Is supporting a club other than the Big "3" worth it?

One question that boggles my mind is the lack of support for any team outside the big "3" in Portugal. Will this ever change? What can be done to change it? Will Estrela da Amadora ever get more people to attend games and will fan support and forums become organized?

PS any place you guys know where in Lisbon there is a footy bar that doesn't support the big 3 or Braga? I'm trying to find a Belem or Estrela bar when I visit this August.

The lack of support for clubs outside the Big 3 is one of the major issues with Portuguese football today and unfortunetly there are no signs of improvement.

One of the problems is that first league football is very concentrated geographically and in most cases there's not a big sense of identity with the town you were born in (at least in terms of sport).People from Amadora usually support either Benfica or Sporting even if Estrela has been in the first division for some time.

I can't see any solution for this problem because of this lack of local pride, people from Amadora (for example) don't feel a big difference between being from Amadora or being from Lisbon.

There are, however, some clubs that have good fanbases and can usually have good attendences (and would fill their stadiums a lot more if the tickets were cheaper) like Braga, Guimarães or Leixões.


About the bar, I'm sorry but I don't any in those conditions, what would you be looking for in those palces?

Just a place to talk to fans and drink before the discoteca; and a place that isn't a Big 3 bar.

Can't think of any place like that, I'm not even sure it exists.

Boavista was undoubtedly the best 4th club ever, a long history of disturbing the big 3 and decent european accomplishments but that came down due what GoodDead mentioned.
With the lack of financial aid promised by the government and the promiscuous sport justice throwing us to the 2nd league...well, I think it's obvious that Boavista is heading to almost certain extinction.

It still pisses me off if that's what people wonder. I just can't even post in my board cus it hurts to remind the difference of treatment. I'm even disliking national football as a result.

So before you even support a club outside the big 3, there is the need of administrative change to assure impartial function. Only then you'll be able to enjoy a competitive league without suspecting that the minnows are being prejudiced.

Um, alright, you lose any sense of credibility, right at the beginning of your post. Yes, let's get the immense will power of a 5 year old to overcome his father's will. Because we really had an in-depth understanding of the Big Three and how things work in Portuguese football, to have made such a knowledgable choice. Sorry we weren't all as enlightened as you obviously were as a little kid, I must've been off keeping busy in my sandbox.

Well riddle me this, due clubs like Belenenses, Academica, and Estrella for example have loyal supporters? I noticed no fan magazine from any of them so I was just curious.

But why support two clubs when the National team can step in for the success your club lacks?

And how many "one" team fans do you know that do exactly that and say screw the big "3"?

lmao

national team

the national team taking into consideration its whole history apart from a handful of select tournaments has brought far more sadness then joy to portuguese ppl , thats why they support the big 3 so fervently who have given many portiguese ppl joy from their national and international success.

i

It's sad what has happened to many European leagues in the past couple of decades. This "big 3" concept isn't very different from what's going on in the EPL, Spanish and Italian premier leagues. It's become all about money. Teams with the largest markets and most fans can keep their top spots because they bring in the most money and can therefore pay for the best players. The fact that leagues like the Portuguese Liga are set up with relegation only exacerbates this problem.

If you look at leagues in the US like the NFL, MLB, NBA and even our MLS, there is no such relegation. If a team finishes in last place, they don't get demoted to a lower division. They get first (or high chances) pick at drafting new players. In this regard, it keeps teams on a more level playing field. Even if a team is good for several years, eventually they'll fall and another city's team will rise to the top. It's very fascinating.

As a supporter of a non-big 3 team (Guimaraes), I enjoy being an "underdog" when it comes to playing the big teams. It's definitely worth it. If you don't support them, who will? And is it really worth bragging about if you're a Porto fan and you win the Porgtuguese Liga? For some people they're conent with that because winning is all that matters(they're chumps), or it makes sense because they're actually from Porto, etc.

The system of football in many European leagues needs to change to make it a more level playing field. Supporting non-big teams is a small way we can each do something about it.

Re: Is supporting a http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/newreply.phpclub other than the Big "3" worth it?

If only we were all so willful at the age of four as you were...

Re: Is supporting a http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/newreply.phpclub other than the Big "3" worth it?

No but at 9 you start to get an aching for a team that you might like. My Dad was a certain ice hockey team's fan; but he did the right thing and let my team (club) choose me. I did and loyally support them. In Portugal it seems a lot different; where parents tell their children to support their club.

I say screw the big "3" and i meant it from the bottom of my haert

Re: Is supporting a http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/newreply.phpclub other than the Big "3" worth it?

You'll see this in any country where the sport is at a level of fanaticism. Just like you see it in religion. But, I switched the religion my parent's are associated to. Here's a quote that never gets old:

"In a man's life he can switch wives, switch religions, but never his football team."

So I was brought up supporting Benfica, and you're all right in assuming it was my daddy who convinced me. But, frankly I wouldn't have it any other way. You guys may think you're a better fan than me because you support some team from you're city, so congrats, you're all real cool. Not all of us come from cities like Braga and Guimaraes that actually have good teams. I come from a small aldeia in Guarda, and I'm sorry but I'll take SLB over Guarda's team any day.

Re: Is supporting a http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/newreply.phpclub other than the Big "3" worth it?

Agreed. My parents come from the islands...Pico to be exact. Not really any teams to support besides Santa Clara but then again I find people from Sao Miguel annoying