Visions in Leisure and Business Volume 14 Number 1 Article 3 1995 The Sport Organizational Climate of Buffalo: The Isolate Concept Beverly K. Zanger Bowling Green State University David L. Groves Bowling Green State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/visions Recommended Citation Zanger, Beverly K. and Groves, David L. (1995) "The Sport Organizational Climate of Buffalo: The Isolate Concept," Visions in Leisure and Business: Vol. 14 : No. 1 , Article 3. Available at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/visions/vol14/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at ScholarWorks@BGSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Visions in Leisure and Business by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@BGSU. THE SPORT ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE OF BUFFALO: THE ISOLATE CONCEPT BY MS. BEVERLY K. ZANG ER, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AND DR. DAVIDL. GROVES, PROFESSOR DIVISION OF SPORT MANAGEMENT DIVISION OF RECREATION AND TOURISM EPPLER COMPLEX BOWLINGGREEN STATE UNIVERSITY BOWLING GREEN, OHIO 43402 ABSTRACT description of this fact of Buffalo, the AAA tour book states: "At the stadiums Loyalty is the backbone of effective and arenas, cheering the local team is organizational climate. Professional sports almost a prerequisite for citizenship in a in a community have the ability to develop town known for its high attendance at cohesion and stimulate positive devel­ sporting events." (1) Not only is this true opment. The greater Buffalo area was for the Buffalo Bills, but this type of examined to determine what causes such loyalty is also exhibited with the Sabers, loyalty to develop and to trace its impact. the Bisons, and the array of other sporting events that occurin the Buffaloarea. INTRODUCTION This same type of loyalty has also been observed in Brooklyn Dodgers' baseball, Buffalo Bills, over the previous six years, Baltimore Colts' football, and Oakland have made it to the Super Bowl four Raiders' football. Therefore, unrequested times, losing each time. The team has loyalty is not a unique experience for fans. rebounded from each loss with more Loyalty conditions are reflective of a community support. Most communities culture that uses sports to structure the would be disheartened and lose interest in lifestyles of the community. The purposeof their sports teams. There would be major this manuscript is to explore loyalty of sport shake-ups and changes in an effort to try upon Buffalo through the examination of to thwart adversity. Banners in Buffalo the history of the city, the cultural impact of always reflecttheir loyalty as indicated by sport and the configuration of the Buffalo "We're Back, America, Deal With It." society. This study offers an examination This is not a "good times" loyalty. In a of the independence and positive self-image 19 of a society that has learned to survive used to identify significant events. A because of its isolation due to economic, timeline of significant events. was developed geographicand climatic conditions. and basic themes isolated. (Time Line of Significant Events) Each of the events in isolation does not have much meaning, but HERITAGE when the events are viewed on a longitudinal basis and they are repeated a number of Buffalo has been a crossroads of commerce times, they become significant. between the western points of the Great uµces and the East Coast. The early Findings from significant events indicated heritage of the Buffalo area was a strategic that the Buffalo Bills have been a team in military position. After each major military transition. The finalkey to theirsuccess was disaster, the village was quickly recon­ the reorganization of management, aggres­ structed. With the advent of the Erie Canal sive coaching, and good talent. The Bill's and the Great Lakes Steamboat, Buffalo went from short to long term planning. The became a major city of commerce between following was important through significant East and West. events isolated: (1) Player and fans are driven by intense emotions, (2) Intense In the late 1890's industrializationbrought an emotions cause conflict, (3) Quality influx of immigrants. (14) Major industries competition makes the team better, (4) such as glass, rubber, plastics, electronics, Adversity helps the team persevere, (5) aircraft, automobile manufacturing, and Development of confidence that can "win" agriculture of the region identified the under any circumstances, and ( 6) Adversity Buffalo location as a strategic basis of develops cohesion and solidarity. economy between Canada and the U.S. (3, 5) Buffalo and its surrounding area of Erie County is made up of ethnic neighborhoods CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS of primarily Polish and Italian descent. This ethnicity is a direct result of the commerce About the tum of the century, Buffalo was and