I love sports. Sports have been my business for the past 7 years and my passion for as long as I can remember. I feel a sense of loyalty to the teams and players that I support - I am emotionally attached to the wins and losses as well as how we play the game. Sports teach you how to be your best and they give fans a sense of ownership. But at the end of the day - sports are a business.
The NBA, NFL, MLB - they're the parent company to each team within their organization. And each team is responsible for creating a successful product. That product is winning games. You win games - you sell seats. When the seats are full, the media sells, concessions sell, gear sells, and so forth. At the end of the day - winning is what matters. When you're not winning, its a lot harder to fill seats, garner media interest, and ultimately turn a profit.
So what am I getting at? I'm trying to show you super fans who yell and scream and curse your teams/players/owners for their lack of loyalty to you/your city that you can cause a ruckus all you want - loyalty in the sports business is to winning. Nothing else. I feel your pain. I went into mourning when Brian Wilson went to the Dodgers. I hate on the Niners to this day for letting Alex Smith go and going with Kap (although seriously they should listen to me about that after this season...) - but I also understand that what we fans feel - is not what these executives feel.
Team owners/executives have numbers to produce. They must produce wins and sell tickets and reach financial goals. So while you and I are focusing on winning too - we also feel emotionally invested in players. We love the guy in the community and the rookie who leaves it all on the court. But to the team - these players are replaceable. They're part of the puzzle until they don't fit. And then they're plucked off the bus and given a ticket elsewhere. It's harsh. It's cold. It's business.
I've watched it happen. I've seen the roll call on the bus for the guys who were on their way to a game in Chicago but are now being asked to clear out their lockers and move to a new city. I've gotten the phone calls threating death to owners, cursing out salespeople, burning of the jerseys and posting it online. Fans are loyal, emotional, and the lifeblood of the organization. Certainly without fans - there's no team. But I'll be really honest with you - if you think your opinions on player deals, playing time, or coaching choices matter - you should put your beer down and go home. They need you to buy tickets but at the end of the day, with or without you the organization will go on. Maybe to a new city, but it will go on.
I realize this post is probably a little depressing - but life is tough - I just want to keep it real with you. But with all of that knowledge being dropped - I want you to know - I'm still just as crazy passionate as you are about my teams. And even knowing all the behind the scenes of it - I'm still just as irrational as you are when my favorite player gets sent away. Sure, sports are a business, but they're also my heart.