Did you ever notice how Steeler fans are just everywhere? I live on the other side of the state and I see jerseys all the time. No matter where they play, the local fans in the area buy tickets and go. I never see more than 500 fans of opposing teams when I go to a home game. Never. I went to the Colts MNF game a few yers ago with my cousin who is a Colts fan and I don't think we saw another Colts fan the entire night near us. When I first moved away from the greater Pittsburgh area I found a bar that showed the Steeler games and 30-40 Steeler fans showed up every week. There is a website dedicated to Steeler fans in different cities and lists which bars are Steeler friendly. While you might think this photo was taken in Pittsburgh or at least PA during this season, it wasn't. It's from South Carolina. You might think it was taken the day of the Super Bowl. It wasn't. It was taken the day of the Championship game against Denver. There are hardcore fans all over the country. Damn, I'm ready for the season to start! Thanks for the photo SC-Bob!
3 comments:
Socio-Economic Reasons Steeler Nation is (in the words of ZZ Top) "Bad. We Nationwide."
Back in the 70s as the Pittsburgh Steelers were surging toward the apex of franchise success, the city of Pittsburgh was mired in economic depression. Steel mills were closing. Coal mines were shutting down. Inflation was running rampant. And jobs in Western Pennsylvania were few, far between, and tough to land and keep if you were lucky enough to find one.
By the end of the 70s, as the Steelers were wrapping up their 4th Super Bowl season, Western Pennsylvanians had already begun a mass exodus from the region. They had to support their families somewhere.
And it is precisely the people who were raised on Steeler football who were leaving. Whether they were supporters of the team from back in the 50s & 60s when they were downright horrible; or whether they were drawn to the team with the success of the Noll Era, their support of the team was cast in stone.
And move they did, to all parts of the country. Westinghouse employees migrated to Baltimore to make Ravens Stadium Steeler Country. They moved to New England, Florida, California, Texas, Minnesota, Phoenix, Denver, North Carolina. Spread out far and wide they remained Steeler fans.
And through the years these people raised their kids to be Steeler fans.
So it comes as no surprise that the Steelers are the real Americas team. For their fan base is truly nationwide. And it's mostly made up of transplanted Pittsburghers who, no matter where they call home, call the Pittsburgh Steelers their team.
Wow...they're almost as ubiquitous as the members of Red Sox Nation, of which I am now a card-carrying member! Literally. It was part of my Mother's Day gift this year.
I'm with stilladog...I believe it's part economics. Except when you look at Red Sox fans, they have left Boston because they can't afford it any more. And lots of fans travel to games because you can't afford to go to Fenway anymore (or get tix even if you could!) I could not get tix to a single game this year! Our neighbors just got back from seeing the sox in Toronto last weekend. Lots of fans fly to Tampa or Baltimore because even with the airfare and hotel, it's cheaper then a ticket to Fenway plus parking.
almost?
trust me on this....there are more steeler fans in every city/state in america than there are sox fans. hands down. few teams have a national presence but i'll take a stab at a few: steelers, cowboys, raiders, yankees, sox, chicago bulls, lakers. i would be willing to bet that the order goes more like,
cowgirls
yankees
steelers
and then a complete toss-up. dog?
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