Do you know any fans that have bailed on the team?

[CF DolFan]

Please don't start ... "that's not a true fan". Fans come in all shapes and sizes and i mean that metaphorically. There isn't really any way to differentiate the degree of "fandom" between a person who watches games on TV whenever they can versus those that travel hours, including flying in, to all home games. I assure you I know people who spend tens of thousands a dollars a year on the Dolphins who are losing interest.

I say this because I live in the Orlando area. In general we have been a Dolphins base for as long as I can remember. The Bucs started catching up when Dungy/Gruden were there but obviously that has simmered down. Jacksonville has never really caught on. Now, with all three teams being in the dirt for so long, I belive that if one of them takes off that it will not be hard for others in Central Florida to change their allegiance. We are starved of a great football program and most "fans" aren't even old enough to remember the glory days.

After a few weeks of this past year I noticed no one cared. No one wanted to catch the game. People who have more invested in the Dolphins than I were finding reasons not to watch the games.  Since there is really nothing to identify with any longer other than a logo I think it will be a rough road ahead for the Dolphins as far as their fan base.

[Phishfan]

I really don't know any local people who have stopped caring. They guys I watch with on Sundays are still watching on Sundays. The only person I know of that has bailed in recent years moved out of state.

[masterfins]

When the product has been bad for so many years the problem becomes that you are not attracting new fans to the team.  Need some playoff runs and a Super Bowl to really boost the fan base.

[Tenshot13]

My Dad was a big Dolphins fan.  Turns out he was more of a Marino fan.  When he retired, he became a Bucs fan.

[Brian Fein]

If you ask me, if you can switch allegiances that easily, you were never a fan to begin with.

Sometimes I think half the people on this forum have bailed on the team.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

If you ask me, if you can switch allegiances that easily, you were never a fan to begin with.

Disagree.  Sounds like Tenshots dad was a fan.  Just not a fan of the team, a fan of the QB. 

There are a whole bunch of fans of Peyton Manning, not Colts fans but Peyton fans.

And even more Tim Tebow fans.  Fans of Tebow, not the Broncos.  Doesn't make them non-fans.  Just makes them fans of a player.  Nothing wrong with that.  Not my style, but nothing wrong with it.   

[Dave Gray]

Yes.  I was friends with a guy named Mike who was a pretty big Fins fan when we were younger and we would watch the games together.  He moved away to Jacksonville when he was in his young 20s, but still pretty established as a fan.  We didn't really keep in touch, but he found me on Facebook and I noticed that he's now a Jags fan.

[Phishfan]

Disagree.  Sounds like Tenshots dad was a fan.  Just not a fan of the team, a fan of the QB. 

There are a whole bunch of fans of Peyton Manning, not Colts fans but Peyton fans.

And even more Tim Tebow fans.  Fans of Tebow, not the Broncos.  Doesn't make them non-fans.  Just makes them fans of a player.  Nothing wrong with that.  Not my style, but nothing wrong with it.   

To be honest, I think we we discuss fans in this context, we are discussing fans of the team. Yes you have fans of a team and fans of a player. This discussion is about fans of the team.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Yes.  I was friends with a guy named Mike who was a pretty big Fins fan when we were younger and we would watch the games together.  He moved away to Jacksonville when he was in his young 20s, but still pretty established as a fan.  We didn't really keep in touch, but he found me on Facebook and I noticed that he's now a Jags fan.

I can see how that could happen pretty easily.  While I have never switched teams when I moved, I have added teams.  Although they were all college teams and minor league teams that rarely competed with existing teams I rooted for.

For me to switch teams would probably require me to have access to season tickets.   

[mecadonzilla]

I don't live in Florida anymore, but all the fans I know outside the state are true blue (or aqua) fans until the bitter end types.  If you have to actively seek out the games to watch and get as much info from the internet as you can, it sort of weeds out the non-believers.

Can't speak for all, but I'm not close to bailing...I'm just hungry for something other than gruel being served on Sundays by my fav team.

[Sunstroke]

I've never changed my favorite teams...they remain the same as they were when I was a kid: SF 49ers, SD Padres, Phoenix Suns

I have "cheered for" other teams though. When I lived in Seattle, I had season tickets at least once for the Sonics, Seahawks and Mariners, but when people asked me how long I'd been a Mariners fan, I'd always lay some version of "I'm not really a Mariners fan, but since I live here now, I've adopted them as a second team" type of statement. Same with going in on the Heat season tickets with Dave, Fausto and some of the locals back in 2006. I'm not a Heat fan, but unless they're facing the Suns, I pretty much always cheer for the Heat.

[Brian Fein]

I feel like if I moved to, say, St. Louis...  I'd still be a Dolphins fan, but I'd probably have some home-team love for the Rams too.  I can't say that I'd abandon the team that I have been obsessed with for 30+ years just because the stadium is more than 100 miles away.

[Phishfan]

I became a Dolphins fan when I didn;t live in Florida. I don't think moving is a reason fro switching alliances, especially in today's world.

[Dave Gray]

The Dolphins are a hard one to talk about because clearly, we're all really invested.  I can't see myself ever having a team surpass the Phins, but I can see myself picking up another team to route for in the NFC, if I moved to New Orleans or something.

But take a team that I like, like the Marlins or Panthers....I can see jumping to a team in a new city if I moved, because I'm not hardcore about it.  I kinda like them out of convenience and because it's what in my sphere at the moment.

[el diablo]

I became a fan forevermore in '84. The only way that changes is if the team moves.