Atlanta fans have bad reputation for supporting their teams
Jan 11, 2013, 5:12 AM | Updated: 9:33 am
Atlanta fans have one of the worst reputations in the nation. They don't show up for games. They don't support their teams. (AP Photo/File)
(AP Photo/File)
There are still thousands of tickets available for Sunday’s playoff game in Atlanta. If that game were in Seattle, you wouldn’t be able to find a ticket.
So what’s up with Falcons’ fans?
Ticket brokers say there just isn’t a big buzz over this game. Tickets are being sold below face value on Stubhub and the NFL ticket exchange.
That would never happen for a playoff game in Seattle.
Do Falcons’ fans expect to lose? Are they not jumping on the bandwagon until the team wins a playoff game, something it hasn’t done in a while? What?
Atlanta fans have one of the worst reputations in the nation. They don’t show up for games. They don’t support their teams. Forbes even named Atlanta the most miserable sports town in America in 2012.
Michael Collins is the NFL Network manager for Rant Sports in Atlanta. He said don’t you believe it. Atlanta fans are loyal.
“They are passionate about their teams,” he said. “They might seem laid-back, but that’s just the southern way of life. Believe me when I tell you that you don’t want to get the dander up from somebody who’s a passionate sports fan here in Atlanta.”
So why is it that every time I turn on an Atlanta game I never see anyone in the seats, especially at Falcons or Braves games? Collins’ answer to that.
“The arenas here in Atlanta can sometimes be very difficult to get to,” he said. “Traffic in the city is very, very bad, and it can make it a tough job to get to the arenas.”
Now to give Atlanta a little bit of a pass on this, Major League Baseball always seems to schedule Braves games in the middle of the afternoon. Hard to fill those seats even when the team is hot.
Collins said Atlanta fans do show for the big games, like Sunday, and the Georgia Dome will be rocking.
“Bottom line, the game will be sold out,” he said. “Without a doubt that dome will be sold out and packed on Sunday.”
And remember how I said Forbes ranked Atlanta as the most miserable sports city in America? Do you know who’s number 2 on that list?
Seattle.
