Cleveland Guardians fans embody unwavering loyalty and deep community ties, sharing a rich tradition of supporting their team through every high and low.

CLEVELAND — A love for the city, a family tradition, and a commitment to show up year after year. Fans at the home opener said that’s what defines a Guardians fan.

More than 36,000 people packed Progressive Field Friday afternoon to watch the Guards take down the Chicago Cubs 4-1. 3News got a chance to speak with a number of them, and we asked them all the same question: “What makes a Guardians fan?”

“Somebody that loves Cleveland,” Noah Norcross answered. “You known, ‘Guards Ball’ is gritty. ‘Guards Ball’ is, ‘You fight for every inch.’ It embodies the city of Cleveland.”

That identity shows up no matter the moment.

“You know what, we’re just ride or die no matter what,” Catherine Haller said. “No matter what the season, we are ride or die.”

As the game unfolded, fans held onto that belief despite going into the fifth inning without a run.

“The guy behind us, he’s sitting there and he’s like, ‘You know, we’re going to pull it together,'” Charles Thomas said. “Everybody kind of has that same opinion when it comes to the Guards right now. Like, one way or another, they’re going to figure it out, it seems.”

When asked “What makes a Guardians fan?” the Thomas answered, “A lot of faith.”

Inside the ballpark, fans pointed to more than the game.

“I think baseball is awesome. It don’t matter what culture you is: Look at all that!” Flame On Solo said of the atmosphere in the stadium. “There’s a lot of cultures in there getting along, bro. That’s why we here.”

For many, the connection runs deep.

“I grew up here my whole life — 1997 to now,” Kayla Pitman said. Guardians fan till I die.”

For many, it stretches across teams and time.

“I’m a Cleveland fan for everything — Browns, Guardians, Cavs, Monsters, Buckeyes, all that,” Jayce Bailey said.

For others, it continues as a tradition.

“Me, my dad, and my grandpa go every year,” Caleb Mahl told us.

That consistency brings fans back year after year.

“You come to the home openers — rain or shine, snow or sleet — and you just cheer on the team, win or lose,” Jen Dean said. “But today, we won.”

For those in the stands, being a Guardians fan does not begin or end with a single game — it shows up in where they come from, who they show up with, and why they keep coming back.