There are two kinds of Pirate fans. People like me who grew up with the team, and actually saw them make the playoffs and win games… but also realize the grimness of the current situation. We’re the jaded, but just can’t bring ourselves to root for another team part of the fanbase.
And then there are the other fans who could care less about how bad they are and watch the games no matter what with the “We’ll get them next time” attitude. The Buccos could go 0-162 and they’ll still show up and tune in oblivious and happy. I have no idea why they do what they do, but these people are scary.
Because we have pride in Pittsburgh sports due to the Steelers and Penguins.
I’m a Buccos “fan” by default since I’m born and raised in Pittsburgh. (Some would say i bleed Black n Gold) i can’t bring myself to be a fan of another city’s team. No matter how shitty and embarrassing the Buccos are.
As lady Gaga once sang I was born this way
Fr
Because they’ve been my team since I started watching baseball as a kid. I dont care about their record at the end of the season if I’m being completely honest. Life goes on whether they’re horrible, good, mediocre. I have fun watching them and going to the games so that’s all that matters
Because they’re a legitimately historic team, because they’re woven into the fabric of this city, because winning isn’t everything, because you can understand that the ownership does not define a team, because there are still ways to be a fan even if you don’t want to financially support ownership, because you buc’n believe.
Born and raised a Pirates fan. I’m 49. Despite Nutting at this point. Only thing that would ever cause me to lose my fandom would be if they moved. If it ever came to that point I’d probably then just be a Guardians fan. I started following Cleveland in the mid-1980s when I was a kid.
I’m not going to just jump on a bandwagon of a great team.
Because I had family on both sides of the state and picked my teams when I was 6 years old: Steelers and Pirates for the Burgh, 76ers and Flyers for Philly. Never wavered despite that being in 2002 lol
Because all this suffering has to be for something. I’m also fairly confident I’ll outlive Bob Nutting.
I’ve always justified it as staying with the team through thick and thin. I still watch as many games as I can. I know, based on this owner’s philosophy, that even a .500 season may be out of reach. I also know that even if the league adopts a salary cap, Bob will find a way to maximize profit over spend. Regardless of all of these thoughts, I still see a desire for the team to be successful in the fandom and with players. Someday ole Bob will sell/step down. Those future good years will be much sweeter due to sticking with the team.
Finally there is a bit of freedom in knowing your team won’t amount to anything. There are many times when I’m pleasantly surprised. I will take that for now vs. what my brother-in-law goes through rooting for that other PA team.
They’re my team no matter what and I love them. I’m mostly tuned out by August but next!
Many people in my family are Red Sox or Phillies fans. When I was 7, I was a Blue Jays fan for some reason. Why did I have to pick the Pirates?
Because I love baseball and I am lucky enough to have a team in one of the best parks in the league that I can just go see any time during the spring/summer?
Because I’m forever trying to heal my childhood
This fanbase is truly unique. There are no bandwagon fans. The fair weather fans have jumped ship 20 years ago. Those of us left truly love this team even though this team doesn’t love us back. There will always be Pirate fans. They can’t kill us off no matter how bad ownership, front office, or the team is. The past 30 years, it has been easy to be a Penguins or Steelers fan. They don’t know hard times like we know hard times. I believe we will come out on the other side of this darkness, and be able to truly enjoy winning baseball once again in the best sports city in the country.
Why are there still cleve land browns fans ?
I was a fan in the Bonds/Bonilla era, and once the team fell apart I followed Bonilla ( my favorite player) and watched his teams games. Once he retired I pretty much stopped watching baseball. Then, in 2023 , I watched a few pirates games near the end of the season. I enjoyed watching baseball again, despite the pirates struggles. Even though im Canadian, so my default team should be the Blue Jays, im still a pirates fan.
Yeah I’m the first type. The optimism from year to year is something I don’t participate in. Or when they win a few games in a row in April. I fundamentally believe that this org and owners are incapable of anything. Above .500. So I simply don’t really care that much anymore. So much so that I don’t care what happens with skenes. I actually prefer they deal him because he’s being wasted.
