Twitter: Why do Cowboys fans get labeled as bandwagoners?

[aria]

I've never been to another team's board, but from what I've seen in the "Trolling the Nation" threads, every fan base is the same way.

I usually go to other teams boards before and after games we play against them and also the other teams boards in the NFCE. Most fan bases are similar to a degree but we still take the cake by a fairly wide margin. The highs are higher here and the lows are lower, the overreaction after a couple wins or one loss is more than most, if not all, other teams fans I’ve ever seen.

 

[Diehardblues]

I disagree and I lived in different cities and not adopted the local team. The exposure to local teams helps increase some of that but only fans that don;t already have a team will adopt the local one.

But the Cowboys are basically your first team. And in Arkansas were broadcast in most of the state there. Who also didn’t have a local team. You'd fall more into the Regional fan or one without a local team.

 

[kskboys]

I usually go to other teams boards before and after games we play against them and also the other teams boards in the NFCE. Most fan bases are similar to a degree but we still take the cake by a fairly wide margin. The highs are higher here and the lows are lower, the overreaction after a couple wins or one loss is more than most, if not all, other teams fans I’ve ever seen.

Maybe it's due to pure numbers? More fans = more homers and haters?

 

[gimmesix]

We're leading the league in attendance for the 10th year in a row. Granted, we have the biggest stadium, but I highly doubt most teams would get up to 90k+ every game if they had the capacity.

Meanwhile, compare us to Atlanta. They have a new world-class stadium and were in the Super Bowl three years ago, now look at them. The photo below was taken 2 minutes into the 1st quarter today.

I'm sick of hearing about how much we're bandwagoners. If anything, we are one of the most loyal fanbases in the NFL.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/attendance

We're fans of America's Team and when we are contending for championships, our ranks swell disproportionately compared to other fanbases. I wouldn't consider anyone whose a member of this message board a bandwagon fan because we've been debating and discussing our team through the mostly hard times. We're the hard-core fans for the most part.

However, there are many others who crawl out of the woodwork when Dallas is winning and looking like a Super Bowl contender. Again, I think we have more of that than other fanbases simply because Dallas has more fans than other fanbases.

 

[Diehardblues]

The NFL couldn’t exist if fans across the country all aborted their local and regional teams who are dependent on filling stadiums and tv broadcast.

It’s why the NFL Blackout rule was implemented to ensure local fans attended the games.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Wow. Lots of hopium for the Jets this year. I did not expect them to be #2 behind us.

 

[Diehardblues]

Maybe it's due to pure numbers? More fans = more homers and haters?

Right .. no bandwagon fans in Cleveland or Detroit.

I’ve been a Baylor fan all my life as well and no Bandwagon fans . Well I think there might have been some while Briles was HC. Which again is the definition of Wagon fans. Hopping on a winning team not from your immediate area or region. Or one who isn’t your Alma Mater or from where you live.

College is a little different as schools aren’t solely dependent on local and area fans financial support. Alumni and Donors is a bigger part of it and all don’t still live locally.

 

[ClappingCarrot]

Wow. Lots of hopium for the Jets this year. I did not expect them to be #2 behind us.

Yeah - but you have to look at the facts. Two of the teams they played at home were us and New England. That alone probably inflated the statistics significantly.

 

[aria]

Maybe it's due to pure numbers? More fans = more homers and haters?

Yeah, that’s come up before and it’s a very valid point.

 

[CouchCoach]

Winning loads the wagon or if it's cool to be a fan. The other thing that creates fans, and I guess you could consider them bandwagon is a college player of yours going to a team as Lance Alworth did for me and created a Chargers fan.

I became a Raiders fan because of that whole bad boy image so I guess I was on their wagon too.

I see nothing wrong with bandwagon fans of any team, some people need that feeling in their lives as it might be lacking and is fulfilled by connecting to a winner. Doesn't make them bad fans, just there for a different reason.

