So how are you dealing with the Bandwagon Fans?

[JaggedJimmyJay]

(02-11-2022, 12:16 PM)Interceptor Wrote: What? ChiefsPlanet has to be told a third time? I'm glad we get a chance to do that next season.

Beat the Rams Sunday and I can almost guarantee the Thursday Night NFL opener for 2022 is Chiefs @ Bengals.

[GAWhoDey]

There's no test or hazing ritual to become a fan of a team, if somebody is putting positive energy into my team, I'm all for it. More people to hug and high five, and hugs and high fives are my favorite.

[M.W.]

I set up a road block on a busy road near the sport bars. Nobody gets through with Bengals attire unless they can answer this question:

Who was Jeff Blake's two best WRs while playing for the Bengals?

Follow up question - and which college did Jeff Blake attend?

If they get it wrong I key their car and knock a tail light out.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

As long as they weren't Steelers fans, everyone is welcome.

[Interceptor]

(02-11-2022, 12:37 PM)M.W. Wrote: I set up a road block on a busy road near the sport bars.  Nobody gets through with Bengals attire unless they can answer this question:

Who was Jeff Blake's two best WRs while playing for the Bengals?

Follow up question - and which college did Jeff Blake attend?

If they get it wrong I key their car and knock a tail light out.

Those were supposed to be my boy Klingler's WRs..... 

[masonbengals fan]

Welcome them with open arms. WHO DEY !!!

[*Nately120*]

Meh, it's fine for now. Eventually it'll be hard to wade through all the "FIRE THE HC!" "RUN THA BAWWWLLLL" "BENCH BURROW!!!!!!" threads, but we all know who was here for the bad ol' days, right?

[Interceptor]

(02-11-2022, 12:50 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Meh, it's fine for now.  Eventually it'll be hard to wade through all the "FIRE THE HC!" "RUN THA BAWWWLLLL" "BENCH BURROW!!!!!!" threads, but we all know who was here for the bad ol' days, right?

Or the pre-historic days with that font nut and color-crazy BengurlSmasher.

[*pally*]

everyone starts off as a bandwagon fan. Some hang around as casual fans, some jump in with both feet and become die-hard, and some only show up in good times but heck as long as they show up it is still good

[BrownAssClown]

How about the flip side of the coin? All the crap we had taken through the bad years. Wearing our  stuff to places like Meijer or Kroger on game day getting snacks for the game and seeing more Steelers and Browns fans in the store than meager Bengals fans and getting laughed at too. Going to the game itself when Pittsburgh came to town and feeling like we were the visitors instead of the home team. As far as Bandwagon fans jumping on the wagon, I too say welcome  aboard, I just hope when and if things get rough again you stick around and show a little loyalty, not saying folks have to be blind homers, because I'm not one. I guess the best thing about winning is all the text, calls, and emails you receive from friends and family congratulating you on the Bengals current success, the best getting a call from my sister-in-law whom is a life long Saints fan saying, "You wear your Bengals shit every year, all through the year, you deserve this." I don't think deserve has anything to do with it, I really liked Mike Brown's humbleness when he accepted the AFC  championship trophy in KC  saying many teams were deserving of the award. Let's just hope we see him again Sunday night accepting the Lombardi trophy.   WhoDey!!!

[MileHighGrowler]

I love bandwagon fans. They're not coming in jaded from a history of abuse from the franchise. They know very little about the team or the city in many instances, and it's a chance to do a little edumucating.

My son's teacher saw me wearing a Bengals sweatshirt right after the first playoff game. She's late-40s, got all excited. "Ohh, I root for those guys!" I said oh year? She continues on about how she loves their quarterback, but can't remember his name, but was so excited because her family are all Nebraska fans and so the QB being from there made them all so happy. I just laughed. She had no idea what she was talking about, confusing Burrow and Zac. She didn't even know the Bengals were in Cincinnati. She was not an NFL fan by any standard. But she was excited and wanted to learn about the team. And that's the joy that some of the bandwagon / new fans bring that we lose after a while.

So bring 'em on board. Even if they never saw Darnay crack a long TD reception, they're okay in my book.

[Bengalpool]

Bandwagon fans? I've been more focused on the game. And besides, who wants to be THAT GUY. A gatekeeper of Bengal's fandom. No one gets to decide who roots for the Bengals. If we have "bandwagon fans", then we're doing something right.

[Johnny Cupcakes]

(02-11-2022, 11:14 AM)Big Boss Wrote: I'm not really big into gatekeeping. The more the merrier.

This. 100%. Gatekeeping nerds are the worst. I get it…everyone wants to feel like they were a part of things from day one, but in reality, everyone hopped on at some point.

Bring them all in. The more “bandwagon fans”, the better for the team, it’s players, and the city.

[Tony]

I don't think most of them are bandwagon. Fairweather yes . BANDWAGON, IDK?

[Tony]

(02-11-2022, 11:16 AM)jj22 Wrote: You take it in as apart of the moment. Hopefully this is the standard and they'll stick. I think a lot of these "fans" were closet fans anyway. A silent majority as they say in politics. It's the kids it's good to  see. We get them they'll be stuck Bengals fans like many of us around here are.

I hope it's not like when I was 8 years old in 88 all over again for them lol...

[Shake n Blake]

I won't give them a hard time, especially not here.

That said (since you asked), I can't force myself to respect it. Loyalty is big in my family. If you weren't around when times were tough, I can't respect you coming around for the feast.

I get that some bandwagon fans go on to become lifelong hard-core fans though. So in the long haul, it's good for the team, and comes with the territory with success.

If yall want to call that some buzzword like "gatekeeping", so be it.

[*Awful Llama*]

(02-11-2022, 01:00 PM)pally Wrote: everyone starts off as a bandwagon fan.  Some hang around as casual fans, some jump in with both feet and become die-hard, and some only show up in good times but heck as long as they show up it is still good

I would have to think that's probably pretty accurate.  Some here have expressed that they came onboard in the Shula years/1990s, but I can't see a large percentage of people establishing their fandom during the bad times. I myself started watching them in the late '70s but didn't come on board full time until the '81 SB run.  

So, some of these new fans will stick around permanently while some will hang for a year or two and then follow the next new shiny team. You may know such a person and one day you'll say, "I thought you were a Bengals fan?" and they'll reply "Well, yeah, I was until the Jags went 14-3 and beat the Bengals in the AFCCG and went to SB 59."  Such is fandom in all sports.  

[Tony]

(02-11-2022, 12:37 PM)M.W. Wrote: I set up a road block on a busy road near the sport bars.  Nobody gets through with Bengals attire unless they can answer this question:

Who was Jeff Blake's two best WRs while playing for the Bengals?

Follow up question - and which college did Jeff Blake attend?

If they get it wrong I key their car and knock a tail light out.

David Dunn and Michael Westbrook?

[Tony]

(02-11-2022, 12:34 PM)GAWhoDey Wrote: There's no test or hazing ritual to become a fan of a team, if somebody is putting positive energy into my team, I'm all for it.  More people to hug and high five, and hugs and high fives are my favorite.

There will be beatings.. They need to know our suffering first... Also, the beatings continue if you leave..

[basballguy]

I live in in the heart of Cowboy country.....I've been training for this weekend my whole life.