I used to be super casual and jaded due to growing up in the 20 years of losing. Then rolled back into caring for the team *hard* when Skenes showed up.
Last season, his 1-0 losses just killed me. Now I’m pissed all over again.
Finally made it to ZERO Pirates games this year. No work outing. No family visits compelling me to PNC Park. Not a single dime spent on the Pirates this year!
I’ve crossed over to being an old man. I think that my fandom is most similar to a Brooklyn Dodger fan – more historical than current.
Bad teams do always have a myriad of things that are interesting, if not actually pleasing. I spent probably two months this summer trying to decode the day-to-day rotation of the six second basemen on the Indy roster. You don’t have that where management is competent.
I root for the city and think that’s where my fandom ultimately lies.
Weirdly enough, some people go to games only to pay attention when it’s the pierogi race, then back to talking amongst themselves.
Baseball used to be my favorite sport and the pirates have ripped it away from me…I barely pay attention at all ….
I usually go to 3-4 games a year but after this one I probably will head out a lot less
When we inevitably lose Skenes I’ll probably stop going all together. We all know hes going somewhere bigger eventually but it’s a real shame that they haven’t built a wild card capable team around the kid
An attendance drop is the only thing that’ll make any significant change there
Because its how I spent my childhood. Even though they stink now I still enjoy traveling to the city every summer (From Florida) and spending a week watching baseball and hanging in the city. Most of the season stinks but I was there for the Astros series and the Phillies sweep this year. It was an awesome weekend I got to spend with my 14 year old daughter who really enjoyed it as well. Its more than wins and loses, playoffs and titles. I love going to spring training (once again from Florida), its following players I like and its just in my blood I guess you could say. I unfortunately am passing this masochistic life to my daughter but she’s enjoys it too, even with shitty ownership and management.
Born in PGH and experienced two World Series wins in the 70’s. It was great. I will always be a fan but I’m sure I’ll never see another WS win.
Because we feking love baseball
I’m a 4th generation fan. Childhood memories. That’s about it.
My nephews tend to root for the Yankees and my brother isn’t interfering in that at all. So we might be the last.
I’ve been a Pirates fan for probably 15 years or so. In that time, I’ve supported them continuously, in a lot of different ways. I’ve been a STH. I’ve driven through rain and bad weather to get there. I’ve met a ton of incredible people at the park. Pittsburgh is an amazing city, with an incredible passionate fan base, and no doubt: has the BEST ballpark in MLB to watch a game at. I’ll die on that hill.
Early this season, I sort of had enough (after getting let down my account rep), and decided to pick another team to support, and I ended up picking the Jays (I’ve always supported them as a backup anyways). I live between the 2 cities anyways. And I can’t tell you how much fun this year has been as a result – especially this last couple of weeks. I can’t remember the last time I was GLUED to the tv watching a Pirates game caring so deeply about the outcome.
I still love the Buccs. I’ll always loves the Buccs. And I’ll still go to Buccs games from time to time to show my support. But the Jays performance have invigorated my love for the game all over again after feeling really let down. The bottom line is, you can still support a second team, and be a Buccs fan – it’s just too bad this organization makes its fans feel that way.
So… GO BUCCS! GO Jays too!
I’m from Pittsburgh and I like baseball. I really like following baseball, I get excited for opening day and I love that something is happening every day all summer. My friends still follow the Bucs. I still follow Pittsburgh sports media even though I live in South Carolina. I can go to a game when visiting family and friends back in Pittsburgh.
But, losing sucks. Seeing opportunity pass us by every day they don’t build around Skenes sucks.
But I don’t know who to follow instead. I don’t live in an MLB city. My “market” is Braves and I don’t want to follow the Braves. So … I would just be picking a team at random? Don’t want to pick too big like Yankees or Dodgers, so another small market? I just can’t imagine getting invested in some random team. And I really can’t imagine getting disappointed by some random team when I could have just stayed disappointed by the Pirates.