industrial jobs available, and the growth no longer a commerce center because there of Buffalo has coincided with the waves of was a shift in the mode of moving goods. immigrants, especially through the port of Because of Buffalo's position on the Great New York. Other migration patterns such as Lakes, in relation to commerce, the area has Black minorities traveled from the southern become a geographically isolate. (5) states to Buffalo to find employment. Ethni­ Another factor that has isolated Buffalo has city has servedas an element of fractionation been its climate. It is influenced by lake but also a pridefultradition of loyalty. (2) effect snow and inclement weather which creates an isolated environment. (12) Buffalo's political power is affected by its CONTENT ANALYSIS distance from the power centers of New York City and Alpany. ( 6) The political In order to develop a perspective on events influence of Buffalo extends only to western during the past 10 years in Buffalo, the llS.A New York and, therefore, this city is on the Today was the primary source that was political fringe and· not in the main business reviewed. A content analysis approach was loop within the State of New York. (11) 20 New York City and Albany proclaim a served as symbols to satisfy community liberal contingency that controls the state. needs of achievement, affiliation, and power. The Buffalo area reflects ethnic origins that These football players stimulated the are multicultural, conservative, and in­ community's identity as a positive force for dependent. (8) structuring not only an individual's life, but the basic infrastructureof the community. As a result of these isolate conditions, the citizenryof Buffalo has developed a singular A group that tends to be isolated and have a identity to deal with their geographical, common experience, especially where sport political, and cultural influences. The usual may provide the structure, tends to develop response to isolation as a social psycho­ new goals and objectives and seek new logical factor is withdrawal. (13) It gives challenges that were not possible if this the residents a loyalty to a community experience had not been provided by the identity. Manifestation of this identity sport community. (12) The historical within the Buffalo community is the evolution of the community supports this emphasis upon sport. Individuals associate type of hypothesis. With the success of the themselves with this identity and, as a result, Bills, there has been a new sense of identity it provides a superstructure to add meaning of community-based achievement. Buffalo to their lives. (9) A protective identity exists supports events such as the World Games that has strong roots in the core values of the and sports teams including AAA baseball community. An example of the strength of and, a NHL team, as well as university this identity has been the question of O.J.'s teams. Buffalo is now eager to sell their guilt. O.J. is an icon in the Buffalo community concept to the rest of the United community. (4) The people of Buffalo States and to compete effectively with other remember O.J. in the era of his fame which communities in the United States. (7) brought a positive and popular identity to Buffalo. The symbolism portrayed through Buffalo affiliates with the Bills using the the titles and the names given during the energy and success of the team as their own. time that O.J. played in Buffalo is an When they have to address defeat, they do so indication of the city's need to achieve, positively by proclaiming to the football affiliate, and associate with power. For world, "We're back, America, deal with it" as example, "the Electric Company," the name a position of loyalty. In most communities, of the offensive line turnedon the Juice, was the concept is we win, they lose. The symbolic of the name of O.J. Simpson. (4) concept that is experienced in Buffalo This symbolism was especially important reflects Buffalo wins, we win; Buffalo loses, during the year that he achieved the 2,000 we lose. When there is a losing condition yard rushing record. Another sports symbol the community has learned to adapt and from a previous era was Jack Kemp who rechannel its energy toward another v�nture. quarterbacked the Buffalo Bills during the In this context, the difference is not winning 1960's. Kemp's affiliation is still very strong or losing, but the impact is the residual effect in that he is a very recognizable figure who that draws positive energy from sports to is a symbol of power and pride to the maintain community pride and solidarity. Buffalo area. These icons are examples of (10) how sports figures in the Buffalo area have 21 The energy generated from sports and its that questions logic. An explanation for this events creates an opportunity to unite phenomenon is the cultural influenceof sport community fractions in�o a cohesive entity upon society.