8 out of 10 aren't even from Pennsylvania

**Durango46** · 11-11-2011, 10:41 PM

Was reading the Steelernation message boards today and happen to notice most of there fans arent even from PA...

Arizona
Florida
Canton Md
Tacoma Park
Wisconsin...lol
Northern VA
NJ
NY
Ohio (many)

front runners all over the place

**Mista T** · 11-12-2011, 06:51 AM

Should be no surprise. Checks out license plates of cars and busses in the stadium lots during Steelers games here: few Pennsylvania plates, and most of them also sport Ravens stickers or flags. Most Steelers fans attending games in our stadium come from metro Baltimore or DC.

These are not necessarily all bandwaggoners or frontrunners; many come from families which have emigrated from Western Pennsylvania.

**Kevlar** · 11-12-2011, 08:22 AM

Massive layoffs in the Steel industry in the 70's and 80's led to a big western PA migration. I wouldn't be too sure that a lot of them aren't originally from the area. Or thier parents/grandparents were.

**DkBlue** · 11-12-2011, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Durango46

Was reading the Steelernation message boards today and happen to notice most of there fans arent even from PA...

Arizona
Florida
Canton Md
Tacoma Park
Wisconsin...lol
Northern VA
NJ
NY
Ohio (many)

front runners all over the place

Not sure that means much. I was transferred to Florida by my company but kept my season tickets almost ten years and flew back for games. It is a mobile society.

**PeterB58** · 11-12-2011, 12:01 PM

I wouldn't necessarily say Steeler fans are "front-runners"...over the last 40 years, the Steelers have only had one real dry-spell in terms of making the playoffs: the mid-80s to early-90s. And even then, their teams were competitive. They never have had the continuous 1-4 win seasons that can test a fanbase's faith.

The only thing that peeves me (and it is my own pet peeve) is when there are a large presence of Steeler fans at an away game and the announcer says, "No other fan base in the NFL travels like Steeler fans travel." When in fact, I would suspect that most of the Steeler fans are in reality local to the area, and didn't travel at all.

Credit to the Steelers for building that national following over the last 4 decades, no doubt. But it minimizes the fact that when there are large number of Ravens fans at Jacksonville, Tennessee, Miami, etc....I guarantee you that 95% of those fans actually did get on an airplane (or in a bus/car) to go and support their team.

Just wish the announcers would say, "Not many other teams in the NFL have the national following than that of the Steelers." As opposed to making the (inaccurate, imo) claim that their fanbase "travels well".

Again, just a pet peeve of mine...

**Durango46** · 11-12-2011, 12:02 PM

Hey DKBlue,

Do you read those boards ? First time for me. I was kinda shocked, you always hear how Steeler Nation is the greatest. Not so over there anyway.

I know some of the Steeler fans on here and at talkbaltimoresun would complain about how Raven fans talk shit about the Steelers. And I know it does happen.

But...

The hatred over there is well....off the charts. Way worse than 24x7 and the Sun.

Not to mention Steeler fans say we complain about officials....yeah okay. MIRROR
Needless to say that was my first and last visit there.

**Durango46** · 11-12-2011, 12:18 PM

Agreed the Steelers have built a first class organization. I would have to say one of the Top 5 in all of sports.

I respect there tradition...............but

No way I'm buying that there is that many transplants form Pittsburgh across the entire country.

Did you see the game @ Arizona ? Incredible the amount yellow rags that I saw in the stands. They were everywhere.

If I'm sitting in MY PAID for seat, in my hometowns stadium and that yellow rag is flying in my face the entire game.....I'd be pissed and would be forced into stepping up.

The arrogance by many of these steeler fans is over the top.
And they know exactly what their doing when they wave those rags in your face.

Sorry but it's not hard for me to see why their are more and more altercations with fans at many NFL games. Mix the emotion with alcohol and you got trouble

So many drunken fools out there....An NFL stadium is no place for young children. That's for sure. When I was younger I don't seem to remember it being this bad...

**DkBlue** · 11-12-2011, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Durango46

Hey DKBlue,

Do you read those boards ? First time for me. I was kinda shocked, you always hear how Steeler Nation is the greatest. Not so over there anyway.

I know some of the Steeler fans on here and at talkbaltimoresun would complain about how Raven fans talk shit about the Steelers. And I know it does happen.

But...

The hatred over there is well....off the charts. Way worse than 24x7 and the Sun.

Not to mention Steeler fans say we complain about officials....yeah okay. MIRROR
Needless to say that was my first and last visit there.

I have read that board and the Sun and there is enough stupid hatred in both places to illustrate that there are people on the internet that use the medium to express stupid hatred.

The bottom line is football is entertainment that we all get into yet some people make it the equivalent of war.

The "I hate you, hate your momna, hate your team, and hate your city" is stupid and we see it on all team's boards.

I live in Tampa now and have gone to some of their games and it is one of the worst arenas I have been in.

The last time the Steelers came here a sports talk station had a contest starting in the morning to see who could say the worst thing about the "Stupid Pittsburgh Steelers."

They had a beer tent in the parking lot. I took my ten year old son to the game and it got ugly.

The saving grace was sacking Brad Johnson 11 times and winning which is usually the best answer.

I know the players don't act this way toward each other.

**Kyle Cactus** · 11-13-2011, 06:55 PM

The other factor to consider is that message boards can attract a lot of out of town fans, since they don't have as many local fans to chat about their favorite team with. Combine that with the Steelers success and the west PA migration and that probably explains it.

**Complex** · 11-13-2011, 10:47 PM

I am not from PA. Most of my family, and my wife's family are from PA. Don't forget, PA is a much larger state than Maryland. Maryland fans have to split the Redskins and Ravens, and even to an extent the Eagles as many move a little south to MD.

And, what does it matter? Fans are fans, no?

**Kevlar** · 11-14-2011, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by DkBlue

The bottom line is football is entertainment that we all get into yet some people make it the equivalent of war.

The "I hate you, hate your momna, hate your team, and hate your city" is stupid and we see it on all team's boards.

I know the players don't act this way toward each other.

That is the kicker. All these teams are franchises under the NFL umbrella. Most ignorant NFL fans are too dumb to even know what a franchise is or how it operates. Hell half of them probably can't even spell it.

All of the teams share revenue, follow the same collective bargaining agreement, and operate by league rules. I don't get the hate, without Pittsburgh and the other teams it would be kind of hard for the Ravens to play games on Sunday.

And please don't forget, its just a game.

**DkBlue** · 11-14-2011, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by Kevlar

That is the kicker. All these teams are franchises under the NFL umbrella. Most ignorant NFL fans are too dumb to even know what a franchise is or how it operates. Hell half of them probably can't even spell it.

All of the teams share revenue, follow the same collective bargaining agreement, and operate by league rules. I don't get the hate, without Pittsburgh and the other teams it would be kind of hard for the Ravens to play games on Sunday.

And please don't forget, its just a game.

Well said.