Most rabid NFL fanbases

[Patriots4Ever]

It has nothing to do with it being a baseball town. Gillete stadium is still sold out. the lack of desire in the crowd is because you have a percentage of the tea and crumpets crowd that comes to the games for the novelty. Then you have the percentage that won the tickets at some raffle at work you might know those people as the "fans" that are eating lobsters and shrimp indoors at the start of the 3rd quarter that happen to leave the midfield, red seats empty. then you have the people that I respect the REAL fans in the nose bleed section of the stadium yelling their as$es off. I believe that raising the prices on those tickets shunned away the fans that most of the players really appreciate, the fans that give them that extra something to push even harder even when their running out of steam in 4th qtr.

think about this, I get out of my seat when the opposition is on 3rd down to make noise and some crumpet behind me tells me and my friends to sit down. some of you in the crowd need to trade in your tickets to see the Boston Pops .the fans dont make noise there.

Franchise 12,You need to post more bud.That post got me fired up just reading it.WELL SAID..I can GUARENTEE You.If I had tickets to a game to see my pats.My throat would be BLEEDING from all the Yelling I'd be doing.That would be a memory of a lifetime getting a chance to CHEER for the Pats!..You bet your bottom dollar man...Id be yellin my head off..

 

[Michigan Dave]

It has nothing to do with it being a baseball town. Gillete stadium is still sold out. the lack of desire in the crowd is because you have a percentage of the tea and crumpets crowd that comes to the games for the novelty. Then you have the percentage that won the tickets at some raffle at work you might know those people as the "fans" that are eating lobsters and shrimp indoors at the start of the 3rd quarter that happen to leave the midfield, red seats empty. then you have the people that I respect the REAL fans in the nose bleed section of the stadium yelling their as$es off. I believe that raising the prices on those tickets shunned away the fans that most of the players really appreciate, the fans that give them that extra something to push even harder even when their running out of steam in 4th qtr.

think about this, I get out of my seat when the opposition is on 3rd down to make noise and some crumpet behind me tells me and my friends to sit down. some of you in the crowd need to trade in your tickets to see the Boston Pops .the fans dont make noise there.

Sounds like Michigan Stadium. We come home after beating #2 ND's #$* on the road, have a revenge game against Wisconsin, and people behind me are screaming louder at us to sit down than at the Wisconsin offense which is backed up in our end. I hate that. I know I will get to Gillette one of these days, and when I do, to hell with these people. I will scream, yell, act like the completely insane, football crazy idiot that I am. Some people take things for granted, like being able to take in games every week. They get accustomed to having that luxury, and feel "entitled" to show up right at kickoff, sit quietly, and not have anyone disturb them. I swear, if I were to ever stop cheering Michigan on, I'd give my seats to someone else.

 

[PonyExpress]

You guys can at least check your facts. Buffalo sells out all their games. They get 80,000 in their stadium. Despite the fact that only 240,000 people LIVE in Buffalo, and an additional 730,000 in the outlying areas.

I lived in Philly for 5 years. It just does NOT compare to Buffalo. Not at all. Philly fans are rabid fans but they DON'T live and die for the Eagles. They have other things to do. The Bills are so absolutely woven into the fabric of life up here that it's pathetic.

As I said, I've lived in 4 NFL areas in my life (New England, Philly, Ypsilanti Mich, and Buffalo) and Buffalo far surpasses football in those other areas.

I realize you feel strongly about your opinion, but when you say "check the facts"... http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/11/15/bills_tickets_ap/ Also, timing plays a big part. When a team is winning the fan base is more energized. Say you lived in Michigan in the late 80s, Buffalo during the SB era, Philly before McNabb, then your take on these areas might differ from others. How would you rank them 1-10?

 

[DB15]

Cleveland: Just imagine if they ever won ANYTHING


that was funny

 

[upstater1]

I realize you feel strongly about your opinion, but when you say "check the facts"... http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/11/15/bills_tickets_ap/ Also, timing plays a big part. When a team is winning the fan base is more energized. Say you lived in Michigan in the late 80s, Buffalo during the SB era, Philly before McNabb, then your take on these areas might differ from others. How would you rank them 1-10?