What is the most surprising thing to me is the amount of fans the Cowboys have based off very little accomplishment. I think a lot of people view them as an oddity, more of a reality TV show, than a football team. If I had not become a fan back in the 60's, I do not think I would be a fan today because I no longer consider myself an all in or diehard fan. My emotions between winning and losing are negligible and I don't know if that's due to aging or just tired of all the BS that comes with being a fan of this team. If you are a long time fan as I am, we have to put up with more BS that any fan of any team in sports. This is not a wagon I would jump on.

 

[CowboyRoy]

We're leading the league in attendance for the 10th year in a row. Granted, we have the biggest stadium, but I highly doubt most teams would get up to 90k+ every game if they had the capacity.

Meanwhile, compare us to Atlanta. They have a new world-class stadium and were in the Super Bowl three years ago, now look at them. The photo below was taken 2 minutes into the 1st quarter today.

I'm sick of hearing about how much we're bandwagoners. If anything, we are one of the most loyal fanbases in the NFL.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/attendance

Im sick of losing.

 

[DallasDomination]

They get labeled bandwagon fans because the good majority dont have a clue about the team..

I look at the nfc north teams as examples.. those teams have die hard everywhere.

We have a lot of people.. but not people you can actually talk about the game. I was talking to a guy the other day that thought Dez was still on the team.

Its embarrassing actually.

 

[Diehardblues]

They get labeled bandwagon fans because the good majority dont have a clue about the team..

I look at the nfc north teams as examples.. those teams have die hard everywhere.

We have a lot of people.. but not people you can actually talk about the game. I was talking to a guy the other day that thought Dez was still on the team.

Its embarrassing actually.

Yep.. Even here locally a good chunk of fans are what I call casual.

They don’t watch all of the games and even when we are winning don’t follow as closely. They aren’t rooting for other teams and still want to win just not Diehard fans with as much priority investing as much time.

 

[stuckindc]

That hasn’t always been the case. I attended RFK in the 90’s and weren’t that many Cowboy fans.

Very true. The skins had just won their 3rd , and coming out of the 80's , their fan base was strong and for good reason. The Cowboys had just come out of the dreadful end of the 80's which was some of their worst as an organization. I think the 90's Cowboys started much of what we see now in DC.

 

[stuckindc]

They get labeled bandwagon fans because the good majority dont have a clue about the team..

I look at the nfc north teams as examples.. those teams have die hard everywhere.

We have a lot of people.. but not people you can actually talk about the game. I was talking to a guy the other day that thought Dez was still on the team.

Its embarrassing actually.

I think your point is right on and helps contribute to the hatred of the Cowboys fan's around the country. The know nothing loud mouths create the image of delusional and obnoxious. It's hard to have a conversation with any teams fans that fall into this category, let alone a Cowboys fan.

 

[StylisticS]

You want to talk bandwagon, look no further than 49er fans. That stadium was empty even last year. You could see entire section of red seats not occupied at games. Now, the stadium is full of people because of this season.

 

[StylisticS]

They get labeled bandwagon fans because the good majority dont have a clue about the team..

I look at the nfc north teams as examples.. those teams have die hard everywhere.

We have a lot of people.. but not people you can actually talk about the game. I was talking to a guy the other day that thought Dez was still on the team.

Its embarrassing actually.

That is also true. A skin fan actually did a video on this earlier this year and I was embarrassed that Cowboy fans had no clue about their own team.

 

[cowboy_ron]

I don't think "we" are bandwagon fans.

I think the term is reserved for all of the out-of-nowhere fans that show up when this team is winning.

Bingo, we have a winner.

 

[eromeopolk]

We're leading the league in attendance for the 10th year in a row. Granted, we have the biggest stadium, but I highly doubt most teams would get up to 90k+ every game if they had the capacity.

Meanwhile, compare us to Atlanta. They have a new world-class stadium and were in the Super Bowl three years ago, now look at them. The photo below was taken 2 minutes into the 1st quarter today.

