Some franchises treat winning like a nice-to-have, not the point of the game. They talk about “progress” while sliding deeper into mediocrity. Fans pour time, money, and emotion into a team that answers with corporate speak and quarterly reports. If you feel cheated, you are not alone.
Table of Contents
- The uncomfortable truth
- How “progress” can be a smokescreen
- Red flags your team cares more about profit than championships
- When tradition isn’t a reason to stay
- How to tell real progress from smoke
- What fans can do
- Final reality check
The uncomfortable truth
Teams are businesses. Owners and executives answer to profit and longevity. That is not inherently evil, but problems arise when profit becomes the explicit or implicit goal above building a competitive roster and creating a championship culture.
Here is what often happens: leadership substitutes buzzwords for substance. “Progress” becomes the catch-all explanation for incremental, meaningless changes. Fans are told to be patient while the balance sheet gets healthier and the trophy case stays empty.
Progress is something that they can say to keep you caught up. Something that they can say to keep you satisfied.
How “progress” can be a smokescreen
Not all change equals meaningful improvement. There are two types of progress:
- Cosmetic progress: PR wins, renovated facilities, redesigned logos, social campaigns.
- Competitive progress: roster upgrades, coaching improvements, player development, sustained playoff performance.
Organizations can manufacture the first kind without delivering the second. When leadership favors revenue growth over roster investment, the team looks active but does not actually get better.
Do not let the buzzword progress do you in. Do not let the word progress trick you into thinking that the progress is your progress.
Red flags your team cares more about profit than championships
- Frequent PR statements with no follow-up: lots of talk, few measurable moves.
- Small, costly signings instead of strategic investment: headline splashes that mask a lack of depth.
- Repeated “rebuild” messaging without a clear timeline: progress that never reaches the end game.
- Reluctance to spend in key moments: tight wallets during free agency or midseason reinforcements.
- Fans asked to defend every move: loyalty is weaponized, disagreement labeled as betrayal.
When tradition isn’t a reason to stay
Family allegiances are powerful. If a team was handed down, it often makes sense to stick with it. But if your support is purely emotional and the organization consistently prioritizes profit over performance, consider your relationship with that team.
Get a new team. If that team wasn’t birthright, if that team wasn’t passed down to you by your family, you probably should rethink your position.
Switching allegiance is not betrayal. It is self-preservation. Time and mental energy are finite. Channel them toward an organization that shares your desire to win.
How to tell real progress from smoke
Hold the organization to measurable standards. Look for concrete signals:
- Net roster investment: Are they consistently spending to improve the team or merely refinancing contracts?
- Player development: Does the pipeline produce contributors or just highlight reel prospects?
- Coaching and front office accountability: Are poor decisions addressed or explained away?
- Competitive metrics: Are wins, playoff appearances, and championship odds improving year over year?
- Transparent timelines: Is there a realistic plan with milestones and outcomes?
Questions every fan should ask
- Is the team’s definition of progress aligned with winning and championships?
- Are investments aimed at long-term competitiveness or short-term revenue boosts?
- Does the organization treat criticism as feedback or as disloyalty?
What fans can do
Fans are not powerless. The relationship between a franchise and its supporters is reciprocal. Consider these practical steps:
- Demand accountability: Ask for clear timelines and measurable goals.
- Vote with your wallet: Attend games, buy merchandise, or withhold support based on consistent behavior.
- Participate in fan communities: Collective pressure influences perception and sometimes decisions.
- Separate optimism from willful denial: Hope is healthy. Blind faith is costly.
Final reality check
Organizations will use language to shape perception. They will promise “progress” while optimizing for profit. That is their prerogative. It is also the fan’s prerogative to expect more.
Ask hard questions. Track meaningful metrics. Protect your time and emotion. If a team values profits above the pursuit of being the best, remember you always have choices.
Progress and real progress are two different things. Progress that we look forward to is not the same as progress some organizations want you to accept.
Vince Douglas Gregory is a true Renaissance figure, skillfully juggling his roles as an Astute Observational Scholar and a Petulant Puppet Master. Known as the top Critic, he boldly challenges average ideas while embracing innovation as an Unstable Thinker who thrives on new perspectives. As a Confident Ghostwriter, he effortlessly adapts to different voices, producing outstanding content. His venture, VDG Sports, has reshaped the sports world with keen analysis and clever commentary. If you want a versatile talent who can both inspire and connect, Vince is the one to follow!