# Is it OK to root for teams in the same league? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 21, 2013, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890 "2013-01-21T07:28:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/1 "2013-01-21T07:28:36Z")
…or not? Does it make a difference if they’re in different conferences (or NL/AL in baseball)? Is it acceptable as long as your rooting interest is much stronger for one of the teams? ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/2 "2013-01-21T07:45:46Z")
I don’t have a problem with it. You can root for whoever you want. Incidentally, I’m going for the 49ers in the Super Bowl even though they’re in the same conference and division as my favorite NFL team, the Seahawks. I spent some of my formative years in Northern California and back then the 49ers and the Raiders were my teams. However, when the 49ers and the Seahawks play each other now, I root for the Seahawks without hesitation. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/3 "2013-01-21T07:49:23Z")
It is common for SEC fans to root for other SEC teams against any non-SEC opponents. Has been for as long as I can remember. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/4 "2013-01-21T15:32:37Z")
Why would it make a difference? I love the Chargers and the Colts. I root for both teams unless they are playing each other then, well, sorry Colts. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/5 "2013-01-21T15:55:54Z")
I can’t enjoy watching a game unless I’m rooting for one side or the other, even if my allegiance to that team is only for that night. If I were only allowed to root for one team in each league, the vast majority of sports would get very boring for me. This is especially the case since several of my favorite teams happen to really, really suck. If I restricted myself to only rooting for the Browns in football, what would I pin my hopes on in the post-season? But as it is, once the Browns are eliminated, I can carry on with rooting for the Steelers and the Packers, who generally do actually have a chance of winning the Superb Owl. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/6 "2013-01-21T16:21:30Z")
I was raised a Red Sox fan in Massachusetts and they will always be my #1 team, but during the 13 years I lived in Chicago I developed a soft spot for the White Sox and attended many games there. So now I always root for the Pale Sox, except when they are playing the Carmines. It’s sort of the same in the NFL - I’m a Pats fan at heart but I’ve been living in Nashville since before the Titans got here and I usually root for them, unless they’re up against New England. It’s been a while since the Titans have challeneged for a playoff spot so there hasn’t been any conflict. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/7 "2013-01-21T20:48:53Z")
The Packers have always been my team, but I’ve usually had one or two other NFL teams that I’d consider to be my “second” team. I liked the Cardinals in the 1970s and 1980s (behind Jim Hart, then Neil Lomax), and the Joe Montana-era 49ers\*. I’ve also always liked the Seahawks, though I’ve been having a hard time this year, forgiving them after the [Immaculate Interception](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Packers%E2%80%93Seahawks_officiating_controversy). \*- Particularly in the mid-to-late 80s, when the Packers, under Forrest Gregg, were a bunch of thugs and felons. It was embarrassing to be a Packer fan in those days. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/8 "2013-01-21T22:46:49Z")
I like to root for all teams everywhere, equally. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/9 "2013-01-21T22:54:58Z")
I cannot for the life of me understand how anyone could get excited enough about a ball game to root for even one team, let alone two, but feel free. Just keep the [expletive deleted] noise down, over there… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/10 "2013-01-21T23:05:51Z")
Of course. I root for the Dodgers, Padres, Rockies, and Diamondbacks, in that order. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/11 "2013-01-21T23:18:09Z")
As long as it’s never the Yankees, root for as many teams as you want. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/12 "2013-01-22T00:19:21Z")
I do it in hockey. I root for the Penguins (my real team) and the BlueJackets (my current city). When they play, I root for the Penguins. If they were in the same conference, I don’t think I could root for both. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/13 "2013-01-23T05:58:56Z")
I root for the Big Ten in college sports (although maybe not OSU) and the National League (who play real baseball 😉 ) in the MLB. I’m not quite as partisan with the NFL, although I do tend to root for other teams (I’m a Bears fan) in the NFC North. This is rather unusual, as generally in the NFL, from my experience, divisional rivalries are quite fierce. Yes, I will root for the Packers if they’re the last NFC North team left, although not this year (I was a little pissed at them for losing to the Vikings the last game.) This fact will disqualify me from true Bears fandom in the eyes of most Bears fan. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/14 "2013-01-23T07:49:33Z")
What is this “teams” stuff? Pick a team and stick with it. Now, in the event of your team being out of it, you can of course pick the lesser of the two evils, or to be more precise the team you despise less. For instance, I favor the Niners in the Super Bowl because I would rather have my throat slit than see the Ravens and Murderin’ Ray get another ring, but that’s the extent of it. Under any other circumstances I’d like to see the Niners get beat so badly that the owners folded the team out of shame. But having more than one team? Incomprehensible. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/15 "2013-01-24T01:07:37Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > As long as it’s never the Yankees, root for as many teams as you want. +1000 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/16 "2013-01-24T02:42:35Z")
**Airman Doors** , having “teams” is not necessarily inconsistent with having “a team”. By way of example: I will clearly and unambiguously root for the Browns over any other team. I have picked the Browns, and I stick with them. However, I will then also clearly and unambiguously root for the Steelers over any other team _except for the Browns_. And I’ll likewise root for the Eagles over anyone but the Browns or the Steelers, and so on. At some point, there’s a sort of fuzzy middle to my list, where whom I’m rooting for can be swayed by things like the group I’m watching the game with. And yes, eventually you also get down to the bottom of the list, where there are teams I’ll clearly root against. But there are still multiple teams I’ll root for. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-root-for-teams-in-the-same-league/647890/17 "2013-01-24T04:48:36Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > What is this “teams” stuff? Pick a team and stick with it. Can I at least have one per sport?