When the Penguins smashed the Coyotes the other night, and hearing the fans support on television for the Penguins inside Jobing.com arena, it started me thinking (never a good thing) –

How do teams generate loyalty? Is it time? Is it winning? Is it the team's involvement in the community? Is it all the above?

I moved to Arizona 19 months ago from the steamy peninsula of Florida to the dry heat of the desert southwest. One year prior to us leaving Florida, the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup and my wife and I could not have been more thrilled.

At that time, I wondered what would happen to our hockey viewing habits. Would we become enmeshed with the local team or be "those guys" that only see the games when their out-of-state team was in town?

When Keith Ballard took on Vinny Lecavalier in an altercation last year, and I found myself rooting for Ballard to take him out, I had my answer.

I am now a Phoenix Coyotes fan.

I used to be a P.A. announcer for the Brevard County Manatees in 2001. The Manatees were an affiliate of the Florida Marlins and through Spring Training along with the ensuing season, I learned about the business of baseball.

The conversation in the press box was fun, especially during rain delays, where the scorekeeper, the sound engineer and I would talk about what makes a sports fan. We were all in agreement. If one lived in an area where there were pro-sports, supporting the local team was vitally important and marked a true fan. When I offered that it was okay to cheer for another team if you lived there before moving, the scorekeeper said, "Don't be those guys. If you must, cheer for your former team, but supporting the home team is the only way to go."

Since he was from New York, I asked him, "Mets or Yankees."

Without missing a beat he said, "Marlins."

I don't mind if fans of the opposing team are in the building – those that follow hockey are devoted, passionate fans. However, actively deriding the hometown team in a loss is pretty disgusting in my book and I have seen that twice already with regards to the Coyotes, first with the Red Wings and more recently with the Penguins.

So, what is the answer? Why aren't more fans supporting the home-based franchise?

It might be time – as the Coyotes have only been here ten years.

Winning might be an issue, but during the early start of the hockey club in Phoenix, they had six consecutive .500 seasons – not many teams that have a ten year tenure can say that (note: I know that if I counted the Winnipeg Jets years, the franchise has many more years in existence, but that's for a future rant. Jets fans are going to be pretty surprised with my view point).

It can't be community involvement as the Coyote players give their time and energy to participate in charitable events, visit children's hospitals, partner with local businesses to raise money and awareness of worthwhile causes, and create opportunities to interact with the fans.

So what is it then? What more do the Coyotes need to do to create fan loyalty?

Original post by PB and software by Elliott Back

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