Growing up, I was pretty much taught to root for the team in my area. However, as I grew more aware of sports, my team preference changed. I am now a fan of “the other team.”
Not being a hometown fan has its drawbacks. Here's why being a fan for the “other” team is a constant struggle:
1. The game may not be broadcasted in your area. I am a New England Patriots fan. When it comes to Game Day, I usually can't get the game unless they are playing the team in my area, so I live for Bleacher Report notifications and NFL updates during the games I can't actually watch.
2. Limited number of fans around you. If you’re like me, you get super excited when someone else is a fan of your team. I pretty much cause a scene whenever I meet someone who likes the Patriots.
3. Your friends don’t care about your team. My friends couldn't care less about my team. They tune me out when they don’t want to listen.
4. Posting on social media annoys others. Posting Facebook statuses or tweets about my team makes some of my social media followers mad. They don’t care about the big win or the newest player my team got.
5. Having to explain why you like your team is just plain annoying. The worst question I get asked is why I like my team. I just do. Having to explain why is annoying, especially if my reason doesn’t appease whomever I am talking to.
6. It's impossible to root for your team when you're in a crowd full of people who support the other team. When a big play happens for the other team, you get angry. When a good play happens for your team, you get excited. However, everyone else in the bar is giving you dirty looks.
7. You get funny looks when you wear apparel supporting your team. Wearing a uniform in an area where there aren't many fans can draw attention to you.
No matter what team you root for, as long as you’re loyal, the positives outweigh all of the struggles. Staying true to your team is most important. In my case, I will be a loyal fan to the Pats. I encourage anyone who likes the “other” team to stay true to your team. The players and organizations love their fans, no matter where they're from.
