sports teams I follow and cheer for.

 

[Snuggs]

I haven't changed teams since 88 when I was just a little squirt!

How much I pay attention and devote time/money has.


I've got three expansion teams I've been rooting for since their creation. Sharks, Mighty Ducks or "Ducks", Predators but it's not like I root for them like the Red Wings or buy tickets, etc. My GF is from Syracuse and likes/roots for the Rangers, so that sucks.

 

[Pavels Dog]

What a weird post.

But no.

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

Wings > politics, but i guess if the org started using their platform to espouse certain irredeemable views or donating money to evil causes I might boycott them for a couple years, but I dont think I could ever hate the Winged Wheel.

 

[JohanFranzenstein]

I can't speak for some of you guys who lived through the Dead Wings era, but having to deal with the shit show from the last 8 years, I don't think it can get any worse as a Wings fan. So no, I stuck with them then and always will.

 

[RRhoads]

Consider changing teams because you can't discuss politics on a forum?

Sorry to break it to you, but that's not what a die hard fan would even consider. Not ever!

 

[Winger98]

My interest in a sport as a whole might rise and fall but I doubt I'll ever change who I root for. For instance, I still root for the Celtics but I have a hard time watching the NBA.

 

[Indrid Cold]

What a weird post.

But no.

It's really not a weird post. It's a very relevant one.

 

[ricky0034]

I won't say never but I feel like if you switch the team you're rooting for once it probably becomes way too easy to do it again and you'll never again really feel that sense of connection for lack of a better word that's the entire point of rooting for a specific team to begin with

it's definitely not something i'd do lightly, it would probably take something like going full Jack Adams and trading star players out of spite

 

[RabidBadger]

I guess if I haven't bailed on them by now, then no. Sports team owners are generally anathema to my very being: greed-heads who pander for tax dollars to fund their business empires when they damn well have the money to spend.

Although my top choices for hockey in the area are UM, USNDP and the Spitfires. I don't feel like I'm getting fleeced going to those games.

 

[Perfect Human]

Honestly, a Chicago level coverup where someone was abused/hurt/worse, and ownership+management knew and covered it up.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I'm trying to stay out of the political weeds here so I'm not asking about specific political stances or beliefs, but I guess I don't understand the premise.

Are you saying the politics of the Red Wings organization is somehow markedly different than the rest of the league (if you can even say that an NHL franchise has "politics")? Or are you referring to the politics of the state of Michigan? Or Detroit?

I'm confused.

 

[dalem177]

It's really not a weird post. It's a very relevant one.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I can't speak for some of you guys who lived through the Dead Wings era, but having to deal with the shit show from the last 8 years, I don't think it can get any worse as a Wings fan. So no, I stuck with them then and always will.

I became a fan at the tail end of the Dead Wings era, and honestly it was more fun. But there's some big differences from this era:

I was young and just discovering the beauty of hockey.
They had just drafted this talented young kid Stevie Yzerman.
They had Bob Probert and Joey Kocur. I feel differently now about guys beating the snot out of each other on the regular but as a kid watching Kocur KO someonone with one punch was pretty remarkable.
We could always sneak down to really good seats, and would hang out by the bench for warmups, which led to quite the collection of game sticks and hockey pucks.

 

[jaster]

[mods buttholes about to clench.... don't do it, jaster]

I'm gonna touch on the politics. But, I hope, not in a divisive way (unless maybe you are a billionaire), and also.... "politics" is pretty vague in this context. But the general politics of the Red Wings, the rest of the NHL, and every other major sport, from the ownership/leadership perspective, are just about rock bottom for me. They couldn't be much worse. Outside of a very acute event or position that is somehow even worse than what currently goes on (like the Hawks BS), they are all the same to me. So I'm very unlikely to change teams because of politics. I just have to accept that I am helping to make space for some awfulness when I support these sports I enjoy. Maybe that makes me bad. Maybe that makes us all bad. Overall, my excitement for pro sports is significantly lower than when I was younger, when I was more naive.

Now, outside of all that, there's no way in hell I'd ever change allegiances. I don't root for any teams outside of Detroit, they are all competitors of my favorite teams, I hope they all lose every day. Sometimes it's nice to see a certain individual on another team win, I guess, but even then, meh, I don't really care that much.

Detroit vs. Everybody.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInDetroit]

[mods buttholes about to clench.... don't do it, jaster]

I'm gonna touch on the politics. But, I hope, not in a divisive way (unless maybe you are a billionaire), and also.... "politics" is pretty vague in this context. But the general politics of the Red Wings, the rest of the NHL, and every other major sport, from the ownership/leadership perspective, are just about rock bottom for me. They couldn't be much worse. Outside of a very acute event or position that is somehow even worse than what currently goes on (like the Hawks BS), they are all the same to me. So I'm very unlikely to change teams because of politics. I just have to accept that I am helping to make space for some awfulness when I support these sports I enjoy. Maybe that makes me bad. Maybe that makes us all bad. Overall, my excitement for pro sports is significantly lower than when I was younger, when I was more naive.

Now, outside of all that, there's no way in hell I'd ever change allegiances. I don't root for any teams outside of Detroit, they are all competitors of my favorite teams, I hope they all lose every day. Sometimes it's nice to see a certain individual on another team win, I guess, but even then, meh, I don't really care that much.

Detroit vs. Everybody.

i am a billionaire and your comments are deeply offensive to me

 

[Ulysses31]

what are the controversial poilitics? i did know DRW involed in anything controversail besides the rainbow tape.

 

[norrisnick]

It's really not a weird post. It's a very relevant one.

Nope. Definitely weird.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

what are the controversial poilitics? i did know DRW involed in anything controversail besides the rainbow tape.

We have argued about downtown development promises quite a bit, along with stadium subsidies. I think a part of that where it isn’t as controversial as I support x side and the owner is supporting the other so I hate that guy… Obviously the political angle has changed tremendously since I first joined where that debate was allowed.

I root for the same local teams I did as a five year old outside of the hatred I developed for U of M where yes I was an MSU fan but didn’t hate them until later in my childhood. The big four in terms of pro sports have never changed, Detroit all the way there. When I lived in Milwaukee I would pull for the Brewers and Bucks (not against Detroit but second team status) at times but never the Packers. I have sort of walked away from the NBA and MLB anyway.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

We have argued about downtown development promises quite a bit, along with stadium subsidies. I think a part of that where it isn’t as controversial as I support x side and the owner is supporting the other so I hate that guy… Obviously the political angle has changed tremendously since I first joined where that debate was allowed.

I root for the same local teams I did as a five year old outside of the hatred I developed for U of M where yes I was an MSU fan but didn’t hate them until later in my childhood. The big four in terms of pro sports have never changed, Detroit all the way there. When I lived in Milwaukee I would pull for the Brewers and Bucks (not against Detroit but second team status) at times but never the Packers. I have sort of walked away from the NBA and MLB anyway.

I think taxpayer-subsidized stadium financing is a huge scam that benefits billionaires, but if that's a dealbreaker for someone as a fan the list of other teams for them to support is unfortunately going to be a short one.

I also don't think of it as particularly political, in the current sense. Yes it's gaming the political system but I don't think there's a side that's arguing we should have many more taxpayer-funded stadiums for team owners and wants to change policy to reflect that.