ESPN Top 25

[Greenwich Pony]

No, Dallas, for all it's supposed "sports mania" is probably the worst sports town I have ever seen, period. Frankly, the Dallas fans aren't die hards and don't support local teams. The Rangers? Come on. Who really cares about the Mavericks? The Cowboys have good attendance when they're winning, but I've been in Texas stadium when visiting fans clearly outnumbered Dallas fans, and not just for the Redskins game. The Dallas fan base doesn't treat it's teams well, the Dallas media doesn't support local teams that well. I don't know why it is, it just is. With the possible exception of the Cowboys (and because they had the benefit of a brilliant marketing campaign in the 1970's which made it a semi-national team), if every pro and college team in the Metroplex ceased to exist, I really doubt if Dallas would notice.

Dallas fans as a community have little to no passion and little sense of community. I think it's terrible because I am a big fan of the City of Dallas. I also think it is probably a larger issue as well.

[LA_Mustang]

the Dallas fans aren't die hards and don't support local teams

What do you base that on?? Dallas professional sporting events are as well attended as any other major market. You go to any bar in Dallas and you'll run into plenty of knowledgeable and passionate fans.

The Cowboys have good attendance when they're winning, but I've been in Texas stadium when visiting fans clearly outnumbered Dallas fans, and not just for the Redskins game.

I believe 1991 was last time a Cowboy home game wasn't sold-out. And they were 5-11 from 00-02. If you have ever been to Texas Stadium during a Cowboy game and you say that the opposing team's fans outnumbered Cowboy fans your not being truthful. Yes, there were a lot Steeler fans in Texas Stadium Sunday, maybe 5,000 out of 60,000, but that was unusual.

The Dallas fan base doesn't treat it's teams well, the Dallas media doesn't support local teams that well.

What do you mean the fan base doesn't "treat" them well?? They go to the games, buy merchandise, talk about them on the radio, at work, and in the bars. What else are they suppose to do? As for the media, the DMN has been honored every year in recent memory for local sports coverage. ESPN Radio and The Ticket cover the professional sports teams very well.

Yeah, Dallas is a terrible sports town.

[jtstang]

I don't understand why everyone gets down on the "fair weather fan"--and judging by this thread, that's all there are in Dallas. I'll start with the assumption that I'm a typical Dallas sports fan. I like to go to games played by winners because they are a source of entertainment (what with the Cuban-recruited ho's and all on display) which gives me a release from the stress of everyday life. When my teams don't win consistently, I am not entertained and I therefore lose effect for which I went in the first place. Gravitation to a winner seems natural to me. The only loser I will hold onto is SMU because if my alumni status and because the Boulevard is entertaining even if the games are not (what with the standard SMU-issue ho's and all on display).

I don't think Dallas is a good or bad sports town, by my definition just a typical one.

[PK]

A fan, by the Webster definition is an enthusiastic follower of a sport or intertainment. Now this dictionary I'm looking at is damn near as old as I am so that might be a problem. It appears that the key word here is "follower". Thus, a fair weather follower is only an enthusiastic follower when the team is winning. An all weather follower is enthusiastic regardless of the situation...thus bordering on being a lunatic.

The truth of the matter is, SMU football really strains that relationship between team and fan, but most of us, just like jt, are fans because SMU is our alma mater. There really isn't any other good reason these days to be an SMU football fan. Perhaps some like myself just enjoy college football which helps in our case.

We really need to improve and soon or even us lunatics will go screaming out the gate and howling at the moon like a mad man or jump willingly from the upper levels of the stadium to the pavement below...

[OldPony]

100 straight sell outs by the Boys. wow- how does that compare to say Denver, Buffalo. NYG, Philly, you get the point. Go to a Bronco or Chief or Bills game sometime. There is an amazing difference in supposrt, attitude and atmosphere. The are more people tailgating at any Chiefs game than there are in Dallas for the year. Dallas has the LA attitude. It's cool to go if the beautiful people are there.

[ponyboy]

Bad, bad example with the Broncos. With the possible exception of the Cubbies, there is no bigger fan support, winning or losing, than the Denver team gets.

We may not be the only one, but Dallas IS a fair weather sports town.

[EastStang]

The Redskins have what 25 straight years of sell outs, even in their new stadium which is nearly twice the size of RFK and despite the fact that they blow. Washington also has one of the more supported soccer teams DC United. The Wizards stink and have for years, yet they get near sellout crowds. The Caps had pretty good attendance until Leonsis raised prices so high to afford Jagr that no one could afford to go. Lower reserved seats were $80. With baseball coming to town, they should do very well. Even the Mystics have a strong following. The only problem with Washington is that everyone is from someplace else, so they have divided loyalties. Thus, a Caps fan might really be a Red Wings fan. A Redskins fan might really be a Broncos fan or a Bears fan. GW, Maryland, Georgetown, Catholic, AU, George Mason all have decent basketball attendance. Maryland sells out all conference games. Navy draws well for football and other sports when school is in session. High school basketball games fill gyms all the time. Some high schools have gyms to accomodate up to 5000 people. All in all DC is a pretty good sports town.