Fans Jump On Bandwagon As Miami Heats Up The Finals
MIAMI (CBS4) - The Miami Heat's NBA Finals run certainly has captivated the fans in South Florida.
With the heat on their way to game 5, fans are going wild and it is attracting a lot of attention.
Everyone likes to be with a winner and the Miami Heat store is packed with "new fans," what many in Miami refer to as bandwagon fans.
New Miami Heat fan, Ken Alvarez, had no shame in admitting his recent support of the team.
"Yes, I am unfortunately a bandwagon fan for this year," said Alvarez.
Miami's Heat Store is now number one in sales in the NBA.
"Miami is a destination city where all tourists come and they shop. And you are seeing people that are soccer fans, rugby fans, turning into NBA fans, specifically Miami Heat fans," said Miami Heat Director of Retail Operations Andy Montero.
Bandwagon fans are nothing new to Miami; In fact, in 1996 a rat made it onto the ice for the Florida Panther hockey team's home opener, by the time they made it to the Stanley Cup, stores couldn't keep plastic rats on their shelves. Today you're lucky to find fans in the stands.
Then there was the Florida Marlins, who were world champs in 1997 and 2003. Yet attendance has been next to last place in the league ever since.
The only team that constantly does well, win or lose, is the Miami Dolphins.
Longtime sports writer Edwin Pope says it has everything to do with history.
"People down here don't just watch football. They live football and always have," said Pope.
As for the rest of the sports, you have to win to draw fans.
"It's a city and area with a rather violently changing mood," he said. "And it's hard to maintain the same mood down here for very long."
So basically history teaches us it's OK to like the Heat, whether you're jumping on the bandwagon or a true Heat fan who flew in today to watch the game.
"All the way from Harper Woods, Michigan, supporting the Heat, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade. Let's get that ring fellas," said true Heat fan Star Hayes
