UK Among Schools with Most Non-Alumni Fans

[ok-cats-computer]

Linking an interesting article about a study of which college teams have the highest percentage of fans that did not attend the school. Notre Dame is the team with the highest percentage of fans that did not attend the school. Kentucky is in the top ten. I think this is a good thing in that it demonstrates that Kentucky is truely the Commonwealth's team. Also, teams like Kentucky and Alabama that win big while playing in states that don't have pro teams will have a large fan base.

Link: http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2015/6/2/8622799/college-fans-facebook-sidewalk-alumni

 

[LHScat]

Non-alumni fan checking in from Illinois.

 

[lawrencekash]

I am a non Alumni fan even though I used to sleep under the bench during practices in the late 40's when my father was a volunteer team Dr.

 

[nssdigitalchumps]

Ah, well. Not everyone can go to UK for college. Not a big deal in my opinion. We should welcome everyone into the family that wants to be a part of the family.

Always room at the table.

 

[ORCAT]

I am an alumni but have no problem with UK having a large non alumni fan base. Matter of fact, I am part of a group of huge UK fans, many of which never went to UK, and you could never find better and more loyal people anywhere. We tailgate together and have gatherings to watch UK away games quite often and it's fantastic. I'm not one of those, and we've seen some on here, who say how can you be that big of a fan of a school when you didn't go there. I love BBN and welcome new members all the time.

 

[Bkocats]

I never have understood why those of us who did NOT graduate from Kentucky are slammed for being "bandwagon" fans. I can tell you - while I grew up (nominally) a UK fan - I didn't really start watching until about 88 or so......and you all know what was going on then.

 

[Jamal Mercer]

Non alumni fan since birth. 37 years.

 

[Zakk Wyldcat]

Don't quite understand alumni v. non-alumni(if there is such a thing). I'm non-alumni, been attending football/basketball games since 1977 so I have just as much emotional investment in UK athletics as anybody who graduated from the school.

 

[Roe07]

WKU alum here, but I'm from Nicholasville and grew up with UK basketball and football. Being from the Lexington area just engulfs you into the blue blooded culture of UK and I'll always feel a part of the program even though I didn't attend school there. I wore more Kentucky blue on campus at Western than I did WKU gear and there were lots more there just like me. I support my Hilltoppers and loved every minute of time I spent on the hill, but I'm a Wildcat first and foremost and that will never change.

 

[Blueaz]

IMO alumni (such as myself) only get riled with the non-alumni fans when they start overly bitchin about the money spent or not spent and/or running down the university. I am very proud of my Kentucky and UK heritage. Both have blessed with a good life.
It's kinda like; I can make fun of my parents, but when my wife does the exact same it bugs me...and vice-versa for her.

 

[Dakota25]

I went to Georgetown college personally however my parents are UK alumni so that gives me a connection to the college. Also I have been a fan for 18 years, I am 26, and Kentucky has no pro teams so UK is the commonwealth's team.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Many non-alumni have been UK fans for a greater percentage of their life than some that "jump on the bandwagon" when they go to college there (which is great, not bashing it!). Now I'm sure everyone on this board that went to UK was a UK fan before most likely but I'm sure that is not how it is everywhere.

 

[gossie21]

I was a die-hard fan before I ever stepped foot on campus as a student (grad school). When I think about what makes me a UK fan, my degree has very little to do with it. I did get to go to more games back then, so that was nice.

 

[bucsrule8872]

WKU alum here, but I'm from Nicholasville and grew up with UK basketball and football. Being from the Lexington area just engulfs you into the blue blooded culture of UK and I'll always feel a part of the program even though I didn't attend school there. I wore more Kentucky blue on campus at Western than I did WKU gear and there were lots more there just like me. I support my Hilltoppers and loved every minute of time I spent on the hill, but I'm a Wildcat first and foremost and that will never change.

WKU alum as well. I bleed blue, but I grew up 20 minutes from The Hill. My dad worked construction on PFT. It made the most sense to go to WKU (great teaching program as well). It was home.

