I grew up in Colorado, and I have family members who are Avalanche fans. I have family from Minnesota, so the Wild are often talked about at family gatherings. I recently discovered that a friend, who is also a wife and mother, is a displaced Sharks fan living in West Texas. Instead of letting our rivalry pull us apart, we started a fantasy hockey league together. As a Stars fan with close relationships with rival fans, I've picked up some dos and don'ts over the years.
How to be a respectful fan of rival hockey teams: 1. Do see the good
There is a saying in the sports world that says, “game recognizes game.” Simply put this means as a fan or player of high standing our noses aren’t so high in the air that we can’t recognize the talent or the great plays of another. So as we watch the Stars play one of these rivals recognize a great play or effort, it’s a subtle nod that says that was impressive, after all we aren’t just Stars fans we are fans of the game too.
How to be a respectful fan of rival hockey teams: 2. Don’t deny reality
This requires walking the delicate line between addressing the fans' subjective emotions and the objective need to face the facts. As Stars fans, we can be one-hundred percent behind our team, but we don’t have to bury our heads in the sand and pretend that players like Nathan MacKinnon from Colorado don’t exist. So when your family brings him up in conversation, you can politely smile and calmly agree that he is a great player before you remind them that MacKinnon hasn’t made it past the Stars in the last two postseasons.
How to be a respectful fan of rival hockey teams: 3. Do engage in light, fun teasing and taunting
The only thing more satisfying than watching the Stars win is watching the Stars win against your friend's team and being able to let them know achievedt itseveral can be done in serval smalsuch as sending l but effective ways, a well Dallas Stars GIF after a victory, or engaging in small wagers like loser wears the hosting team’s next watch party and don’t underestimate the power of old-fashioned snail mail. So go ahead and send your friends in St. Louis a Dallas Stars coffee mug; they won’t use it, but they'll be thinking of you. Just remember, if you dish it out, expect to get it back.
How to be a respectful fan of rival hockey teams: 4. Don’t go too far
Hockey fans are some of the most dedicated and passionate fans (soccer fans may be close, but that’s a different topic). That’s not to say you can go too far with teasing and taunting. What you don’t want to do is create a hostile environment where you and those you encounter act like members of rival societies with clear divisions and lines you can’t cross without being in danger on the other’s turf. What you want to avoid is a potential Sharks versus Jets type of situation. I mean that to be a reference to the musical West Side Story and not the actual Sharks and Jets.
How to be a respectful fan of rival hockey teams: 5. Do use appropriate celebration
No one is asking you to sit on your hands while watching a game. We are hockey fans after all! Fist pumps, high-fives, loud clapping, yelling at the TV, all these have their place during a game. However, when watching the game with others, try to limit excessive celebrations to one per game. The exception to this rule is winning a championship; in such cases, disregard everything.
How to be a respectful fan of rival hockey teams: 6. Don’t go overboard
Like most things in life, moderation is key. Don’t blow up the group chat over and over; don’t let every conversation continue to fuel the rivalry. As hockey fans, we can handle a lot, but at the end of the day, remember, fans are people and have feelings too. So if you find yourself watching a game with a rival fan and constantly throwing down your Stars hat at your friend’s feet, yelling “Boo-ya!” every time the Stars touch the puck, this internal monologue will eventually get annoying to those around you. After this, I'm guessing you’ll be watching more games by yourself.
So instead of shying away because you and someone you know are fans of rival teams, use these tips to help you manage and better engage with them this season. Deep, long-standing rivalries are a pinnacle part of the history of the NHL, but at the end of the day, we can all support our teams and laugh a little at ourselves. As a Stars fan, I am already working on my celebration text message to send out to everyone once they win the Stanley Cup because it’s never too early or too late to keep a rivalry going.