The Bay Area is rich in sports history, but the Niners reign supreme.
There are about a dozen or so cities in the United States that are true “sports cities.” By that, I mean a professional football, basketball, baseball, and hockey in one area. The Bay Area is fortunate enough to have each of those, including a soccer club.
Between the 49ers, Warriors and the Giants, the 2010s saw plenty of success, perhaps more than any other area in the country. With winning come expectations. And sometimes, entitlement. Even if your favorite team is trotting out Jordan Poole or Brandon Crawford in 2023, you still expect them to win because that’s what they’ve always done.
Those franchises have won multiple championships since the 49ers, but the Niners remain king. Is that because they play the more popular sport? The 49ers have given fans plenty to root for, but have also given you just as much to be outraged about in the past decade.
Today, we ask how the 49ers became your favorite franchise. If one of the other local teams, or another are, feel free to tell us and explain why.
Some grow up cheering for the same team as their parents watched, and that’s how you bonded. Sometimes it’s as simple as them being on TV and that’s what you watched every Sunday growing up.
Sports find ways to become intertwined with each other. For example, several 49ers players have thrown out first pitches at the San Francisco Giants games throughout the years. We’ve seen Niners players at San Jose Sharks games having a good time.
Nostalgia generally wins out with sports. The 49ers have several historic moments that fans will always be able to latch on or point to. If there’s one moment you had, tell us.