QUINTIN JAMES
Staff Writer
Being a sports fan in New York City in one of the best and worst things to be. While the city has so many famous franchises with rich histories that people tend to root for, other people like myself have found a liking in the “second tier” teams in the city. My three main teams are the Brooklyn Nets, the New York Mets and the New York Jets. They are known for being the little brother teams in the city, as they share the spotlight with another NYC team in their respective leagues.
These second-tier New York teams are known for having pretty good fanbases that are loyal and passionate about their sports teams. Coming to Buffalo made me realize that NYC fanbases are nowhere near the level of Buffalo fans.
Buffalo, while only having two professional sports teams, has some of the most passionate fans in sports. While the Bills and Sabres continue to play at a mediocre level, the fans still come out and support like they’re the best in the league.
New York City sports are rich in history, but lately the fan support hasn’t been there. New York is a huge city and a lot of people root for whoever is good at the moment. Fans are very impatient at times because we expect greatness every season from our teams because of the city they rep on their chests. Sometimes when a player isn’t performing up to the standards we set or isn’t tough enough to receive flak, we tear apart the person in the media.
Buffalo is a nice place to play because the fans will support their players and not switch to another team when times get tough. Coming to school in Buffalo made me see that these fans, even though they can get very hostile, care a lot about their sports teams.
One thing about NYC fanbases are that they’re full of smart people who know their stuff when it comes to sports. If you have a conversation with a real NYC sports fan, you’ll learn so much from a 10-minute conversation. Every sport has two teams playing in NYC or the surrounding areas so everyone has a different story to why they root for their team. You can tell where a person lives a lot of the time by the team they rep. A real New York City sports fan is as loyal as they come. Buffalo sports fans are extremely loyal, but a NYC sports fan can be just as loyal. Fans of teams like the Jets, Knicks, Mets have some of the most loyal fans because of the team’s long championship droughts.
Like the Bills and Sabres, many NYC sports teams haven’t won a championship in a long time. The constant cycle of false hope and disappointment is a deadly drug that many New Yorkers have been through in their time. If you aren’t a Giants, Yankees or Devils fan, you are constantly hoping that you will be alive one day to see your team have that championship parade in NYC.
Buffalo fans and NYC fans do have one thing in common, though: they are some of the most hostile places to play at. Coming to Buffalo, I never expected to attend a Bills or Sabres game. In my three years in college, however, I’ve been to a Bills game and multiple Sabres games. The fans don’t back down.
The “Bills Mafia” is known for being loud and proud — and for breaking tables, but that’s another topic. Going to the Bills-Jets game in Orchard Park last year was an experience I will never forget. Being a Jets fan, I got heckled so much before, during and a little after the game, even though the Jets won by a lot. Buffalo fans make it hard to play in Buffalo. It’s a home field advantage that is one of the best in sports. Hearing thousands of people chant “let’s go Buffalo” in a packed stadium will always give you chills.
NYC fans are more urban but will talk your ear off as well. Going to a game at the Garden or Yankee Stadium is hard for opposing teams. Whether it’s Spike Lee talking to Reggie Miller or a fire horn Jets chant after a TD, NYC sports fans know how to get the home team amped and the opposing team shook.
Going to school in Buffalo has taught me that NYC and Buffalo sports fans have a lot in common. I’ve met a ton of people in Buffalo who are huge sports fans like myself, and hearing their sports stories and encounters made me see that NYC isn’t the only place with crazy fans. It takes a special type of person to consistently root for mediocre and average teams. That builds character. Buffalo and NYC sports fans, although they have many differences, are alike in more ways than one.