I'm sick of hearing about how much we're bandwagoners. If anything, we are one of the most loyal fanbases in the NFL.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/attendance

When the band has played this song for almost 60 years its hard to just leave the wagon even if the drum major is off beat:
Championships
League championships (5)

• Super Bowl championships (5)
  1971 (VI), 1977 (XII), 1992 (XXVII), 1993 (XXVIII), 1995 (XXX)

Conference championships (10)

• NFL Eastern: 1966, 1967
• NFC: 1970, 1971, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1992, 1993, 1995

Division championships (24)

• NFL Eastern: 1966
• NFL Capitol: 1967, 1968, 1969
• NFC East: 1970, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1985, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2018

Playoff appearances (33)

• NFL: 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2018

Pro Football Hall of Famers
Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famers
Players
No. Name Position Seasons Inducted
26 Herb Adderley CB 1970–1972 1981
8 Troy Aikman QB 1989–2000 2006
73 Larry Allen G 1994–2005 2013
19 Lance Alworth WR 1971–1972 1978
89 Mike Ditka TE 1969–1972 1988
33 Tony Dorsett RB 1977–1987 1994
79 Forrest Gregg OT 1971 1977
94 Charles Haley DE 1992–1996 2015
22 Bob Hayes WR 1965–1974 2009
88 Michael Irvin WR 1988–1999 2007
74 Bob Lilly DT 1961–1974 1980
25 Tommy McDonald WR 1964 1998
81 Terrell Owens WR 2006-2008 2018
20 Mel Renfro CB 1964–1977 1996
21 Deion Sanders CB, KR 1995–1999 2011
22 Emmitt Smith RB 1990–2002 2010
81 Jackie Smith TE 1978 1994
12 Roger Staubach QB 1969–1979 1985
54 Randy White DT, LB 1975–1988 1994
70 Rayfield Wright OT 1967–1979 2006
Coaches and Contributors
Name Position Seasons Inducted
Gil Brandt Executive 1960–1988 2019
Jerry Jones Owner/Executive 1989–present 2017
Tom Landry Coach 1960–1988 1990
Bill Parcells Coach 2003–2006 2013
Tex Schramm President/GM 1960–1989 1991
Ring of Honor
No. Name Position Years With Club Inducted
74 Bob Lilly DT 1961–1974 November 23, 1975
17 Don Meredith QB 1960–1968 November 7, 1976
43 Don Perkins FB 1961–1968 November 7, 1976
54 Chuck Howley LB 1961–1973 October 30, 1977
20 Mel Renfro CB 1964–1977 October 25, 1981
12 Roger Staubach QB 1969–1979 October 9, 1983
55 Lee Roy Jordan LB, C 1963–1976 October 29, 1989
— Tom Landry Head Coach 1960–1988 November 7, 1993
33 Tony Dorsett RB 1977–1987 October 9, 1994
54 Randy White DT, LB, DE 1975–1988 October 9, 1994
22 Bob Hayes WR 1965–1974 September 23, 2001
— Tex Schramm General Manager 1959–1988 October 12, 2003
43 Cliff Harris S 1970–1979 October 10, 2004
70 Rayfield Wright OT 1967–1979 October 10, 2004
8 Troy Aikman QB 1989–2000 September 19, 2005
88 Michael Irvin WR 1988–1999 September 19, 2005
22 Emmitt Smith RB 1990–2002 September 19, 2005
88 Drew Pearson WR 1973–1983 November 6, 2011
94 Charles Haley DE 1992–1996 November 6, 2011
73 Larry Allen OG, OT 1994–2005 November 6, 2011
28 Darren Woodson S 1992–2004 November 1, 2015
29 Gil Brandt VP Player Personnel 1960–1988 November 29, 2018

Lately its been like the Titanic but THE BAND PLAYS ON!

 

[mattjames2010]

Every team that gets good eventually gets this label. Seahawks, Chiefs, and Browns are 3 teams that have recently got this label. Patriots used to as well.

I'm sure the Cowboys DID have bandwagon fans at one point, especially in the 70s and 90s. People like winners, they like cheering for teams that won't let them down. However, I'm sure those who initially hopped on the bandwagon in those decade stayed fans of the team. And that's the thing that people don't get, winning makes a team relevant which will draw in fans - that's you build a fan base, with a quality product.