Just as an FYI, I've lived in Buffalo for 3 years. This, during their worst period in a long time. They haven't been to the playoffs in over a decade. And they're still selling out. i'm telling you, they sell out 80k a game. The NFL's biggest stadium in the NFL's smallest market. It's true. That article is from 2001 so I don't know what the argument is.

I can't really speak to how good most of those fanbases are because I haven't experienced it myself. I grew up in New England, and I thought the old Schaefer/Sullivan/Foxboro crowd were nuts, especially all that 50s rocknroll they used to play, "Louie, Louie," etc. Things have changed I guess now. I lived in Philadelphia in the early and mid 90s, before South Street became hip, before the city's renaissance. When I lived there they were constantly in the playoffs with Jerome Brown, Reggie White, Randall Cunningham, Keith Byars, etc. They were probably in the playoffs twice every three years.

Let me describe Buffalo to you on a Sunday. At 1 pm, there isn't a soul on the streets. Everyone--95%--of the town is inside watching football. My wife is from Philly, and when I drive around the burbs, I don't see a giant Philly Eagles flag on every 5th house, like I see Bills flags in Buffalo. There's not much else up here in this area other than good music and good art. This is what the city has to offer, unlike Philly where there's nightlife, etc. I went to Six Flags up here on a football sunday (Patriots offweek) and we literally hopped on each ride the second we got there. We didn't wait once the entire afternoon. The only downside was that we were scared for our lives because all the ride operators were watching the game on little TVs and we were a bit concerned about safety conditions.

My ranking of the places I've lived in would be:

1. Buffalo
2. Philly
3. New England
4. Detroit

 

[italian pat patriot]

I'm Sorry to say but the increase of crappy "sit on their hands" fans has to be a direct result of the krafts insisting having one of the most expensive tickets in all of sports. most of the fans that would have that stadium rockin' are watching the game at home or in their living rooms and local bars because THEY CANT AFFORD IT. most of the people in the red seats at mid field got their tickets from work and are casual fans at best, PATHETIC. all this crap about our stadium not being acousticly built for noise is dumb when you consider how loud it would be if our stadium was filled with kansas city fans. Instead of talking about our teams lack of passion maybe we as fans need to question ours, weve gotten to a point where we no longer feel like we make a difference. you'd be surprised how much players need and value their 12th man.

it is not the first time i read a post like that and surely it is sad but true too; this is, it appears, the actual situation very difficult or probably impossible to change

 

[Franchise12]

it is not the first time i read a post like that and surely it is sad but true too; this is, it appears, the actual situation very difficult or probably impossible to change

It is nearly impossible for it to change. WHY? because people that would be yelling their heads off at that stadium arent as "valued" from a financial perspective or listened to by the kraft family because theres the tea and crumpet crowd and corporate offices that are able to pay more than some of us can. simply said, their MONEY TALKS.

the mentality of a good percentage of the fans at the stadium is pathetic. alot of These "fans" at gillette are of the belief that they paid to see the game so they'd rather watch the game from their seat. I've actually seen on many occasions people talking business with clients or employees at games,sad. we lack the fire or intensity of pittsburgh, cleveland,kansas city, seattle, buffalo, new york fan bases. and why? Not just because of ticket price but because we dont understand the mutual relationship between fans and players like they do. we dont believe we make much of a difference. being quiet doesnt help when your team is losing by a touchdown or two, it actually plays right into the other teams hands.


FOOD FOR THOUGHT: I went out to watch the boston marathon a while ago. On the last lap there was a runner visibly exhausted to the point of quitting. as he knelt on the ground with his head down with beads of sweat rolling down his face the crowd roard in support of this man. As he heard the "you can do it. get up" and "just a little more to go" arise form the crowd the look of defeat that once overwelmed him turned to determination. he picked himself off the ground, brushed the sand off of his knees and limped to the finish line. The moral of this event that I expirenced is people need the support of other, players are no different. I mean, REALLY, do we really need Richard seymour and Vince Wilfork telling us how spoiled and quiet as "fans" we've become?

