How many more people will now become City fans?

[ThreesKompany]

As for Baseball, I was attracted to the Cubs (and even celebrated my 50th birthday at Wrigley Fields in 2014) essentially because the old hopeless and jinxed team sounded so reminiscent of City in the 80s and 90s.
It was never the same once they started winning things.

I'm sorry you picked the Cubs. My parents grew up on the South Side and I have always been a White Sox fan. It was with that perspective that Man City was so attractive to me when searching out a team. Second team in big city that lacked the bandwagon fans of United.

 

[Middedon]

Excellent post. Hope you get the chance to come over to Manchester to see a game,

We saw City play at Chelsea this fall and while not Manchester it was still amazing. We were seated right next to the away section so felt like we were with you. I can’t really describe what its like (without seeming terribly cheesy) to see people you’ve watched on TV for years play in person. We were only a few rows back and could hear and see so well. Magical seems trite, but it was. When Ederson came to warm up my 9 yo just kept saying, “I can’t believe it’s him.” We want to come to the Etihad next year - but I want to sit with some long term fans so I have the full experience! City needs to sell that as a hospitality package - sit with someone to teach us out of towners the songs!

 

[BongoBlue]

@BongoBlue - We were at Fan Fest too. It was fun.

And yes, lots more jerseys these days. Messi and Haaland are the faves among my 9 yos set. Ronaldo is finally going away. I always buy jerseys (knockoffs) as birthday gifts for my son’s friends - so i always buy them City! DeBruyne and Alvarez popular. A few Gvardiol Croatia after the WC (mask+cool jersey is kid heaven). Handful of Liverpool and AC Milan. According to them Rags are not a big club so no one wants them!

Haha....nice one! Love hearing that.

Good for you for keeping the City flag flying there...:)

 

[Otamendi's Beard]

Can't take everything off social numbers but that says a lot. The club is also the 2nd most followed football team in the world on WhatsApp (which only launched around Sep '23) - only behind Madrid.

 

[Felix.]

Every lad supports City in my daughters class including my mates son and he's a massive Rag.

As somebody has said Haaland has proper tipped the balance as has our success. Jack definitely has more female fans following us.

More money in those tills at the Arndale.

I don't understand how anyone would let their kids support a different team to their own, if my kid became a rag, he'd be out the door...

 

[Felix.]

I've been seeing a lot more city shirts in France since we've won the treble, I saw a lad wearing last years shirt a few weeks ago so I went up to him and said something like "Yes mate come on city" he had no clue. A lot of these "fans" don't actually care about the club they just want the success then they move onto the next winning club

 

[Beaker]

I don't understand how anyone would let their kids support a different team to their own, if my kid became a rag, he'd be out the door...

When my lad was still a baby, my Mrs once asked me if he decides to support United would you take him to Old Trafford? I said not a fucking chance, get your uncles and cousins to take him because I won’t be going near the place. She said I was tight and childish.
As it transpired it was never an issue and he’s next to me for every game now.

 

[mancboy]

i think its a different connection if you have chose to become a fan , you have a different relationship with the club than if you were born and bred into it, neither is right or any better than the other its just a different connection, if you're old man was a city fan or your family or you grew up around them and its all you know then you form a different kind of bond , then if you have watched them and said yes i like city ill support them as i said none are better and all are welcome its just different and different is never a bad thing.

 

[mancboy]

When my lad was still a baby, my Mrs once asked me if he decides to support United would you take him to Old Trafford? I said not a fucking chance, get your uncles and cousins to take him because I won’t be going near the place. She said I was tight and childish.
As it transpired it was never an issue and he’s next to me for every game now.

i always remember back in the day my cousin decided to be a rebel and said he was going to support liverpool and my uncle said im not speaking to a son of mine if they are going to be a liverpool fan (my cousin was 11) and my uncle didnt, we all said come on hes only a kid and he'll come out of it but my uncle was adamant and flat out refused to speak to him, my cousin broke before my uncle did and is now a massive blue.

 

[Northblue]

I also think the whole idea of fandom is different in the US too! Maybe because people move around more and pro sports teams are more spread out? I grew up in the Midwest and there were a few pro sports team within 4-5 hours. So people end up supporting different ones, even if they live in the same area. And kids today tend to follow players more than teams. Don’t know if that’s the case in UK?

I also think a lot of European supporters are attracted to the older sports franchises - Sox, Cubs, Yankees, etc. Probably more visibility. That’s partially why I started supporting City. Always on TV! But I like your comment about misery loving company - my husband supports the Spurs because it’s like 1990s Red Sox.

Article - If you like American sports you might find this article interesting - as stupid as it sounds, I know a lot of US football supporters that picked their team based on this article almost 20 years ago.

That article was great, funny to think how different it would be if written today. The writer has Manchesters ‘vacation potential’ as a big fat N-O, yet the New York Times have just placed Manchester 12th on the best places in the world to visit in 2024 - the only English city listed!

I did find it strange how spurs seemed to have a surprisingly big following in the US, I wonder how much influence this article might have had?