Sixers vs. Flyers – the winner isn’t so clear

Today on WIP there was a discussion rating the four local sports teams on a scale from 1 to 10. It’s pretty predictable that the order was Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, and Sixers (way behind). One Flyers fan called in and gave his ranking and added the comment “the Sixers don’t even matter.”

Flyers fans seem to have a greater opinion of their team’s popularity than is true. The fact is most people in this town could care less about the Flyers. (To be honest, I’m one of them – I think professional hockey is barely ahead of professional soccer.) What the Flyers have is a rabid fan base, many of whom would put the Flyers one or two in their local loyalties – ahead of either the Phillies, Eagles, or both. There are more Sixers/NBA fans in this city – but most would say they simply like the Sixers.  They wouldn’t give their left nut for Sixers tickets. Flyers fans would go beyond the left one and give their right one, first born, and wife.

The Sixers have to work hard to get people in the doors, while the Flyers don’t; I blame a lot of that on the NBA. Number one they continue to market players as opposed to teams. If you’re one of those cities that doesn’t have one of the “IT” players, then there’s no excitement about your team. Number two: the officials continue to call a game that encourages one-on-one play over team play. Number three: the NBA draft combined with the salary cap basically create a system that keeps mediocre teams, mediocre.

All that said, the Sixers have the most room for growth in this city, while the Flyers have pretty much maximized what they can get. But any Flyers fan who thinks the Sixers don’t matter should realize that their team is one Sixers superstar away from being forgotten again.