Would you still be a Sox fan if they moved?

[BlackSox13]

I've been a Sox fan for over 40 years now but if ownership decided to remove the team from Chicago, my interest in the team would be removed as well. For me, following the cubs is not an option and seeing as how I'm looking to move to Colorado in the next few years anyway I would refocus my attention on the Rockies and never look back.

[ptatc]

I've been a Sox fan for over 40 years now but if ownership decided to remove the team from Chicago, my interest in the team would be removed as well. For me, following the cubs is not an option and seeing as how I'm looking to move to Colorado in the next few years anyway I would refocus my attention on the Rockies and never look back.

Those are my retirement plans so I would probably do that as well once I got there.

[southsider2k5]

No, if they moved that'd be the ultimate betrayal so there'd be absolutely no reason for loyalty on my part. I'd likely swear off of baseball forever.

 

This is about as close to me as I have seen. I would be so incredibly bitter and angry, I wouldn't know what to do about baseball. I went over 3 years without going to a game after the strike and JR's role in it. If the team was moved? f*** them.

[Kyyle23]

Im curious if any of the few Expos fans continued to follow the Nationals.

[demonbluess]

Brewers

[kev211]

Seriously though, I think that I would remain a fan of the team that moved. I've been a Sox fan both living in and out of Chicago -- it was tough before when I could only see the games that were on WGN, but now that there's mlb.tv, that's how I watch them all anyway. Realistically, I'm a huge, huge baseball fan and I wouldn't know what to do with myself without it. I don't follow the NFL, NBA, NHL, soccer, or anything else, so this is all I got. I'd HAVE to maintain a rooting interest somewhere, and there's no way I could ever shift to one of these other pre-existing clowns.

 

But here's the big follow-up question: If the Sox moved, but then Chicago got ANOTHER team a few years later (a la Cleveland Browns), which team would you root for THEN?

I'd absolutely become a fan of the second team.

[ptatc]

Im curious if any of the few Expos fans continued to follow the Nationals.

Good point. I know 1 that did and 2 that didn't. The 2 that didn't switched to Toronto to stay with a Canadian team.

[bjm676]

I would still root for them. In this day and age of MLB.TV, etc., it's easy to watch a team while out of state. It's hard to turn off fandom, in my opinion. You root for them your whole life, it's hard to just pick another team.

[thxfrthmmrs]

Would people hate the Cubs if they moved? Not that it's remotely realistic

[clyons]

I remember the Sox coming close from moving to Sarasota back in the late 80's. I never want a scare like that again. The White Sox belong in Chicago.

 

My best friend and I went out and got s***-faced the night the move was supposed to become official, when Governor Thompson ended up moving the clocks back in Springfield to broker the new stadium deal. I went to sleep (passed out) convinced they were gone.

That was crazy.

 

 

 

[Eminor3rd]

I would still root for them. In this day and age of MLB.TV, etc., it's easy to watch a team while out of state. It's hard to turn off fandom, in my opinion. You root for them your whole life, it's hard to just pick another team.

 

Yeah, this is how I feel. I don't think I have a choice anymore. It's Sox for better or for worse, so I hope they take care of me

[shysocks]

I'm surprised how many people said they would stop watching baseball if they moved. Are there that many fans of the team that really aren't fans of the game in general?

I haven't posted yet and I am really not sure how I'd feel if it ever happened, but I voted "No" in the poll. And I think I'm in the group you're talking about. It's not that I'm not a fan of baseball; I love it so much. But the hurt feelings and the sense of uselessness would be too much for me to follow the game anymore.

 

The people who are responding that it's so easy to follow a team from anywhere these days - I see what they mean, but to me that's beside the point. I would get such a feeling of "Why the hell even bother," you know?

 

EDIT: And of course the Cubs are absolutely not an option.

Edited August 15, 2014 by shysocks

[Buehrle>Wood]

I'm surprised how many people said they would stop watching baseball if they moved. Are there that many fans of the team that really aren't fans of the game in general?