33 comments
I’ve got hi-igh hopes 🎶
There are two kinds of Pirate fans. People like me who grew up with the team, and actually saw them make the playoffs and win games… but also realize the grimness of the current situation. We’re the jaded, but just can’t bring ourselves to root for another team part of the fanbase.
And then there are the other fans who could care less about how bad they are and watch the games no matter what with the “We’ll get them next time” attitude. The Buccos could go 0-162 and they’ll still show up and tune in oblivious and happy. I have no idea why they do what they do, but these people are scary.
Because we have pride in Pittsburgh sports due to the Steelers and Penguins.
I’m a Buccos “fan” by default since I’m born and raised in Pittsburgh. (Some would say i bleed Black n Gold) i can’t bring myself to be a fan of another city’s team. No matter how shitty and embarrassing the Buccos are.
As lady Gaga once sang I was born this way
Fr
Because they’ve been my team since I started watching baseball as a kid. I dont care about their record at the end of the season if I’m being completely honest. Life goes on whether they’re horrible, good, mediocre. I have fun watching them and going to the games so that’s all that matters
Because they’re a legitimately historic team, because they’re woven into the fabric of this city, because winning isn’t everything, because you can understand that the ownership does not define a team, because there are still ways to be a fan even if you don’t want to financially support ownership, because you buc’n believe.
Born and raised a Pirates fan. I’m 49. Despite Nutting at this point. Only thing that would ever cause me to lose my fandom would be if they moved. If it ever came to that point I’d probably then just be a Guardians fan. I started following Cleveland in the mid-1980s when I was a kid.
I’m not going to just jump on a bandwagon of a great team.
Because I had family on both sides of the state and picked my teams when I was 6 years old: Steelers and Pirates for the Burgh, 76ers and Flyers for Philly. Never wavered despite that being in 2002 lol
Because all this suffering has to be for something. I’m also fairly confident I’ll outlive Bob Nutting.
I’ve always justified it as staying with the team through thick and thin. I still watch as many games as I can. I know, based on this owner’s philosophy, that even a .500 season may be out of reach. I also know that even if the league adopts a salary cap, Bob will find a way to maximize profit over spend. Regardless of all of these thoughts, I still see a desire for the team to be successful in the fandom and with players. Someday ole Bob will sell/step down. Those future good years will be much sweeter due to sticking with the team.
Finally there is a bit of freedom in knowing your team won’t amount to anything. There are many times when I’m pleasantly surprised. I will take that for now vs. what my brother-in-law goes through rooting for that other PA team.
They’re my team no matter what and I love them. I’m mostly tuned out by August but next!
Many people in my family are Red Sox or Phillies fans. When I was 7, I was a Blue Jays fan for some reason. Why did I have to pick the Pirates?
Because I love baseball and I am lucky enough to have a team in one of the best parks in the league that I can just go see any time during the spring/summer?
Because I’m forever trying to heal my childhood
This fanbase is truly unique. There are no bandwagon fans. The fair weather fans have jumped ship 20 years ago. Those of us left truly love this team even though this team doesn’t love us back. There will always be Pirate fans. They can’t kill us off no matter how bad ownership, front office, or the team is. The past 30 years, it has been easy to be a Penguins or Steelers fan. They don’t know hard times like we know hard times. I believe we will come out on the other side of this darkness, and be able to truly enjoy winning baseball once again in the best sports city in the country.
Why are there still cleve land browns fans ?
I was a fan in the Bonds/Bonilla era, and once the team fell apart I followed Bonilla ( my favorite player) and watched his teams games. Once he retired I pretty much stopped watching baseball. Then, in 2023 , I watched a few pirates games near the end of the season. I enjoyed watching baseball again, despite the pirates struggles. Even though im Canadian, so my default team should be the Blue Jays, im still a pirates fan.
Yeah I’m the first type. The optimism from year to year is something I don’t participate in. Or when they win a few games in a row in April. I fundamentally believe that this org and owners are incapable of anything. Above .500. So I simply don’t really care that much anymore. So much so that I don’t care what happens with skenes. I actually prefer they deal him because he’s being wasted.
