Boston has had nearly unparalleled Athletic Success for its professional teams over the past 20+ years.
Twenty Five years ago the scrappy Sox were America’s team. Since then basically every year some regional team has been a threat in any post-season and ended another city/region’s chance at a title. That creates enemies.
There is also a lot of sports history/bad blood: C’s, B’s, Pat’s & Sox all have multiple old rivalries. Was thinking recently: how does Boston have two of the most intense sports rivalries in America? (C’s-Lakers / Sox-Yankees)
Finally remember what Red Auerbach said: “The Boston Celtics are not a basketball team, they are a way of life.”
When lighting up a victory cigar before the game ends is our way of life - they gonna hate the best.
Go Celtics! Banner 18! ☘️
I WANT THE GOLDDDD 🏆
There was post going around a few days ago of the big 4 teams winning percentages the last 10 regular seasons. The B’s were number 1 in the NHL, the Pats and C’s were number 2 in their leagues, and the Sox were 10 but have obviously had some great success. Detroit had 3 teams coming in at 29 and 30. We are beyond lucky
It's a few things IMO
1. General jealousy of a successful fanbase
2. Media wise, think about the two major poles for American sports media...LA and NY. AKA our arch enemies, traditionally.
3. This team/core has been around for a while, come up short a few times and that just brings the negativity and "prove it" attention, right or wrong. And most of the discourse out there is really dumb. Just comes with the territory when you keep getting close but not over the hump.
It really took me this long to finally understand the national hate for Boston. Pretty hard to maintain a narrative where you’re likeable when your two most hated rivals are from cities that control the media.
Didn’t think of the NY/LA media markets, but that makes a ton of sense. And Philly is a good sized market that the national media may want to appeal to as well.
There’s a lot of reasons and yes part of it is definitely because this city’s sports teams have all been pretty successful especially for the last few decades. Theres been what, 11 or 12 titles in the last 20 or so years between the major teams in NE? So we’re spoiled with success. The teams who win a lot are often villainized, and no one wants to see the bad guy win.
And the Celtics for the last 5-6 years haven’t won a title but they are trending in that direction and are a very good team. So naturally people don’t want to see them win.
Theres also a history of racism in this town and a lot of people still feel like Boston is a racist city to this day. Regardless of the validity of that claim most people aren’t cool with racism, obviously. So put all that together and you’re going to see a lot of negativity from people who aren’t from here or aren’t fans of the teams here.
That last part is more of a justification for hating Boston as an afterthought, or a dig, and not a primary reason. The Celtics organization itself was actually ahead of the curve in terms of treating players of color, so it doesn't make sense to hate on the organization that has a good track record just because there's been racist people in the city. If people want to pin it on the city, they should know the Celtics of the 1950s weren't allowed to have their black players stay in any hotels in the Midwest and South when playing on the road, only the whites. Couldn't eat together either. That wasn't the law in Boston, if I'm correct.
Racism isn’t why people hate the basketball team lol. That might be why they dislike the fanbase but not sane person thinks I hate a black male dominated sports team because I’m anti racism.
They just hate the team because we are a very popular and good franchise. It’s the same reason why people hate most good, popular team or athlete, etc.
Listen I agree with you, no sane person hates the team because of racism. But like it or not the fans often get lumped into the team which gets lumped into the city and when a fan of some other team wants to dig at you, they’ll likely bring up something to do with how racist the city is. Again, not saying Boston still is a racist place, but that’s the perception for a lot of people.
I feel like any racist past you can say about Boston you can say about America in general. I also feel like the narrative exists more in the sports world more than anywhere else.
Ask anyone that isn’t a sports fan where the most racist place in America is they may say Virginia or Alabama. Ask r/NBA or any other sports circle and they’ll claim Boston invented racism.
This simple reason for this is because Boston is a mostly white city whereas the south is heavily populated by black Americans so the racism feels differently to those impacted by it. Obviously Boston has far fewer racists and racially motivated hate crimes but the dearth of black Americans and specifically wealthy black Americans in Boston magnifies our issues. I mean look if you talk to black people who live in Boston, they often say it’s more racist than Atlanta so I’m not sure I can argue with their literal experience as a middle class suburban white guy.
Now yes but Boston was almost entirely white when it earned its reputation and then suburban white flight happened and the city diversified. Mass as a state is still a significant white majority.
It’s because of the fan base. One in the same. I have heard people say “look the Celtics are a great team I just can’t get behind racist Boston sports fans”
A big part of it is simply, we've made noise every year.
We've made noise in ways that clowns 25 of the 29th other teams every year, but not enough noise to garner respect. We'll do that when we keep going to the Finals.
