What if the Eagles Left Philadelphia?

 After reading Chapter 4 of the Brown & O'Rourke text, regarding the Cleveland Browns, it got me wondering how I would truly react if my favorite team (Philadelphia Eagles) announced they were relocating to somewhere like St. Louis. My fandom is not tied to the location of the team, but I do not think the Eagles would ever be the same if they were not in Philadelphia.

 As the text mentioned, the Cleveland Browns have an extremely loyal and passionate fanbase. I feel that the Eagles may be one of the few other teams in the league that could rival Cleveland's level of passion and loyalty. The text notes that there were protests around the nation due to the relocation. I can only imagine the protests if the Eagles left Philadelphia. Perhaps they would rise to a full-on riot.

We have learned that sports teams help people with their self-esteem and are a part of their identities. I feel that way about the Eagles, regardless of where they are located. With that said, I do not think there is any disputing that the Eagles would be looked at completely differently without being in Philadelphia. There are Eagles fans all over the country, but the heart and soul of the team is in Philly. The true "personality" of the team would drastically change, and perhaps the team would be viewed differently. Perhaps the "booing Santa Claus" stories would even eventually be forgotten!


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