I used to be super casual and jaded due to growing up in the 20 years of losing. Then rolled back into caring for the team *hard* when Skenes showed up.
Last season, his 1-0 losses just killed me. Now I’m pissed all over again.
Finally made it to ZERO Pirates games this year. No work outing. No family visits compelling me to PNC Park. Not a single dime spent on the Pirates this year!
I’ve crossed over to being an old man. I think that my fandom is most similar to a Brooklyn Dodger fan – more historical than current.
Bad teams do always have a myriad of things that are interesting, if not actually pleasing. I spent probably two months this summer trying to decode the day-to-day rotation of the six second basemen on the Indy roster. You don’t have that where management is competent.
I root for the city and think that’s where my fandom ultimately lies.
Weirdly enough, some people go to games only to pay attention when it’s the pierogi race, then back to talking amongst themselves.
Baseball used to be my favorite sport and the pirates have ripped it away from me…I barely pay attention at all ….
I usually go to 3-4 games a year but after this one I probably will head out a lot less
When we inevitably lose Skenes I’ll probably stop going all together. We all know hes going somewhere bigger eventually but it’s a real shame that they haven’t built a wild card capable team around the kid
An attendance drop is the only thing that’ll make any significant change there
Because its how I spent my childhood. Even though they stink now I still enjoy traveling to the city every summer (From Florida) and spending a week watching baseball and hanging in the city. Most of the season stinks but I was there for the Astros series and the Phillies sweep this year. It was an awesome weekend I got to spend with my 14 year old daughter who really enjoyed it as well. Its more than wins and loses, playoffs and titles. I love going to spring training (once again from Florida), its following players I like and its just in my blood I guess you could say. I unfortunately am passing this masochistic life to my daughter but she’s enjoys it too, even with shitty ownership and management.
Born in PGH and experienced two World Series wins in the 70’s. It was great. I will always be a fan but I’m sure I’ll never see another WS win.
Because we feking love baseball
I’m a 4th generation fan. Childhood memories. That’s about it.
My nephews tend to root for the Yankees and my brother isn’t interfering in that at all. So we might be the last.
I’ve been a Pirates fan for probably 15 years or so. In that time, I’ve supported them continuously, in a lot of different ways. I’ve been a STH. I’ve driven through rain and bad weather to get there. I’ve met a ton of incredible people at the park. Pittsburgh is an amazing city, with an incredible passionate fan base, and no doubt: has the BEST ballpark in MLB to watch a game at. I’ll die on that hill.
Early this season, I sort of had enough (after getting let down my account rep), and decided to pick another team to support, and I ended up picking the Jays (I’ve always supported them as a backup anyways). I live between the 2 cities anyways. And I can’t tell you how much fun this year has been as a result – especially this last couple of weeks. I can’t remember the last time I was GLUED to the tv watching a Pirates game caring so deeply about the outcome.
I still love the Buccs. I’ll always loves the Buccs. And I’ll still go to Buccs games from time to time to show my support. But the Jays performance have invigorated my love for the game all over again after feeling really let down. The bottom line is, you can still support a second team, and be a Buccs fan – it’s just too bad this organization makes its fans feel that way.
So… GO BUCCS! GO Jays too!
I’m from Pittsburgh and I like baseball. I really like following baseball, I get excited for opening day and I love that something is happening every day all summer. My friends still follow the Bucs. I still follow Pittsburgh sports media even though I live in South Carolina. I can go to a game when visiting family and friends back in Pittsburgh.
But, losing sucks. Seeing opportunity pass us by every day they don’t build around Skenes sucks.
But I don’t know who to follow instead. I don’t live in an MLB city. My “market” is Braves and I don’t want to follow the Braves. So … I would just be picking a team at random? Don’t want to pick too big like Yankees or Dodgers, so another small market? I just can’t imagine getting invested in some random team. And I really can’t imagine getting disappointed by some random team when I could have just stayed disappointed by the Pirates.