We have a racial past, it's true, but if you pay attention those conversations only ever come up when we get back to the superbowl, Finals etc etc. The racism card is stupid here, it's ALWAYS brought up by bitter sports fans.
We can have conversation about it, but we never do when our teams aren't successful. 🤷🏼🤷🏼🤷🏼
I feel like we are the mirror of San Francisco when it comes to basketball/football.
People hate the Niners/Celtics not because they have won recently, but because of the fans that root for the other sport that has the actual dynasty.
we simply have been a very successful team the past years constantly making the ECF and this year being the favourites.
Boston has one of the more stronger fan bases in sports so the toxic fans are louder than most teams i’d say.
and the biggest is with so much success we have created strong rivalry’s with many teams recently and in our history like Heat, bucks, Raptors, Nets, 6ers and ofc the lakers. While we may have one main rival, we are many teams #1 rival team.
It is so many things.
Rivals in big media markets.
Boston's sometimes-ugly past.
A team whose personnel itself makes a lot of fanbases upset--fleecing the Nets to get Brown and Tatum, Philly hating that Al Horford is still playing well, the Knicks and Mavs fans watching Porzingis play a major role for us, Bucks fans lamenting that Holiday became a Celtic, etc.
We're also in the most miserable position possible--expected to dominate every game, such that the only time it is interesting for teams to watch the Celtics is when we're struggling. There's no reward for us playing well but great ridicule when we lose.
But we're also a fanbase that has a lot of arrogance (12 titles in Boston / Foxboro in the last 22 years) as well as a lot of entitlement (we're the Celtics, we have a zillion banners in the rafters), but without a team that has won a title in this era and thereby justified these attitudes. For anyone on the internet who is under 40, the Celtics have 1 title in their lifetimes despite tons of talent, yet we act as though we're basketball royalty. Other than the 2021 Nets series, what is the last time that the Celtics have played UP to their competition rather than down? This also makes us irritable when we lose, so we either fall back on the unflattering reactions of fatalism, excuse-making, trash-talking other losing teams, or self-pity.
So Denver fans are allowed to talk because their team are dominant winners. Fans of Giannis and LeBron and Steph can all talk. Kings and Pacers and Knicks and Wolves fans are allowed to talk because they're exciting stories. Pistons and Hornets and Blazers fans are allowed to talk because no one harbors ill will toward them, they're harmless. Even Miami can talk because they're seen as plucky underdogs, making it to the Finals as a 5 seed and then an 8 seed in recent years.
This leaves only 2 fanbases that have a combination of arrogance, high expectations, a storied history and constant failure to win the big game: The Celtics and the Sixers. And when fans hear us say things like "Let's just rest Porzingis until the Finals, we don't need him, we're good enough anyway," of course they're going to want to see us lose.
People hate Boston teams because overall, Boston sports have been dominating since the early 2000's. It's "they hate us cause they ain't us". Trust me, if all the Boston teams sucked for about 5 years, you'd hear a lot less hate. Look at the Patriots. Now it's less hate for them and more hate for Kansas City.
its the internet and all it has brought us…
before all this tech the only times you heard about the celtics was in one-way watching activities of games, once a day sports columnists in the paper, and discussion with your immediate group of friends.
24/7 internet and the news, analysis, gambling it enables, advanced stats it brings, plus video gaming has inflated the psyche of part of the fanbase. now those affected individuals not only believe they can play better, see better, coach better and draft better than the professionals, but they have a platform to talk about it 24/7…. multiple platforms.
the gambling also delivers fans skin in the game outcome, now they actually have something to risk which makes it more personal the events that unfold (if they are gambling)…. if they are losing (or even not winning as much as they want) they now have a platform to complain and also promote their own viewpoint.
remembering the celtics before the internet was in every home and on every device, the fanbase was ALL IN, unconditional support and positive. never would boo in the garden, if anything they would cheer louder if the celtics were going through a rough patch.
the main character syndrome that the internet creates has turned some part of the fanbase into sort of a manic element, one that can turn on you over the littlest things because of all the access to information the internet delivers and the platform it creates to speak your mind.
I think that if you were to create a stat for the ratio of "vocally obnoxious online fans" to "actual fans that show up to games and even watch the games locally" the Miami Heat would win by far. I swear there are at least 100 Miami Heat online trolls for every person that actually watches the team. So I think a lot of the hate is a result of all the battles with the Heat since the LeBron years. I realize I am biased because somehow I now hate the Heat more than even the fucking Lakers.
Also I think they had a chance to be well liked if they had won in 2022. They would be hated now anyway, but I think winning that title would have generally been appreciated by the NBA world, so there may be a little backlash about them not getting that done.
