Just curious to know people's responses on this topic. I'm also a Bills fan and a requisite for acquiring the Bills is that the new owners keep them in Buffalo, and that Jon Bon Jovi's group has essentially gotten them kicked out as a result, it's awesome.

 

Still, it's a slow time in the season, and I want to know. I think I know the answer - I know my answer - but am interested in yours.

I honestly have no idea.

I would not reward the people who moved the White Sox with my fandom and money. I'd pick a new team. Maybe the Cubs, inconceivable as that thought may be.

 

The good news is there are 3 or 4 teams more likely than the White Sox to relocatr.

I'd lean towards yes, maybe? I guess I'm with Rowand.

 

Clearly wouldn't be as passionate, and I'm guessing my interest level would go down every year. Going to be hard to get as attached to a team I probably couldn't watch as much and probably attend zero games. Plus the biggest thing is they don't have "Chicago" there anymore. If I moved out of state that would be tough and would present similar issues, but that would be me moving, not the team, so I think it's a lot different.

 

I think I'd feel like we got divorced.

Definitely still would. I don't have cable, but do have MLB.tv package. If they moved, I could actually watch Sox games on TV...

There was one option here which was tailor made for me.

Only if the move was a minor one to a suburb just outside of Chicago

If the team moved to a suburb or downtown or Champaign? Sure. I'd be a Sox fan.

If the team moved out of state, no f***ing way.

I've been a White Sox fan since the mid 1950's. I moved far from the Chicago area in 2005. I don't think anything can change my support for the Sox. If they moved somewhere else it would be real weird but they'd still be my team.

When the Packers/Zephyrs moved from Chicago to Baltimore, I became a fan of the Baltimore Bullets, at least until the Bulls came to town.

I'll never root for the Cubs so.. yes.

I imagine I'd stop watching mlb all together.

As long as the team didn't move to a city where I have an existing rivalry with fans. I am located in Atlantic Canada so no geographical ties to the city of Chicago (have never been there actually) so I am a outlier to this question, I realize, but as long as the move didn't impact my ability to hate Eagles, Redskins or Cowboys fans I see no reason why I would love them any less.

 

Just curious to know people's responses on this topic. I'm also a Bills fan and a requisite for acquiring the Bills is that the new owners keep them in Buffalo, and that Jon Bon Jovi's group has essentially gotten them kicked out as a result, it's awesome.

 

Still, it's a slow time in the season, and I want to know. I think I know the answer - I know my answer - but am interested in yours.

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.

It would be a really tough pill to swallow, and I would be done with baseball for quite a while.

 

 

If they left the state, baseball would be dead to me, and I'd have to burn just about all of my clothes.

 

 

Royals, Dodgers and Cardinals in that order...since I lived in KC for ten years, it's sort of my second home...like someone above mentioned, if you're not anywhere close to Chicago, it's not as important....but if you grew up in the city, it's 90% of being a fan of your hometown team.

 

Depends also if they kept the name White Sox, same uniform scheme, etc.

 

Finally, whether I liked the new ownership group (an Ilitch, Cuban or the Dodgers' ownership group who opened up the checkbook even more)...or they were miserable misers like Loria group and more determined to make profit and sell the team rather than invest in building a winning team and organization.

 

Absolutely not. I'd still follow baseball, but mostly for fantasy & gambling purposes only. Eventually I'd probably make my way to Brewers fandom.

Ha!

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.

Would SOXTALK survive, is the bigger question?

 

And in what form? Would it be the end of an era, or an exciting opportunity to re-brand the site, launch an IPO and do a road show, incorporating millions of new Sox fans from a different region on the country and teaching them about Sox history and fandom, haha?

 

Would WSI try to compete or close up shop? Or figure out still yet undiscovered ways to piss off/alienate future Sox fans somehow?

Edited August 15, 201411 yr by caulfield12

With technology like social media, MLBtv/Extra Innings, and Soxtalk, it would be very easy for me to remain a Sox fan.

With technology like social media, MLBtv/Extra Innings, and Soxtalk, it would be very easy for me to remain a Sox fan.

 

The problem is that those cost money. Right now I can watch Sox games for free.

I obviously chose Lyle Mouton.

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?

Edited August 15, 201411 yr by Eminor3rd

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.