America's most miserable sports city

[#1BostonFan]

I would never have thought Toledo rooted for UM.

I remember in 08 Toledo beat Michigan, were they rooting for Michigan or Toledo?

 

[RobBase]

It's an article form yahoo, so take it with a grain of salt. They have concluded that Seattle is number one. I personally don't think we are number one, top five sure with the Ms, Sonic s leaving, Seahawks (hopefully changing). I just feel Cleveland is by far the most cursed sports city out there. Anyways here's the article.

Y! SPORTS

Prob would have voted for Cleveland though.

 

[Kingdome fan]

Doesn't it have to be Oklahoma City! Even the birdman wouldn't move there.

 

[dude82]

I don't think some people got the point of the article. When the article talks about "miserable" sports cities, it is talking about the amount of sports misery the city has experienced. In terms of Seattle, the loss of the Sonics grabs the bulk of the headlines now (and rightfully so), but a lot of people outside of Seattle seem to have forgotten how close we came to losing both the Mariners and especially the Seahawks. The Behring-owned Seahawks had freaking moving trucks all loaded up at one point, ready to literally move the team out of Seattle. Luckily that didn't happen, but in terms of Seattle sports misery, that whole period (really the whole Behring era) seems to get glossed over.

 

[TexasMan]

Surprised no Houston.

 

[Darth_Tom]

Cleveland, Seattle, San Diego.

 

[geneh_33]

The falcons are good enough to pull you out of the bottom 5, at the very least. I would think Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Detroit (they kind of have hockey but it's hockey) have to be up there.

If you throw in college football, Atlanta is definitely a lot higher than this guy has us rated. The Peach Bowl is going to be a playoff/"BCS" game and the SEC CG is always here. Why? Because we pack them in from miles around to see any SEC/ACC matchup or any SEC game. Games like that in Atlanta sell out real fast and scalpers make huge bucks selling tickets at the game.

Also, ChikFil-A has the opening kickoff game right here every year. It doesn't matter who is playing, the Dome will be packed and the city will be rocking and ChikFil-A knows that.

If Atlanta is the #2 worst sports town in the country, then why did they have the final four/NCAA title game here just last year? Why were the Olympics here in 1996?

Clearly this guy wasn't thinking when he put Atlanta at #2.

 

[DunceKaep]

I agree for the most part.
I was around when the Sonics won it all.
I hope to be around for another team Championship.
And I will feel great when it happens, because I truly love and support my teams.
When someone is a fan of the Lakers, the Yankees, and the Steelers (or some other 3-some like this) it tells a whole different bandwagon story. Those are not real fans, those are wanna be fans.
I'm a real fan, I just happen to root for some teams that haven't won much, if any.

 

[Brasky]

... This year it was Boston.

 

[Brasky]

Cleveland, Seattle, San Diego.

 

[dredinis21]

I don't agree with Seattle as number one. In doing this little exercise, I base much of this on two things, a) success of their respective teams and b) support of their fan base. I feel that the support of the fan base is truly the litmus test.

With that said, ATLANTA is my #1 based on decent success of their respective teams with piss poor fan support and attendance. This is not to discount those ATL fans that support their teams but really, when your city cannot sell out playoff games, THAT is a problem. The Hawks make the playoffs, nobody shows up. The Braves make the playoffs, seats empty all over the yard. CLEVELAND is #2 but only because their respective teams have all been bad for a good amount of time, save the LeBron years. Their fan base has been loyal and relentless in support of its teams. I would put OAKLAND at #3.

Just my $0.02

 

[dredinis21]

I don't think some people got the point of the article. When the article talks about "miserable" sports cities, it is talking about the amount of sports misery the city has experienced. In terms of Seattle, the loss of the Sonics grabs the bulk of the headlines now (and rightfully so), but a lot of people outside of Seattle seem to have forgotten how close we came to losing both the Mariners and especially the Seahawks. The Behring-owned Seahawks had freaking moving trucks all loaded up at one point, ready to literally move the team out of Seattle. Luckily that didn't happen, but in terms of Seattle sports misery, that whole period (really the whole Behring era) seems to get glossed over.

With this in mind, couldn't you put CLEVELAND before SEATTLE given that they lost a team with a much more storied history in the Browns then the Sonics while also having virtually no success along the way over the last 10 years? I know they got their team back, but they then had to watch the Ravens win the Super Bowl shortly after leaving so that has to count in the "We are miserable" weight scale.