 

[italian pat patriot]

It is nearly impossible for it to change. WHY? because people that would be yelling their heads off at that stadium arent as "valued" from a financial perspective or listened to by the kraft family because theres the tea and crumpet crowd and corporate offices that are able to pay more than some of us can. simply said, their MONEY TALKS.

the mentality of a good percentage of the fans at the stadium is pathetic. alot of These "fans" at gillette are of the belief that they paid to see the game so they'd rather watch the game from their seat. I've actually seen on many occasions people talking business with clients or employees at games,sad. we lack the fire or intensity of pittsburgh, cleveland,kansas city, seattle, buffalo, new york fan bases. and why? Not just because of ticket price but because we dont understand the mutual relationship between fans and players like they do. we dont believe we make much of a difference. being quiet doesnt help when your team is losing by a touchdown or two, it actually plays right into the other teams hands.


FOOD FOR THOUGHT: I went out to watch the boston marathon a while ago. On the last lap there was a runner visibly exhausted to the point of quitting. as he knelt on the ground with his head down with beads of sweat rolling down his face the crowd roard in support of this man. As he heard the "you can do it. get up" and "just a little more to go" arise form the crowd the look of defeat that once overwelmed him turned to determination. he picked himself off the ground, brushed the sand off of his knees and limped to the finish line. The moral of this event that I expirenced is people need the support of other, players are no different. I mean, REALLY, do we really need Richard seymour and Vince Wilfork telling us how spoiled and quiet as "fans" we've become?

another good post that personally i agree.
i have not so much to add on it, but i tell you that if i was living in US (in New England area) i would have been surely a rabid fan at the Stadium and surely i would have traveled also at some road games (surely against Buf, Nyj and Mia) because i have the passion for the Patriots.

last year i spent really a lot of money to come to US (i saw 2 Patriots games and 1 Bruins game).


coming to yr post anyway i agree with you.

if there could be the possibility to fill the stadium with REAL FANS (probably the fans we had at Schaefer-Sullivan-Foxboro Stadium) i think we could have the similar 12th men effect that other teams have

but, at today's, this is impossible for the reason you mentioned.

the red seats are corporate seats (you invite clients that are not rabid fans but, at best, tv fans that do not act like the fans you and i intend) and how many places you 'loose' (6000 ?)

then the cost of the ticket plus the 'extra' costs: parking, drinking, going to Foxborough, etc etc

it means that 1 game cost really huge money that probably the RABID fan can not spend...

and probably too the reason that we won really a lot in the last years it is another element...

so, at the end, and sporadically we are discussing it, there is no reason to think that we will have at 'The Razor' a true 12th men

KC has, SEA has...

contrary i loved to see the REAL FANS on the road at Buffalo

the photos i saw where awesome and i would love to be one day one of them

i'm sure in that case the Pats players feels that still on the road they have help from fans

 

[AzPatsFan]

Re: Stadia have a lot of impact...

Unfortunately, the local mediots, truly dumb, don't know how to write anything if they don't have a daily script provided for them by a game. So the daily soap opera of the Red Sux provides them a living, and hence overwhelming coverage.

Rabid fans are more a function of stadium design than you think. Old Schaeffer was ra abid stadium. it was too cold to sit on the benches, even if there was enough room as each "seat" was reserved for midgets. The fans made noise, as they were packed in and almost forced to stand and cheer.

When the Razor was being designed, I constantly posted that it was "too small" at the start, and there was no provision for a "dog pound" down near the field at all. It is already the smallest venue in the AFCE and one of the smaller ones in the League. The club seats were guaranteed to have decorum. If you've ever gone to a box or used company seats, you know that you have to be on good behavior. You can't be an idiot fan at the game; it looks bad and may ding you at work.

With the open design, it was inevitable that it would be a quiet stadium and not hold the sound, like a bowl does, and it is.

There is nothing wrong that can't be fixed by expanding the seating, enclosing one of the entrances and putting benches to crowd the fans together, and cheap seats for the rabid ones creating a " dog pound", a source of noise down by the field, and making a partial bowl to enclose the noise.

 

[Patjew]

After attending Sunday night's game, we could be at 32 and I wouldn't argue. At one point late in the 4th quarter I clapped my hands and I swear it was the only sound in the stadium.

Where were you sitting??? Down in 125 the crowd was loud and into it until Brady missed on 4th down with a minute left.