Larry Brown Sports

There’s a wicked crazy trend in sports that has been going on lately. It has less to do with the recent uptick in the consumption of Sam Adams, clam chowder, and the noticeable dropped “R’s” on many of the words in the English language than it does with the fact that, well, the city’s teams are … winning (to quote Ricky Vaughn’s likeness). Boston has, gasp, become the center of the sporting universe. The mere mention of such a sentence has caused fans from New York to Los Angeles to swear off eating baked beans, lobsters, and steamed clams for the rest of eternity.

In the last decade, Boston has laid claim to titles in each of the four major sports with the Celtics (2008), the once-hapless Red Sox (2004, 2007), the Patriots (2001, 2003, 2004), and, this season, hockey’s Bruins. Beantown’s success is enough to drive non-New Englanders, who wouldn’t know Plymouth Rock from a Pet Rock, to announce “Ich bin ein Bostoner.”

The northeastern United States has not seen this great a ride since Paul Revere sounded the alarm to every Middlesex village and farm. For those who have been thrown for a loop by American History Perplexed from Sarah Palin (different Tea Party), Revere was warning colonials about the incoming British. Unfortunately some Minnesota Twins fans are still convinced that the midnight ride was carried out by their centerfielder, Ben Revere. However, the closest thing the AL Central has to a monarch is the Royals, and the only thing they’ve successfully colonized is the bottom of the miserable division.

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Boston Red Sox President & CEO Larry Lucchino made an announcement during the fourth inning of the Red Sox-White Sox game Tuesday, letting fans know that the start time for Saturday’s game would be switched.

Instead of playing a night game against the A’s Saturday, the start time was moved to 1:10pm ET. The Red Sox are moving their start time up so Boston sports fans can attend the Red Sox game and still be able to watch the Boston Bruins later in the day. Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Bruins and Canucks starts at 8pm Eastern.

Lucchino says the team consulted the fans on the issue using social media and that over 90% of the responders suggested they move the start time of the game. Lucchino acknowledged “It’s not something we do lightly because we know we we’ll still be inconveniencing some fans,” but he hopes to make it up to them down the line if the conflict is severe.

The reason why we’re making a point to post this story is because it’s just an awesome and considerate gesture by the Red Sox. This is an organization that understands its fan base and is trying to cater to them. Boston fans were rated the most loyal in sports, and Bruins fans are hard core in particular (they’ll prank you or flip you off). Making them choose between the Bruins and Sox really would be difficult, and luckily the Red Sox are doing their best to eliminate the decision.

I can’t tell you how many times in Los Angeles (where I’m based) important Dodgers and Lakers games conflict, making viewers choose between the two. I even remember a Sunday night in the past when the Chargers had a big game on Sunday Night Football while the Padres had an equally important game (I believe the playoffs), and the start times fractured the San Diego audience. Any time an organization goes this far out of its way to work with the fans we want to recognize it. Nice job by the Red Sox, and hopefully other tams take note and follow their lead.

Boston sports fans are similar to New York and Philly sports fans in that they’re very passionate and widely disliked because of it. But if there is one quality that Boston sports fans have it’s that they’re extremely loyal. Brand Keys conducted its annual sports loyalty test and Patriots, Spurs, Phillies, and Red Wings fans all were number one in their respective sports. Hardball Talk via Philly Sports Daily noted that the positive ranking for Phillies fans was a nice contrast to GQ which named the Eagles and Phillies fans the meanest last week. But the thread that stood out most to me was that the fans of all four major sports teams in Boston were in the Top 5.

In the NFL, the Patriots fans were ranked as the most loyal ahead of the Steelers, Colts, Packers, and Jets in that order. Celtics fans were named the fourth most loyal, behind the Spurs, Lakers, and Mavs fans but ahead of the Suns. Red Sox fans were named third most loyal behind Phillies and Yankees fans, but ahead of Giants and Dodgers fans who were 4th and 5th. And in the NHL, Bruins fans were 5th most loyal behind the Red Wings, Flyers, Sharks and Canucks. Not all teams’ fans seemed to be included in the surveys, but it still gives us a pretty good idea of something we probably already knew, that Boston fans are enthusiastic and extremely loyal.

Anyway, getting back to Phillies fans, this is great news for their reputation. Most of us know them for horrendous antics like this, this, this, and this. Way to redeem yourselves, Phillies fans!