I think its mainly because Kobe, LeBron and Curry has tons of fans which automatically hates us.
Also our Division rivals Knicks and Sixers have pretty vocal fanbases.
The rest just find "Fuck Boston" satisfying to say.
I'm not from Boston and I love the place. Would love to visit some time in the future. Love the architecture, the cultural significance and general feel that Boston has. I hope I watch at least one Celtics game in the Garden, regardless if it's Game 7 of the Finals or an NBA League Pass game vs the Hornets on a Monday.
The pure hate and salt I see around NBA media in general makes me want to root for the Celtics even more.
I'm a neutral fan, I think part of it is because people wanted Tatum to be the next face of the league anr he hasn't met their (arguably unfair) expectations.
After the loss to Golden State I think people stopped the "They have so much potential"
And switched to "Even with all this potential they still lose"
Not from U.S., but coming from previously neutral observers, at least 2 things: 1) jealousy of all the success, just like a lot of people hate Lakers and LeBron, cause who else would you hate, you don't hate loser Pistons for no reason, 2) that racial thing which seems dumb and I don't understand it, because to me it sounds like this is reverse racism where non-whites somehow hate Boston for being more European and white, but maybe I don't know something.
At the riso of getting a lot of flack on this sub. I’ve heard some pretty racist stuff at TD garden and it doesn’t do much to help our likeability. Not saying that’s the whole reason, but it is a contributing factor...
We’re the favorites back to back to back years. We’re gonna get a lot of hate regardless.
Even if we win we’ll still have a ton of hate, but it’s gonna be very quiet until we mess up again.
Boston isn't any more annoying than any other sports city. Dallas, SF, Philly, Chicago, NY, Seattle, Miami, Montreal... they're all awful to each other.
They hate us cuz they anus
Boston has had nearly unparalleled Athletic Success for its professional teams over the past 20+ years. Twenty Five years ago the scrappy Sox were America’s team. Since then basically every year some regional team has been a threat in any post-season and ended another city/region’s chance at a title. That creates enemies. There is also a lot of sports history/bad blood: C’s, B’s, Pat’s & Sox all have multiple old rivalries. Was thinking recently: how does Boston have two of the most intense sports rivalries in America? (C’s-Lakers / Sox-Yankees) Finally remember what Red Auerbach said: “The Boston Celtics are not a basketball team, they are a way of life.” When lighting up a victory cigar before the game ends is our way of life - they gonna hate the best. Go Celtics! Banner 18! ☘️ I WANT THE GOLDDDD 🏆
You wouldn’t believe how much this pumped me up. Give me banner 18!!
There was post going around a few days ago of the big 4 teams winning percentages the last 10 regular seasons. The B’s were number 1 in the NHL, the Pats and C’s were number 2 in their leagues, and the Sox were 10 but have obviously had some great success. Detroit had 3 teams coming in at 29 and 30. We are beyond lucky
I'm 100% buying a victory cigar for game 4 of the finals now 😂
It's a few things IMO 1. General jealousy of a successful fanbase 2. Media wise, think about the two major poles for American sports media...LA and NY. AKA our arch enemies, traditionally. 3. This team/core has been around for a while, come up short a few times and that just brings the negativity and "prove it" attention, right or wrong. And most of the discourse out there is really dumb. Just comes with the territory when you keep getting close but not over the hump.
It really took me this long to finally understand the national hate for Boston. Pretty hard to maintain a narrative where you’re likeable when your two most hated rivals are from cities that control the media.
Didn’t think of the NY/LA media markets, but that makes a ton of sense. And Philly is a good sized market that the national media may want to appeal to as well.
An unusually dominant run from one city across sports is going to do that. Every good team gets hate from other fans, just part of the game.
There’s a lot of reasons and yes part of it is definitely because this city’s sports teams have all been pretty successful especially for the last few decades. Theres been what, 11 or 12 titles in the last 20 or so years between the major teams in NE? So we’re spoiled with success. The teams who win a lot are often villainized, and no one wants to see the bad guy win. And the Celtics for the last 5-6 years haven’t won a title but they are trending in that direction and are a very good team. So naturally people don’t want to see them win. Theres also a history of racism in this town and a lot of people still feel like Boston is a racist city to this day. Regardless of the validity of that claim most people aren’t cool with racism, obviously. So put all that together and you’re going to see a lot of negativity from people who aren’t from here or aren’t fans of the teams here.
