It doesn't seem to matter if all the players are from somewhere else and live somewhere else. Sport has become a common currency of conversation among strangers and acquaintances who share virtually nothing else in common. It is also one of the safest forms of small talk at the cocktail party or around the water cooler. The fortunes of a team can create a sense of euphoria among the populace, just as failure can produce depression. Anyone who has ever been in a city in which a team won a major championship has seen a transformation in the spirit and the general ambiance of that city.
Strangers begin to talk freely to one another.
The sense of community accomplishment is in the air. Even non-sports fans take pride in the championship achievement. The 2000 World Series, which pitted the New York Yankees against the New York Mets in the first Subway Series in 44 years, divided the city while also uniting it against the rest of the country. In new cities lacking an identity, a successful sports franchise can help create one. In Orlando, Fla., a city comprised mostly of transplants who arrived after 1970, a sense of community identity was established when the Orlando Magic reached the NBA Finals for the first time.