For Discussion: Team USA vs. Local Team Pride in the U.S.

The American Studies Dept. of Hobart and William Smith Colleges​, located in the heart of the Finger Lakes in Seneca, N.Y., selected my book, Diehards: Why Fans Care So Much About Sports, this semester as reading material for a course on baseball and American culture. "Diehards" explores the root causes and impacts of sports passion and the course, taught by Prof. Christopher Hatch, examined a host of topics covered in "Diehards" and other books on fan traditions, how people cheer, and the role that places like Cooperstown play for fans, along with complex topics like racial tensions and culture clashes in sport.

I was given the honor of speaking with the students recently and came away wishing my alma mater offered a course like this when I was a student so many years ago. During the discussion, Prof. Hatch and his students, mostly seniors, asked several smart questions, and I thought it might be fun to drop one here to spark discussion. Here's the first for your consideration:

"Why don't U.S. sports fans seem to back national teams as passionately as they do local teams?"

So I'd ask you, if you're a fan of a local sports team, does your passion for Team USA - in the Olympics, World Baseball Classic, FIFA World Cup or otherwise - rival that of your favorite local team? Why or why not? I'd love to your perspective! You can find a few clues in "Diehards" about why national pride is so prominent when compared to the U.S., btw!