 

[geneh_33]

I don't agree with Seattle as number one. In doing this little exercise, I base much of this on two things, a) success of their respective teams and b) support of their fan base. I feel that the support of the fan base is truly the litmus test.

With that said, ATLANTA is my #1 based on decent success of their respective teams with piss poor fan support and attendance. This is not to discount those ATL fans that support their teams but really, when your city cannot sell out playoff games, THAT is a problem. The Hawks make the playoffs, nobody shows up. The Braves make the playoffs, seats empty all over the yard. CLEVELAND is #2 but only because their respective teams have all been bad for a good amount of time, save the LeBron years. Their fan base has been loyal and relentless in support of its teams. I would put OAKLAND at #3.

Just my $0.02

I don't agree with Seattle as number one. In doing this little exercise, I base much of this on two things, a) success of their respective teams and b) support of their fan base. I feel that the support of the fan base is truly the litmus test.

With that said, ATLANTA is my #1 based on decent success of their respective teams with piss poor fan support and attendance. This is not to discount those ATL fans that support their teams but really, when your city cannot sell out playoff games, THAT is a problem. The Hawks make the playoffs, nobody shows up. The Braves make the playoffs, seats empty all over the yard. CLEVELAND is #2 but only because their respective teams have all been bad for a good amount of time, save the LeBron years. Their fan base has been loyal and relentless in support of its teams. I would put OAKLAND at #3.

Just my $0.02

People that have never lived in Atlanta just don't get it.

FOOTBALL is king down here. Everybody else plays a distant second fiddle. When was the last time you saw empty seats in the Ga. Dome during a football game? It doesn't matter who is playing, we pack them in for high school games here.

The FALCONS get great attendance because we have an owner who really gives a crap.

The HAWKS owners do not want to win a NBA title. Everybody who is half bright about the NBA knows this. Many of us will not dedicate ourselves to a franchise that isn't interested in winning a title. Why should we? They give us an average team every year and they get average attendance every year. Turn about is fair play and it's pretty easy to understand.

The same people who own the Hawks owned the FLAMES. They weren't interested in spending the money to get a title team. Now they're gone. Good riddance.

The main reason you don't see many people at Braves' games is because parking in downtown Atlanta is a nightmare. Getting around in the city is a nightmare and getting out of the city after the game is a nightmare. You are better off just staying at home watching the game on TV. Most Atlantans figured this out a long, long time ago.

 

[geneh_33]

I have no clue why that got quoted twice.

 

[JDM]

If you throw in college football, Atlanta is definitely a lot higher than this guy has us rated. The Peach Bowl is going to be a playoff/"BCS" game and the SEC CG is always here. Why? Because we pack them in from miles around to see any SEC/ACC matchup or any SEC game. Games like that in Atlanta sell out real fast and scalpers make huge bucks selling tickets at the game.

Also, ChikFil-A has the opening kickoff game right here every year. It doesn't matter who is playing, the Dome will be packed and the city will be rocking and ChikFil-A knows that.

If Atlanta is the #2 worst sports town in the country, then why did they have the final four/NCAA title game here just last year? Why were the Olympics here in 1996?

Clearly this guy wasn't thinking when he put Atlanta at #2.

I wouldn't count college sports for this.

 

[geneh_33]

I wouldn't count college sports for this.

Why not? The title of the thread is "America's most miserable sports city." College sports is sports.

 

[dredinis21]

Why not? The title of the thread is "America's most miserable sports city." College sports is sports.

True, but what school is in the city of Atlanta that you would consider?

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

Surprised no Houston.

I thought about them too but couldn't put them above Cleveland. The Texans are good, the Rockets are on the way back and the Astros are just pain awful. Houston's fans have 2 out of 3 good teams to root for while Cleveland has nadda.

 

[Mr. Tacoma]

Isn't this an old article? I think it's from 2008 or something, I remember hearing about it then.

 

[LucklessPadresFan]

We---San Diego---have to be #1. Not only have we had miserable teams, but we have had shitty owners to boot. C. Arnold Smith and Ray Kroc of the Padres. Spanos family with the Chargers. Donald Sterling with the San Diego Clippers. We have been snake bit for eternity.