riffraff Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 1 hour ago, Dr. Crossbar said: You know, whenever I go out to watch a game, there's always a healthy amount of fans in most places. Even just an average week night game, I always see fans out watching games. And it's easy to tell game days just by the amount of people wearing Canucks jerseys around town. There are a lot of fans in this city. No different than other cities in this regard. I think there's a lot more to it underneath the surface. Where it gets weird is the social fan culture around the team and social consciousness within Vancouver. We've been in the league for 47 years and still no Cup. Three finals, all losses, two of those extremely heartbreaking. Despite the fact that there are a lot of true, loyal fans in this city, the level of cycnicism and pessimism around this team is through the roof. That's also been fueled by a local hockey media playing to people's emotions in order to earn revenue. Through the media's constant criticism of the team, fans have their frustrations and cynicism validated. Because the media is constantly criticizing the team, that informs the fan culture. It promotes a culture of criticism. This is what 47 years of losing does to a fanbase from a cultural standpoint. Too much disappointment also makes it harder for some people to have hope. Having hope in the past has only been a set up for disappointment. At the same time, to a certain degree, it's not quite socially acceptable to be a Canucks fan. It's also cool to hate on the Canucks. People around the country also hate the Canucks. 2011 certainly drove that home. Even though some people do love the team, they may have a hard time admitting it in public. Humans have a natural need to fit in. This speaks to the "bandwagon" aspect on some level. It's safer to root for the team when they're winning. To root for the team when losing - to a certain degree - would make you an outcast and set you up for disappointment. It's much easier to jump on the bandwagon because you're then justified in cheering and free from disappointment. To some, that's all they've known as a Canucks fan. All of that makes it harder for fans to self-identify in the same way other fans self-identify with their teams. It's harder for some Canucks fans to have the same type of open, feverish loyalty as other fanbases even though they are loyal. Think about Habs fans. It's more socially acceptable in that city to be a fan of the Canadiens. Loyalty is what it means to be a Habs fan. That's all well and good when you have a history of winning. Your winning history is a source of pride even when the team isn't winning. This is what I see with most original six fanbases. History is the foundation that bonds them. I mean, even with the Leafs ... great grandfathers were Leafs fans. Grandfathers were fans. Father's and mother's were fans who passed it on to their sons and daughters. Oilers fans can definitely lean on the past and feel a sense of historical pride from those years of winning and with Gretzky. Even Flames fans can at least point to their Cup win. Canucks fans have a different history. Heartbreak, frustration, and losing is a relatable bond. We have a lot to be proud of and grateful for. But our history comes with a lot of negative residuals from losing. That history has informed the fan culture in ways other fanbases can't understand. But then there's Winnepeg, which doesn't have a rich winning history but does have a feversh fanbase more in the conventional sense. This kind of brings me to the social consciousness of the city part I mentioned above. With Winnepeg, the Jets aren't competing for the attention of fans as compared to Vancouver. There are just more options for entertainment in Vancouver, including all of the outdoor options. Also, Jets fans know what it feels like to lose their team. They certainly won't be taking the team for granted. They know what can happen if they fail to support the team. Here in Vancouver, Canucks games are expensive. This keeps a lot of loyal fans away from the arena. For many, it's cheaper to just go out with friends and watch the game at a bar. There's also more emphasis on entertainment value here because there are more options to get a better bang for your buck. Again, this speaks to the bandwagon, but it is what it is. Hockey's also not priority #1 in this city. It's a priority among many in the Pacific Northwestern culture. The Pacific Northwestern culture is distinct. That doesn't mean Canucks fans aren't passionate and loyal, they're just different. The consciousness on the west coast is different, too. I think a lot of other fan bases see that as a negative. More in a way like ... you should be like we are. You should cheer for your team like we cheer for ours. And if you don't, you're not a good fan. I grew up on the east coast. Arrived here 24 years ago. I can easily say fans - and what fans expect other fans to be - is much, much different. Whenever I go back for a visit and watch Habs games, my buddies and their friends are way more intense and rabid. So intense with their fandom that it's like they start chomping on table legs and bar stools because they're so loyal to their teams. Then I look around the bar and everyone's chomping on table legs like rabid dogs in happy Habdom unison. But that's what it means to be a fan back there. That's how they self-identify. No right or wrong just different. Another thing ... it's gotten a lot harder to live in Vancouver or the lower mainland. That's frustrating on a life level. I think that compounds things. People just want something positive to root for now. There are a lot of great Canucks fans in this city and province. I see them out around town all the time. I see them in the smaller centers in BC. I love it! This city needs a Cup win. Period. Ideally a couple back-to-back to really change the culture and free fans from the frustration. Quality synopsis Doc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N4ZZY Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 10 hours ago, NotMasonRaymond said: Vancouver is a small yuppie town with yuppie bandwagon fans. No wonder the Grizzles left. such a silly comment. this isn't why the Grizzlies left Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butters Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 17 minutes ago, N4ZZY said: such a silly comment. this isn't why the Grizzlies left those yuppy bandwagon fans should have paid up... not everyone gets to watch a team where most of the players complain about having to be here and the league bans the team from getting top draft picks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nucks89 Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Tomorrow will be embarrassing. Thoughts on Montreal to Vancouver fan ratio? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtis Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Most of the so called fans during the 2011 run weren't true fans..