>

If I'm looking at it honestly it's possible that's my problem with college football in particular. I kinda don't need anymore football in my life..
Why stop at college sports? Why do people like pro sports? Why do people like Olympic sports? They aren’t out there skiing their ass off for a medal. I think the reason is because we feel like those people represent us and are doing it for us (even if they couldn’t care less). I could never play in the NFL but I could live vicariously through my home town team. >

there are a lot of people who grow up in small college towns that don't have their own professional sports teams. they live hours away from major cities, but they have their very own, highly competitive teams right in their back yard.
it's also a sense of regional pride. those colleges and universities and big employers for these towns. they provide revenue for the towns and residents. they are part of that town's history and soul.
rooting for a local college team is regional pride for people who live in small towns far away from the larger professional teams. >

I grew up and live in a town of 13000 with a D1 basketball team right here, yeah I think it's cool when they do well but I dont care about it either way. Them doing well is like seeing a pretty rainbow while driving, kinda cool but I don't think about it or care after 5 minutes. >

alright well it still explains why other people in your town of 13,000 watch and follow college sports. do you have an NBA team? no? very few cities do. but you DO have a D1 basketball team. so why wouldn't people follow their "hometown" team instead of following a team that is thousands of miles away? >

You think adult college sports fans are hard to understand... let me introduce you to adult high school sports fans. Unbelievable! >

That's a thing???? >

Texas >

Clear eyes.. >

Full hearts >

18-21 year olds are adults >

Legally sure. But if you were fully matured at 18-21 you're in a rare minority. >

Agree but with all sports
Edit: except for solo sports like mountain biking, skiing, climbing, mma fighting, etc >

I hear ya. Two examples. Let’s say you’re from Alabama. Ain’t shit in Alabama except the crimson tide. That’s their “hometown” team. It’s likely who they grew up enjoying. 
The other is someone that went to the college. Let’s say you went to the university of Georgia. You spent 4-5 years there, maybe pledged a frat/sorority, met a spouse and or have lifelong friends from there. You graduated and have a decent job, mostly because of that degree. Hell in most cases people are in debt because college, why can’t they rep it or be into the sports. 
I don’t entirely disagree with you. I don’t watch college sports that much and don’t care about it like that, but I can understand why some do. >

All very fair points. I didn't attend a college with any D1 level teams so I might just not get it lol. >

I agree. You could make this argument about televised sports in general, but I think college sports adds an extra layer of weirdness. >

Because I didn't have an NBA team where I lived growing up, but the College Basketball scene was VERY competitive and interesting. >

Fair, I also have to remember it wasn't as easy to watch whatever sporting event you want live as it is now. So even though now anything can be accessed streaming it wasn't always that way. >

Popular opinion: people that care what other people enjoy as hobbies (legally) are weird. >

Oh I know I'm weird. Just not as weird as someone who cares about The Alabama Crimson Tide. >

Roll tide mf >

South Harmon Institute of Technology?
I see what you did there, very nice. >

I agree with the general vibe of this opinion atleast when it comes to the USA which is all i have experience with. That said I'm not much of a sports fan at all these days besides some combat sports. I do respect athleticism and skill. There is a component about the athletes being much younger than me that is part of it too. It does not feel natural to be looking towards athletes I am old enough to be the parent of on some sort of pedestal. Same thing for young pro's etc. My 2 cents. >

If you said that in Iowa you would probably get sent to the icu. I agree with you Im not a fan of football or really any sport. But Iowa is on another level the walmarts here sell college foot ball merch. Adults of all ages go to the games and its like half of their personality. >

College athletes aren't generally kids, especially in some sports like football the majority of the guys on the field are in their 20's.  If you are a fan of NHL hockey, NBA basketball, movies, music or almost anything else you are cheering for "kids" the same age. >

True the QB for the Georgia team was 47 years old. >

I think caring about all sports is weird. >

If we're being honest and we think about it too hard, caring about anything other than breathing, eating, procreation and drinking water is weird. We make up things to care about. >

Probably true. The number of things people pay attention to has increased dramatically since having to really focus on survival has not been much of an issue. >

As someone else already said, money is a huge part of it. But some people just like seeing good athletes perform. It’s pretty simple. Of course there’s the tribalism as well. But you can extend this opinion to say why do people care about sports? You don’t know anyone on the team. You’ve never even seen that team play in person. So why do you care? It’s because we like to watch other human’s endeavor in an athletic theater. >

I do get that, but I want to watch the best of the best do it and while sure most pro players have short careers I just can't bring myself to care about players that play college sports for 2-3 years and are done. At least in the pros there are common links that bind together the different generations. >

I like watching football, but my weekly capacity for watching football games is only so much. As a fan, the NFL is more than enough.