gilbert11 Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 Found this on Yahoo Sports, from X: Is this because the fans of other teams like the Sabres as opponents? 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerreaultForever Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 That's ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cascade Youth Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 Not around these parts lol 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 22 minutes ago, gilbert11 said: Found this on Yahoo Sports, from X: Is this because the fans of other teams like the Sabres as opponents? People hate on St. Louis? Really? Why? People like Dallas? Really? Why? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimlach Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 Which team would you root for in a head to head match up? That was the question? I can't think of a response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 Wake up people. if you don't ask Buffalo fans, what other result would you expect? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Lee Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 If the Sabres make the playoffs and get on a run, they will become almost everyone’s 2nd favourite team for a year. 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 Doesn’t that actually mean that they are the second “least hated”? I can see that. People usually hate teams that beat their team all the time. Either that, or it’s gotta be pity. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PASabreFan Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 Another Cusp. Sigh. @Sabres Fan in NS 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyldnwoody44 Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 I wonder who lindy would pick, Buf vs NJ 😜 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Buffalo Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 1 hour ago, SwampD said: Doesn’t that actually mean that they are the second “least hated”? I can see that. People usually hate teams that beat their team all the time. Either that, or it’s gotta be pity. Pity and not a threat 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 If the question would have been which franchise is the most irrelevant franchise in the league, it would be in the running for the top spot. Generational futility is an absurdity especially when the system is designed to give advantages (draft and waiver pickups) to the worst teams to prop them up. Yet, the Sabres are still stuck in the muck of mediocrity. It's ridiculous and shameful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 11 hours ago, Taro T said: People hate on St. Louis? Really? Why? People like Dallas? Really? Why? My fist thought was similar, but… People hate on St. Louis? Really? Why? People like San Jose? Really? Why? I have to wonder if the responses are more along the lines of least not liked. I could see Buffalo near the top of that list, except in Buffalo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 They have 935k followers on X. That's right up there with the big market teams. This team, for whatever reason (we can all build a list of good guesses), still has the sheen of the Hasek and Miller era Sabres. The momentum from those eras was so strong - and the escapees from WNY so many - that hope and goodwill for the team remain strong. Today, there could be old underdog attribution as well. Imagine if the team became competitive. The marketing department would have no idea what to do. https://www.statista.com/statistics/243070/twitter-followers-of-national-hockey-league-teams/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTS Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 Because of a lot of people like hockey in this region and the Sabres are the team in the region? Not every one is on this forum analyzing the franchise day to day. It's conceivable to think that people just like the team. I don't know how the poll was fully conducted but I could see hated teams being from bigger markets because they have big rivals. People from Chicago are not going to like St. Louis.. Chicago is a big town. Lots of people like San Jose, they really aren't major rivals with people and they've had some likeable players, Joe Thornton, Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau, Owen Nolan, Logan Couture I mean, in the end its an internet poll, so how much stock do you put into it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 8 minutes ago, LTS said: Because of a lot of people like hockey in this region and the Sabres are the team in the region? Not every one is on this forum analyzing the franchise day to day. It's conceivable to think that people just like the team. I don't know how the poll was fully conducted but I could see hated teams being from bigger markets because they have big rivals. People from Chicago are not going to like St. Louis.. Chicago is a big town. Lots of people like San Jose, they really aren't major rivals with people and they've had some likeable players, Joe Thornton, Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau, Owen Nolan, Logan Couture I mean, in the end its an internet poll, so how much stock do you put into it? You might be taking the poll and the responses more seriously than the responders here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverPowerYou Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 They’re soft and easy to beat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 2 hours ago, Weave said: My fist thought was similar, but… People hate on St. Louis? Really? Why? People like San Jose? Really? Why? I have to wonder if the responses are more along the lines of least not liked. I could see Buffalo near the top of that list, except in Buffalo. Pretty sure you're on the right track with that. Hey, TO's playing X, who are you rooting for? Team X unless it's the B's or the Phlyers and then am rooting for both teams forfeiting due to teamwide intestinal distress (food poisoning) and neither having enough guys that aren't on the toilet to play the game. There's several other teams that would garner that same response. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msw2112 Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 The only three things I can think of that would explain these results: 1. People often prefer to root for the underdog, or the team that has not won anything in a while. So if you asked a casual NHL fan which team they'd prefer to win in a matchup, they might pick the Sabres. 2. Despite low attendance due to a poor team for the last several years, the Sabres (like the Bills) have a large and dispersed fanbase. Maybe the survey happened to catch a lot of Sabres fans. 3. While more so 2 seasons ago than last, the Sabres were playing a high-flying, fast-paced, offensive game with lots of scoring. Many fans like that style of hockey, as it can be very entertaining versus a dump and chase/grind it out style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ska-T Chitown Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 7 hours ago, North Buffalo said: Pity and not a threat But the Avs being #1 and the hawks being near the bottom really shoots that theory down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ska-T Chitown Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 Just now, msw2112 said: Those teams play a fast-paced style (at least the Avs do), which was #3 on the list of theories. With Bedard and some of the other young players, the Blackhawks may also play fast. Admittedly, I have not seen them play much, so I can't say for sure. I was thinking that #1 and #2 on the list are in totally different places with regards to recent success and "exciting hockey" - as are Vegas and Chicago. To me, Chicago being last pokes a hole in the "easy to beat" being higher on the list theory - although I am sure there is nuance to how many people reached saturation with the 'Hawks in the 2010's? Personally, "least hated" seems like a more apt theory. I'd choose the Sharks over any other Eastern Conference team, etc ... I suspect outside of Buffalo fandom, most NHL fans don't have much of a reason to hate the Sabres. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 Sounds like more of an indifference ranking. "Don't hate them" means you get a better ranking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerreaultForever Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 Here's a list of "popularity" of NHL teams that seems more accurate. Buffalo comes in 19th. https://www.stadium-maps.com/facts/nhl_facebook_table.html#fbtable ebay merch sales create a fairly similar ranking https://o-wai-sa.com/which-nhl-teams-move-the-most-least-sales-on-ebay/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 35 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said: Here's a list of "popularity" of NHL teams that seems more accurate. Buffalo comes in 19th. https://www.stadium-maps.com/facts/nhl_facebook_table.html#fbtable ebay merch sales create a fairly similar ranking https://o-wai-sa.com/which-nhl-teams-move-the-most-least-sales-on-ebay/ The question wasn't who is your FAVORITE team, as posited in the OP it was who is your SECOND favorite team. (And, it really is most likely a reflection of which team do you dislike the least.) But how many people buy merchandise for their SECOND favorite team? Merchandise sales would be a reflection of who fans' #1 team is, wouldn't it be? (YOU might have Bruin and Sabre gear, but personally doubt many others here have a whole bunch of merch for teams other than the Sabres. And expect that trend would be similar across the league and across sports.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjd1001 Posted July 17 Report Share Posted July 17 No Montreal on the list (either side)? No Toronto? Sure Vancouver made the list, but the fact Toronto and Montreal are not on there leads me to think it was heavily influenced by polling of people from the United States. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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