As I mentioned in another thread, Florida teams historically struggle because so many of its residents are from somewhere else and carry stronger allegiances for other teams. Or, they root for a Florida team but revert to strong fandom of a second team when the Florida team struggles. As Florida’s interstate migration population continues to swell, it becomes a larger factor.
The secret is to establish a long run of success in order to build an identity, or “brand” in contemporary parlance, to hold and convert these migrants. The Dolphins capitalized for many years on their 70s and 80s success (hello Dan Marino) and could still revitalize it with another run. Of course Jacksonville doesn’t have the tourism and history of Miami to help establish that brand, but consistent winning can alleviate that.

Personally, I would like our identity to be something of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the South; loyal likable blue collar fans wearing flip flops instead of hard hats. Not the [BLEEP] holes of Philadelphia.

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