Red Sox Nation...Spreading like the plague!
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by BoSox Buzz
Red Sox Nation also known as the Red Sox fan base is massive. Red Sox Nation began growing in 2003, when the team reached the playoffs for the first time since 1999. It exploded after the Sox won the World Series in 2004 for the first time since 1918, after surprising the Yankees in the American League Championship Series by becoming the first baseball team to win a seven-game series after losing the first three games.
But has it gotten out of control. I am sure their are many of us who have been lifelong fans that are surprised at how fast this has happened and the scale to which it has grown. I can remember when you could go to Fenway Park on a weeknight in the summer and get a third base line seat for like 20 bucks and the place wouldn't even sell out. This wasn't in 1950 but just as recent as 2000. Now getting to a game can almost be like winning a lottery ticket.
Sure has winning influenced this craziness no doubt. And do good owners and good leadership help absolutely. But why has it transcended across the United States even other countries. What is the draw to the Red Sox for lets say folks in California, Florida, Nebraska, even Asia?
I know it makes a lot of fans of other teams sick, sick to their stomachs. And honestly drives a lot of people crazy. You have fans at other stadiums that outnumber the home crowd. You start to hear more cheers for the Red Sox than you do for their own team. But why?
I now live in Indiana I have so for 6 years since grad school at Indiana State University. And when I moved out here initially I was chastised for being not only from the east coast but of course being a huge Red Sox fan. I would continually be battered by my friends and people I worked with anytime they would lose to the Yankees or have meltdown. But as soon as things started to go better for the Red Sox some of these people started cheering, watching, following what they did. And it puzzled me. I started to see things like Red Sox stickers on cars and the hats oh my god the Red Sox hats started popping up everywhere. I mean it was nuts I felt like I was home after a time.
Just this week I was driving home from work and I have a huge Red Sox Sticker in the back window of my truck. This guy behind me at a traffic light picked up his Red Sox hat and waited for me to look in my rear view! I did and gave him a thumbs up and he was so happy! I was stunned had we really gotten this big as a fan base! Remember I am in Indiana, Cubs/Reds/St. Louis country!
So whats the draw...? I have a few ideas. Winning doesn't hurt probably the main reason bottom line. But I think their are two more big reasons. 1. Underdog status, 2. Marketing to women.
The Red Sox have always been the number 2, always the team that couldn't get over the hump a.k.a the Yankees. Forget winning the world series it was getting by the Yankees first. People can relate to being the underdog. Always going up against "the establishment" and when you finally beat the establishment you get a cult like following. Kind of like a country overthrowing a government.
Secondly marketing to women. What a great following you get when you go pink! If you get to any game in Boston or on the road you will see and amazing number of pink jerseys! Women loved wearing Red Sox gear in Boston it was a no brainer for the retailers they saw it and wanted to cash in so they started going nuts with clothing and merchandise. The players wives started running workshops in the community to teach baseball and it was a hit. You saw more and more women following the Red Sox as much as the men! Boston probably has more females in the media than in any other city reporting on baseball.
Red Sox Nation continues to spread and they are getting more fans more than just the diehards.
The biggest problem after this is eventually you become the establishment. The team people loathe. And as a lifelong fan you don't want them to become the very thing we cheered against.
Peace and Happiness, GO SOX!
-Michael
http://bosoxbuzz.blogspot.com/
