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The difference in being a minor league baseball fan
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Being a fan of minor league baseball is a little bit different than being a major league baseball fan. The differences are subtle and with the way players in the big leagues change teams at the drop of a hat, the lines are becoming more and more blurred as the years go by. However, the fact is, the minor leagues are really designed to be transitory, so becoming a fan of a minor league team because of the people on the team, or even the managing staff or announcers, is probably going to lead to disappointment.
I can only speak from my own experience. I have never been a fan of a team because of the players. When I first started going to minor league games, I went to the Schaumburg Flyers. First, it was the closest to where I was living. However, the second reason was that a former White Sox player, Ron Kittle, was the manager. A few seasons later, however, that wasn’t the case. First he moved to the announcer’s booth and then he moved on to other things all together.
For me, it turns out, one of the best baseball experiences I had was at the Windy City Thunderbolts. I had been there a few years before when they were known as the Cook County Cheetahs and the experience was not the same. I found myself uncomfortable. While the stadium was the same when I went back, the entire atmosphere was much more fan friendly and suddenly the entire drive to the south side of town, in Crestwood, was worth it for a game. I also was going to Thunderbolts game when they were horrible and still enjoying myself.
Ultimately, that is the big difference between following the minor leagues and the major leagues. Of course, some Chicago Cubs fans also do this, but they are the exception, I prefer to think. Essentially, you go for the experience and not necessarily the players. Yes, it is great when they are winning. Yes, when you choose a team to follow you want to see them win. However, if you pick right and give yourself a chance to try out several games and several parks, you’ll find the right experience that you would recommend to other fans. This, then, will likely become your team even if they are very far from where you are.
For more info: Minor League Baseball
