Off-Topic Forum

Being a lifelong Toronto Maple Leafs fan in hockey is irrefutable proof that collecting for me is and may quite possibly ALWAYS be separate and I just take the simple pleasures derived from each. So it goes for the other major (and yes even minor sports) that keeping the two entities (watching vs. collecting) must be kept separate if for no other reason to maintain a sense of sanity.

I would definately say my team's performance does NOT affect my collecting habits.  Growing up a Detroit sports fan, we constantly go through bad runs (see Lions who have not won a superbowl and previously the only 0-16 team) but I still collect.  I will still buy cards where the player is in my team's uniform and will even make an effort to get cards from before or after their time with the team.

As I have moved around the country, my care to do the same is more limited.  For example, while in Lexington Kentucky, I tried to follow the Bengals, but had no interest in collecting any of their cards.  I did get into the University of Kentucky for Basketball and Football but only collect players from the years I was in the area.  (Kentucky Basketball has over 40 nba players currently).

Anyway I would say loyalty outweighs performance.

Ben

Thanks for the thoughts. It seems like it doesn't affect a single person here. That's kind of what I expected, considering the people on here are generally diehard fans, not bandwagoners or casual fans. 

When it comes to the Royals, it doesn't matter how they fare since, but sometimes my other collections feel it.  Besides the fact that NASCAR didn't really have cards for a while, I don't go after them much anymore since I don't have a favorite driver in the Monster Series and can't watch much of the Xfinity races.  WWE hasn't been must watch for me the last couple years and I don't collect them as much either.  Back around 2005 or so I kind of got burnt out of sports, and I sold my collection.  When I got back into collecting, I didn't necessairly collect all the teams I used to.  I had a nice collection of Tampa Bay Buccaneers cards but not so much now.  Besides it being hard to find their cards (before I found this site) and the fact they started losing, then changed to the ugly uniforms they have now, I lost interest.  I also use to collect Miami Hurricanes, but they started losing about the time Mizzou started fielding better football teams so I stopped collecting them too.

So my main collection of Royals isn't affected, but everything else kind of depends on the mood I'm in if I will go after cards.

It does not affect my love for the team, collecting or the sport. The Mariners have been to the playoffs only 4 times since their first game in 1977, the Seahawks have had some success including three Super Bowls, but even the down years (which I expect this season) I will always collect them. The Sonics had had their ups and downs before being stolen, but to this day I am still collect Sonics cards and the Phoenix Suns are currently in a "trust the process" rebuilding period so I just enjoy the games.

Being a set collector I collect the teams I dislike (Lakers / Yankees) just as much as my favorites (Jazz / Red Sox.) The only difference is I may push harder to collect certain inserts / extras of my favorites teams and players but that would probably fall more into player collection categories anyway. If by chance I get the time to watch a game I'll generally watch any teams too. Not just my favorites. I love basketball and baseball and card collecting is a part of the joy for me.

Not a huge effect, except the Cubs' recent successes led me to purchase the 2016 World Series Champions set. And maybe upped my enthusiasm one notch to get the 100 Years at Wrigley set, but I probably would have gotten that anyway. Perhaps it's made me focus my vintage stuff more on Cubs. But I have always been a huge fan, win or lose -- and believe me, I mastered "lose -- so winning doesn't much change my purchasing habits. 

I admit it changes my viewing habits a bit. I've stopping paying much attention to the Bulls and Bears and Blackhawks and Terrapin men's basketball, because they were all pretty bad this year. And there was a brief time, circa 2014, when I was checking the Nats' box scores before the Cubs' because...relevance. 

v3

It affects me in football and hockey.  The reason being, I like two far-away teams, Buccaneers and Canucks. And when they stink, they don't get many games on TV.  Back when the Bucs had that dominant stretch, they were on TV a lot.  For the Canucks, I typically only see them vs Blues, or in the playoffs.  And that doesn't happen much lately.  When I lived in California, it was very hard to catch the Pacers.  That was the year after the fight in Detroit, and the organization didn't really recover from that for years.  So they weren't ever on national TV then.  Certainly affected my enjoyment of the game.  Back in Illinois, I get all their games again.  And I watch (and go) whether they're good or bad.

In baseball, I'm fortunate to be a Cardinals fan, and they just don't field bad teams.  Only one losing record this century, and that was the year after they won a World Series.  Obviously, I still followed them.  Just one last place finish since World War 1. Bad teams are not something I ever really have to worry about.  And of course I get all their games on TV, so they're easy to follow.

My card collecting isn't affected at all.  I quit watching the NFL altogether this past season, but I still enjoy football cards a lot.

Obviously, lack of success hasn't stopped me from collecting Browns cards but it may have helped keep prices depressed.

If they ever win, I'll let you know how that affects things. :)

I’ve been a Pittsburgh Pirate fan since 1979.  So, yeah. Success hasn’t impacted squat.