Talk Sporty 101: Who's your team?

It’s a frequently asked question among sports fans and it’s a good starting point for every new or novice sports fan. There is no right or wrong answer to the question, but you do need an answer if only for your own sanity as you build your sports knowledge base.

Identifying one team - your team - makes it easier to become a fan and follow relevant headlines. For example, keeping track of all 32 NFL teams is time consuming and confusing if you’re just getting started as compared to paying attention to just one team. 

Your choice of teams is entirely up to you, but you might want to consider your objective before you commit.

• Are you becoming a fan because you need a way to connect with co-workers as you go back to an office?
• Is everyone in your family, except you, talking about fantasy football at the dinner table?
• Do you make sales calls to clients who regularly attend games?
• Do you think it would be good for your personal/dating life?

Your team your choice, but to make this as easy as possible make sure it aligns with your objective. If you’re becoming a sports fan so you have something to talk about when you go back to an office in Seattle it makes sense to become a Seattle Seahawks fan because of the regional interest and likelihood your sports loving coworkers are in tune with the local team. If you choose to become a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan because you like Tom Brady or because you grew up in Florida you’re not going to have as much to talk about.

Looking for place to start?

If you’re starting from scratch, the easiest choice is following the most popular local or regional team. Local and teams are going to get the most coverage and airtime in local media. You won’t have to seek out any headlines, they’ll come to you. Plus, those headlines will be part of conversations you overhear during the course of a day.

Ultimately choosing your team will get the ball rolling on your sports fandom. In fact, simply having an answer to this question can get you into a sports conversation because there’s always a story behind it. Even if the answer is, “I need something to talk about at work.” It’s still a way to spark a conversation and that’s the whole point of this exercise in becoming a sports fan. Sports is a way to connect and build relationships. So who’s your team?