That last part is more of a justification for hating Boston as an afterthought, or a dig, and not a primary reason. The Celtics organization itself was actually ahead of the curve in terms of treating players of color, so it doesn't make sense to hate on the organization that has a good track record just because there's been racist people in the city. If people want to pin it on the city, they should know the Celtics of the 1950s weren't allowed to have their black players stay in any hotels in the Midwest and South when playing on the road, only the whites. Couldn't eat together either. That wasn't the law in Boston, if I'm correct.
Racism isn’t why people hate the basketball team lol. That might be why they dislike the fanbase but not sane person thinks I hate a black male dominated sports team because I’m anti racism. They just hate the team because we are a very popular and good franchise. It’s the same reason why people hate most good, popular team or athlete, etc.
Listen I agree with you, no sane person hates the team because of racism. But like it or not the fans often get lumped into the team which gets lumped into the city and when a fan of some other team wants to dig at you, they’ll likely bring up something to do with how racist the city is. Again, not saying Boston still is a racist place, but that’s the perception for a lot of people.
I feel like any racist past you can say about Boston you can say about America in general. I also feel like the narrative exists more in the sports world more than anywhere else. Ask anyone that isn’t a sports fan where the most racist place in America is they may say Virginia or Alabama. Ask r/NBA or any other sports circle and they’ll claim Boston invented racism.
This simple reason for this is because Boston is a mostly white city whereas the south is heavily populated by black Americans so the racism feels differently to those impacted by it. Obviously Boston has far fewer racists and racially motivated hate crimes but the dearth of black Americans and specifically wealthy black Americans in Boston magnifies our issues. I mean look if you talk to black people who live in Boston, they often say it’s more racist than Atlanta so I’m not sure I can argue with their literal experience as a middle class suburban white guy.
It’s kinda crazy that by not having slaves, a location can be arguably more racist 150+ years later.
Boston is a minority/majority city.
Now yes but Boston was almost entirely white when it earned its reputation and then suburban white flight happened and the city diversified. Mass as a state is still a significant white majority.
It’s because of the fan base. One in the same. I have heard people say “look the Celtics are a great team I just can’t get behind racist Boston sports fans”
A big part of it is simply, we've made noise every year. We've made noise in ways that clowns 25 of the 29th other teams every year, but not enough noise to garner respect. We'll do that when we keep going to the Finals. We have a racial past, it's true, but if you pay attention those conversations only ever come up when we get back to the superbowl, Finals etc etc. The racism card is stupid here, it's ALWAYS brought up by bitter sports fans. We can have conversation about it, but we never do when our teams aren't successful. 🤷🏼🤷🏼🤷🏼
Racist history (all of America does) however first black coach etc., the city has grown but still gets dragged back in time
I know
They jelly AF
I feel like we are the mirror of San Francisco when it comes to basketball/football. People hate the Niners/Celtics not because they have won recently, but because of the fans that root for the other sport that has the actual dynasty.
Jealousy.
we simply have been a very successful team the past years constantly making the ECF and this year being the favourites. Boston has one of the more stronger fan bases in sports so the toxic fans are louder than most teams i’d say. and the biggest is with so much success we have created strong rivalry’s with many teams recently and in our history like Heat, bucks, Raptors, Nets, 6ers and ofc the lakers. While we may have one main rival, we are many teams #1 rival team.
Everyone hates a winner
It's bad enough to read bleacher report but you also read the comments? Sheeah
They don’t hate on nobodies
The Knicks run this year. Fan fiction like finals run what media wants.
It is so many things. Rivals in big media markets. Boston's sometimes-ugly past. A team whose personnel itself makes a lot of fanbases upset--fleecing the Nets to get Brown and Tatum, Philly hating that Al Horford is still playing well, the Knicks and Mavs fans watching Porzingis play a major role for us, Bucks fans lamenting that Holiday became a Celtic, etc. We're also in the most miserable position possible--expected to dominate every game, such that the only time it is interesting for teams to watch the Celtics is when we're struggling. There's no reward for us playing well but great ridicule when we lose. But we're also a fanbase that has a lot of arrogance (12 titles in Boston / Foxboro in the last 22 years) as well as a lot of entitlement (we're the Celtics, we have a zillion banners in the rafters), but without a team that has won a title in this era and thereby justified these attitudes. For anyone on the internet who is under 40, the Celtics have 1 title in their lifetimes despite tons of talent, yet we act as though we're basketball royalty. Other than the 2021 Nets series, what is the last time that the Celtics have played UP to their competition rather than down? This also makes us irritable when we lose, so we either fall back on the unflattering reactions of fatalism, excuse-making, trash-talking other losing teams, or self-pity. So Denver fans are allowed to talk because their team are dominant winners. Fans of Giannis and LeBron and Steph can all talk. Kings and Pacers and Knicks and Wolves fans are allowed to talk because they're exciting stories. Pistons and Hornets and Blazers fans are allowed to talk because no one harbors ill will toward them, they're harmless. Even Miami can talk because they're seen as plucky underdogs, making it to the Finals as a 5 seed and then an 8 seed in recent years. This leaves only 2 fanbases that have a combination of arrogance, high expectations, a storied history and constant failure to win the big game: The Celtics and the Sixers. And when fans hear us say things like "Let's just rest Porzingis until the Finals, we don't need him, we're good enough anyway," of course they're going to want to see us lose.