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimito Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 remember when rink is half empty? Who cares. It's pro sports, people can choose what to do with their money. losing teams tend not to attract an audience. Look at their standings in last 5 years. look at Avs now compared to Sakic days. Hawks before they got Kane and Toews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nucks89 Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 In Toronto & Montreal, loyalties are passed down through generations. Canucks need to win a cups & have sustained success to sellout in the bad times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N4ZZY Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 36 minutes ago, butters said: those yuppy bandwagon fans should have paid up... not everyone gets to watch a team where most of the players complain about having to be here and the league bans the team from getting top draft picks i never said that it wasn't right for those players to complain. i was sick of those players complaining about coming up to canada. most of them wouldn't mind coming here considering what the racial tension and climate is like in their home. lmao. van's going to get an NBA team back eventually (how long, who knows) - but this city won't be without one forever. I personally think it's inevitable, and there are fans here clamoring for one. the appetite for NBA action is there. who wouldn't want to see stars like LeBron, Curry, Thompson, Durant, Russell, come to town. As much as I love the Canucks, I miss NBA action. Best kind of basketball (and sporting entertainment) on the planet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butters Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 1 hour ago, N4ZZY said: i never said that it wasn't right for those players to complain. i was sick of those players complaining about coming up to canada. most of them wouldn't mind coming here considering what the racial tension and climate is like in their home. lmao. van's going to get an NBA team back eventually (how long, who knows) - but this city won't be without one forever. I personally think it's inevitable, and there are fans here clamoring for one. the appetite for NBA action is there. who wouldn't want to see stars like LeBron, Curry, Thompson, Durant, Russell, come to town. As much as I love the Canucks, I miss NBA action. Best kind of basketball (and sporting entertainment) on the planet. lol, was not meant as counter to your point at all. I Agreed. However I hope they never come back. They really &^@#ed the city over last time and I want nothing to do with the NBA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N4ZZY Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 3 hours ago, butters said: lol, was not meant as counter to your point at all. I Agreed. However I hope they never come back. They really &^@#ed the city over last time and I want nothing to do with the NBA. yeah. i understand the feeling and perspective. but i personally want them to be back. another pro franchise means more sporting entertainment in the city. that's not a bad thing. i think there is appetite for the NBA in the city. the pre season has sold out every time they've been here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkpoet Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Uh......... After Burrows' 2 goal debut for the Senators, at midnight their game day thread was 12 posts long Ours was over 50 PAGES The allegation that Canucks fans are somehow vapid, and/or fickle is a construct propagated by the media and fed willingly to fools. This team has immense support in many markets. The media likes to slam us for riots etc but refuse to see that plenty of other teams have dealt with that issue as well, not the least of which was the riot on Whyte Ave. in Edmonton which was just as bad or worse than what happened here in 2011. But you never heard about that because it's the "city of Champions" and that skronny little girl Gretzky, and his cocaine cowboys won a bunch of cups there in the 80's. BFD....... I hate Vancouver as a city. It's full of self-entitled little $&!#s and liberal minded miscreants, but they get the raw end of the deal for sure when it comes to this stuff, not to mention non-recognition of the Sedins, who, despite their sudden sharp decline should be seriously be considered Hall of Famers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfstonker Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Bandwaggoners are not fans. They cheered a dominant team and now half of them don't bother and prefer to come on here and slag off the team the coach, the management and the owners just because the Canuck's demise has had the temerity to cripple their over inflated self esteem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfstonker Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 2 hours ago, darkpoet said: Uh......... After Burrows' 2 goal debut for the Senators, at midnight their game day thread was 12 posts long Ours was over 50 PAGES The allegation that Canucks fans are somehow vapid, and/or fickle is a construct propagated by the media and fed willingly to fools. This team has immense support in many markets. The media likes to slam us for riots etc but refuse to see that plenty of other teams have dealt with that issue as well, not the least of which was the riot on Whyte Ave. in Edmonton which was just as bad or worse than what happened here in 2011. But you never heard about that because it's the "city of Champions" and that skronny little girl Gretzky, and his cocaine cowboys won a bunch of cups there in the 80's. BFD....... I hate Vancouver as a city. It's full of self-entitled little $&!#s and liberal minded miscreants, but they get the raw end of the deal for sure when it comes to this stuff, not to mention non-recognition of the Sedins, who, despite their sudden sharp decline should be seriously be considered Hall of Famers. Is that what you call it? Maybe you should check your history bud. 2011 was the SECOND time our "fans" rioted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baggins Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 2 hours ago, darkpoet said: Uh......... After Burrows' 2 goal debut for the Senators, at midnight their game day thread was 12 posts long Ours was over 50 PAGES The allegation that Canucks fans are somehow vapid, and/or fickle is a construct propagated by the media and fed willingly to fools. This team has immense support in many markets. The media likes to slam us for riots etc but refuse to see that plenty of other teams have dealt with that issue as well, not the least of which was the riot on Whyte Ave. in Edmonton which was just as bad or worse than what happened here in 2011. But you never heard about that because it's the "city of Champions" and that skronny little girl Gretzky, and his cocaine cowboys won a bunch of cups there in the 80's. BFD....... I hate Vancouver as a city. It's full of self-entitled little $&!#s and liberal minded miscreants, but they get the raw end of the deal for sure when it comes to this stuff, not to mention non-recognition of the Sedins, who, despite their sudden sharp decline should be seriously be considered Hall of Famers. Is posting on a message board the same as buying tickets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtNasty Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Ive been to 2 games at rogers this year and yes the energy in the arena is seriously lacking with all the empty seats, it's nothing compared too going to a game around 2010-2012 now that was a fun time to see a Canucks game live. I'm sure the seats will start to fill up again soon tho as the team trends upwards in the standings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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