Sports fandom no longer needs to be attached to where you’re from

In a world with unlimited sports access, you no longer have to support your hometown team

SportsColin van den Ameele — Published January 13, 2026 4 minutes

In the past, the average sports fan often either supported their hometown team or the team their parents supported growing up. This left them with little room to explore the leagues and their teams and to make a decision of their own. 

James Butler, 37, was born and raised in Vancouver, as were his parents. He therefore had no real choice other than to become a Canucks fan. 

“I’ve supported the Vancouver Canucks for as long as I can remember,” Butler said. “They’re my favourite team in all of sports.”

The Vancouver Canucks have only made the Stanley Cup Final three times during their 56-year existence and have never taken home Lord Frederick Stanley’s coveted trophy. Their lack of championship success, coupled with constant player drama, roster turnover, poor management and lack of competitiveness have caused the city and fans no shortage of misery over the years. 

Despite this, Butler has not flinched. 

“Yeah, the Canucks definitely suck, that's for sure, but I still love them,” he said. “They’re my team, and it’s my city. When they’re good, we have one of the best fan bases in the league, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

For Butler, being from Vancouver means being a Canuck. However, not everyone shares this opinion. Oliver Richman, 21, is from Pemberton, B.C., but while the closest NHL team to him is the Canucks, he’s a passionate Montreal Canadiens fan. 

“My parents are from Vancouver and Montreal, and even though I grew up in B.C., I’ve always just supported the Canadiens,” Richman said. “I live in Montreal now, too, which is much nicer than being so far away from the team.” 

Richman followed the Canucks from a distance, but his heart has always belonged to the red, white and blue. 

“Just because I’m not from Manchester, that doesn’t make me any less of a fan. There are millions of Premier League fans all around Africa that are just as diehard as the fans in England.” — Bamenyer Kimwemwe, Manchester United supporter

“Just because I’m not born in Montreal doesn’t mean I can’t support them,” he said. “They’ve always had some of my favourite players, and they’re the team I’ve watched the most as well.”

In both cases, fans remain within the same country or culture as the sport and team they support. But Bamenyer Kimwemwe, 20, who was born in Kinshasa, Congo, and grew up in Vancouver, had to find his team in an entirely different way. 

Kimwemwe grew up watching and playing soccer. However, with what he calls the lack of all-around quality in Major League Soccer, he had to look elsewhere to find the team he would end up supporting. 

“When I was young, I had to pick a team in the [English Premier League], since it was my favourite league,” Kimwemwe said. “I picked Man U (Manchester United) because of Alex Ferguson and the players he had at the time. The team was royalty.”

Thanks to different broadcasting deals and made easier with the advent of social media, Kimwemwe could always watch Manchester United games. Though the team has suffered a fall from grace, Kimwemwe remains loyal. 

“I could pick up a new team, but that would make me a bandwagon,” he said. “Just because I’m not from Manchester, that doesn’t make me any less of a fan. There are millions of Premier League fans all around Africa that are just as diehard as the fans in England.”

For many people, having a major sports team, let alone a competitive one, in their city in the sport they follow is a luxury. Hundreds of millions of people around the world follow the best sports leagues, which currently are typically found in North America and Europe. 

In recent years, major leagues have expanded their schedules to play games across the globe to reach more of their fan base. NFL Europe has helped organize games in London, Germany, Spain and more. The NHL has the Global Series, and top European soccer teams play their pre-season games around the world, to name a few.

Sports have evolved past their hometowns. They touch many different countries and cultures. So why shouldn’t the fans?

This article originally appeared in Volume 46, Issue 7, published January 13, 2026.