This was not a new development. America's immigrant population developed an interest in baseball and a loyalty to the local team as a means of establishing a sense of belonging in America. It also offered proof of Americanization to their countrymen. The owners of professional sports teams understand the significance of identity as an issue for fans and do their best to market their teams as an integral part of the city. Team names, logos and uniforms are made to express local identity.
Local pride is stressed and rivalry with other cities plays upon that pride.
This marketing strategy works. Lifelong Dodger fans still lament the team's departure from Brooklyn , a borough whose very identity is intertwined with the baseball team. Cub fans have been buried in uniform as instructed in their last will and testaments. In more extreme cases, the identification can take on new meaning. The first time I was in Madison Square Garden for a New York Rangers hockey game I was amazed to see six or seven fans wearing not only the Rangers jersey with the number of their favorite player, but also sporting the hairdo and manner of the player.