 

As for myself, I remember thinking about this when they almost moved to Tampa. I would still be a fan of the Sox but probably only go to local minor league games.

Love baseball but I'd stop watching MLB as I'd feel betrayed.

[chw42]

I definitely still would. I've been a Sox fan for more than half my life, there's no way I'd just pick up cheering for some other team, especially not the Cubs. That just doesn't do it for me.

[Al Lopez's Ghost]

Would people hate the Cubs if they moved? Not that it's remotely realistic

I hate the Cubs under any and all circumstances. And don't get me started about Cub FANS.

[3GamesToLove]

As others have said it'd be a lot easier now than if it had ended up happening in the 70s or late 80s. I'd imagine I'd follow them for a little while but passion would fade as the years went on and the former Chicago players left.

 

I'd probably wind up a Brewers fan before long.

[TheTruth05]

Love baseball but I'd stop watching MLB as I'd feel betrayed.

 

I have the same sentiments. I would still follow the sox but i would stop caring sooner rather than later.

 

I'd probably end up following my 2nd favorite team (the Cards) more casually than the removed Sox, but MLB would definitely move far out of my sight for a while.

[southsider2k5]

I haven't posted yet and I am really not sure how I'd feel if it ever happened, but I voted "No" in the poll. And I think I'm in the group you're talking about. It's not that I'm not a fan of baseball; I love it so much. But the hurt feelings and the sense of uselessness would be too much for me to follow the game anymore.

 

The people who are responding that it's so easy to follow a team from anywhere these days - I see what they mean, but to me that's beside the point. I would get such a feeling of "Why the hell even bother," you know?

 

EDIT: And of course the Cubs are absolutely not an option.

 

Well said. This describes me too.

[greg775]

To the folks who voted no, like I did. ... If they moved to the suburbs you'd be OK though, right? I'd be OK with that because the new Cell isn't all that special and never will be.

If they moved out of state, what would be the point? If they were the North Carolina White Sox? I'd be disgusted with the owners and frankly hope they lose every game.

[ptatc]

Love baseball but I'd stop watching MLB as I'd feel betrayed.

I could see that. I would probably go to more minor league games. But I couldn't stop watching baseball entirely.

[Dick Allen]

I was all set to become a Brewers fan in 1986 or 1987 when they were going to leave. But now that they are in the NL, I would have to at least consider the Twins, but probably stick with the Brewers. It would be far less invested.

Edited August 15, 2014 by Dick Allen

[cabiness42]

It's not going to happen, but if the Sox moved somewhere (other than Indy or Nashville, which would actually put them closer to me), they might go from being my favorite team to just being my favorite AL team. Reds would probably become my favorite team.

[shysocks]

To the folks who voted no, like I did. ... If they moved to the suburbs you'd be OK though, right?

Yes, I could handle that. I think most are assuming that the question means they're moving far away.

[caulfield12]

I was all set to become a Brewers fan in 1986 or 1987 when they were going to leave. But now that they are in the NL, I would have to at least consider the Twins, but probably stick with the Brewers. It would be far less invested.

 

 

Whichever team has the best pitching coach, haha.

 

Probably not Rick Anderson. So you get Bosio, I think.

 

 

The Twins would only be fun if Buxton, Sano and Nick Gordon turn out to be monsters.

[The Mighty Mite]

I remember the Sox coming close from moving to Sarasota back in the late 80's. I never want a scare like that again. The White Sox belong in Chicago.

 

Close but no cigar, the Sox almost moved to St. Petersburg, not Sarasota.

 

BTW Sarasota for years (early 60s) was the spring training home of the Sox, Reinsdorf demands Sarasota to build a new complex and a few years later he moves

spring training to Arizona. Since I have lived in Florida I was irate with the move. Most retirees in Florida usually settle down near the city of their favorite

team from up north. The Naples-Ft. Myers area is heavily populated with Red Sox fans since they train in Ft. Myers, Clearwater has many Phillie fans living there.

Sarasota had thousands of Sox fans who were upset like me when JR moved ST to Arizona.