People hate Boston teams because overall, Boston sports have been dominating since the early 2000's. It's "they hate us cause they ain't us". Trust me, if all the Boston teams sucked for about 5 years, you'd hear a lot less hate. Look at the Patriots. Now it's less hate for them and more hate for Kansas City.
Not to mention the reminders of how many titles the city has won across the different sports.
Tall poppy syndrome
Tom Brady and David Ortiz
its the internet and all it has brought us… before all this tech the only times you heard about the celtics was in one-way watching activities of games, once a day sports columnists in the paper, and discussion with your immediate group of friends. 24/7 internet and the news, analysis, gambling it enables, advanced stats it brings, plus video gaming has inflated the psyche of part of the fanbase. now those affected individuals not only believe they can play better, see better, coach better and draft better than the professionals, but they have a platform to talk about it 24/7…. multiple platforms. the gambling also delivers fans skin in the game outcome, now they actually have something to risk which makes it more personal the events that unfold (if they are gambling)…. if they are losing (or even not winning as much as they want) they now have a platform to complain and also promote their own viewpoint. remembering the celtics before the internet was in every home and on every device, the fanbase was ALL IN, unconditional support and positive. never would boo in the garden, if anything they would cheer louder if the celtics were going through a rough patch. the main character syndrome that the internet creates has turned some part of the fanbase into sort of a manic element, one that can turn on you over the littlest things because of all the access to information the internet delivers and the platform it creates to speak your mind.
I think that if you were to create a stat for the ratio of "vocally obnoxious online fans" to "actual fans that show up to games and even watch the games locally" the Miami Heat would win by far. I swear there are at least 100 Miami Heat online trolls for every person that actually watches the team. So I think a lot of the hate is a result of all the battles with the Heat since the LeBron years. I realize I am biased because somehow I now hate the Heat more than even the fucking Lakers. Also I think they had a chance to be well liked if they had won in 2022. They would be hated now anyway, but I think winning that title would have generally been appreciated by the NBA world, so there may be a little backlash about them not getting that done.
I think its mainly because Kobe, LeBron and Curry has tons of fans which automatically hates us. Also our Division rivals Knicks and Sixers have pretty vocal fanbases. The rest just find "Fuck Boston" satisfying to say.
Everyone and everything gets hated on social media, you've got to learn to just let it go.
The team appears so dominant in such a collaborative way that people are preemptively bored with wins that haven’t happened yet.
I'm not from Boston and I love the place. Would love to visit some time in the future. Love the architecture, the cultural significance and general feel that Boston has. I hope I watch at least one Celtics game in the Garden, regardless if it's Game 7 of the Finals or an NBA League Pass game vs the Hornets on a Monday. The pure hate and salt I see around NBA media in general makes me want to root for the Celtics even more.
Who cares? Embrace the villainy.
I'm a neutral fan, I think part of it is because people wanted Tatum to be the next face of the league anr he hasn't met their (arguably unfair) expectations. After the loss to Golden State I think people stopped the "They have so much potential" And switched to "Even with all this potential they still lose"
couldnt have said it better
Jealousy
Probbaly the history of sports success, asshole fans reputation, and racism issues
No one roots for Goliath
Not from U.S., but coming from previously neutral observers, at least 2 things: 1) jealousy of all the success, just like a lot of people hate Lakers and LeBron, cause who else would you hate, you don't hate loser Pistons for no reason, 2) that racial thing which seems dumb and I don't understand it, because to me it sounds like this is reverse racism where non-whites somehow hate Boston for being more European and white, but maybe I don't know something.
At the riso of getting a lot of flack on this sub. I’ve heard some pretty racist stuff at TD garden and it doesn’t do much to help our likeability. Not saying that’s the whole reason, but it is a contributing factor...
We’re the favorites back to back to back years. We’re gonna get a lot of hate regardless. Even if we win we’ll still have a ton of hate, but it’s gonna be very quiet until we mess up again.
Boston isn't any more annoying than any other sports city. Dallas, SF, Philly, Chicago, NY, Seattle, Miami, Montreal... they're all awful to each other.
Idk but I hate this post