When sports teams underperform, it’s easy to question the loyalty of players and the tactics of the coaching staff. In reality, there are dozens of factors that can lead to a team’s perennial string of poor results, such as the decisions made by the owners.
Over time, we’ve seen some great owners in professionals sports, but we’ve also seen the opposite. For example, Donald Sterling, who owned the San Diego Clippers, and Marge Schott, who purchased the Cincinnati Reds in 1984, are remembered as two of the most hated owners in sports history.
In modern times, disagreement between fans and owners is seen heavily in European sports, such as soccer. The most obvious example is the formation and quick disbandment of the Super League. However, we’ve also seen this anger demonstrated by Tottenham Hotspur supporters, who believe that if owner Joe Lewis and chairman Daniel Levy had backed Mauricio Pochettino, Spurs wouldn’t have faced sheer disarray over the last few years. That said, it seems the long-standing toxic relationship between fans and owners is coming back to the United States, and this time it’s situated at the heart of Michigan.
Tension In The Lion’s Den
On September 26th, the Detroit Lions played the Baltimore Ravens in a game that ended 19-17 to Baltimore, putting the Lions 0-3 in the 2021 NFL season. Even though the Lions were praised by national analysts for staying in the game, any positive takeaways from that day were overshadowed by the drama that happened at halftime.
During halftime, Calvin Johnson, who played nine seasons with the Detroit Lions, was being honored with his Hall of Fame ring ceremony. Team owner Sheila Ford Hamp led the celebration, but instead of being met with applause as she spoke to the crowd, Ford Hamp was showered with aggressive boos by Lions fans. Johnson, who had his own sour relationship with the organization, tried to quiet the boos, but the anger Lions fans have felt watching poor season after poor season seeped through and discarded Johnson’s efforts.
Michigan is a sport-centric state, having an NFL team and an NBA (Detroit Pistons) and NHL team (Detroit Red Wings). If fans aren’t tailgating or going to the games, they’re finding other ways to get involved. For instance, many individuals wager on games through online sportsbooks like WynnBET, which, according to Bonusfinder US, offers Michiganders over/under and money line odds on over 20 sports betting markets.
Michigan’s online gambling market has grown substantially because of the state’s commitment to sports, but, unfortunately, the Lions fans’ recent reaction to its ownership indicates something’s not right. If something’s not right within the team, wagers made on the Lions might decrease.
The reality is that Detroit Lions fans have a disdain toward their organization because their team hasn’t been getting the results. For the past three seasons, the Lions have finished in fourth in the NFC North. Many supporters believe this is because ownership has driven away season-defining players due to financial reasons.
It’s still early in the NFL season, and there are analysts who think the Lions have the potential to shine under new coach Dan Campbell, who has been dubbed as one of the most excitable coaches in the world right now. If the Lions can get some wins under their belt, that anger toward the Ford Family may fade into the background — at least, until the Lions lose again.