But I obviously love the Cats and have since I can remember because my dad was a UK fan.

Most of the UK fans I know are non-alums. If you are from the western part of the state, you tend to go to Murray or WKU instead of driving 3-6 hours to Lexington.

And where I am from, not a high percentage goes to college, so they pull for their state team instead. My dad is a huge UK fan and never went to college. Same for most of my family.

 

[SaguaroCat]

IMO alumni (such as myself) only get riled with the non-alumni fans when they start overly bitchin about the money spent or not spent and/or running down the university. I am very proud of my Kentucky and UK heritage. Both have blessed with a good life.
It's kinda like; I can make fun of my parents, but when my wife does the exact same it bugs me...and vice-versa for her.

Nailed it. Nothing wrong with non alum fans. All are equal in Rupp Arena. But, let's say some egghead professor complains about too much attention to sports at the university. I roll my eyes at that talk. But as an alum, I feel I have more right to criticize that. University of Kentucky is proudly on my resume and office wall. I've chosen for its prestige to partially, but directly, reflect on me and visa versa.

Also. Nothing wrong with someone from another school to follow kentucky sports. How could you not, us being so awesome and all. But I can not abide anyone that would go to Kentucky and root for another school. Or even worse basketball only. I question the integrity of a student who picks and chooses like that.

Also also. Some people like to pooh pooh bandwagon fans. I don't follow tennis or golf or whatever. But if a UK team goes deep in their respective sports, as an alum, it's my right, heck duty, to jump on for the ride.

 

[Aike]

Attended UK, graduated from EKU. Wildcat from birth. Also work and pay taxes in Kentucky and have as much right to voice my opinion about the goings on at our state University as someone with six degrees.

 

[Federal Cat]

Non Alum here, Kentucky fan for life, just makes sense to me because we have no professional teams, what irks me is someone from Kentucky who is a Duke or UNCheat fan , just want to choke them out

 

[Rush2112 UK]

The top 10 there all had numbers in the 91-95% range with regard to non-alumni likes.

I'll guarantee this: of that 90+ percent who aren't alumni, Kentucky would have the largest percentage of those fans coming from within its state borders, followed by Bama and Wisconsin.

Personal observation: I'm an alumnus, but to me an integral part of the strength and charm of our fanbase is our longstanding border-to-border support from a great majority of KENTUCKIANS.

 

[WhiteCityCat1]

IMO alumni (such as myself) only get riled with the non-alumni fans when they start overly bitchin about the money spent or not spent and/or running down the university. I am very proud of my Kentucky and UK heritage. Both have blessed with a good life.
It's kinda like; I can make fun of my parents, but when my wife does the exact same it bugs me...and vice-versa for her.

So alums do not bitch about such things and if they do it's OK ?
I know many non alumni fans that are just as invested and as die hard as alumni if not more .

 

[WhiteCityCat1]

Nailed it. Nothing wrong with non alum fans. All are equal in Rupp Arena. But, let's say some egghead professor complains about too much attention to sports at the university. I roll my eyes at that talk. But as an alum, I feel I have more right to criticize that. University of Kentucky is proudly on my resume and office wall. I've chosen for its prestige to partially, but directly, reflect on me and visa versa.

Also. Nothing wrong with someone from another school to follow kentucky sports. How could you not, us being so awesome and all. But I can not abide anyone that would go to Kentucky and root for another school. Or even worse basketball only. I question the integrity of a student who picks and chooses like that.

Also also. Some people like to pooh pooh bandwagon fans. I don't follow tennis or golf or whatever. But if a UK team goes deep in their respective sports, as an alum, it's my right, heck duty, to jump on for the ride.

Thanks for your approvial.

 

[BostonCat2001]

really not all that surprising when you think about it.

 

[ia.ukfan]

Count me as another non alumni, and a rare Iowa born and raised UK fan. My uncle did attend UK, however.

I'm blessed to have a loving Grandpa who ensured his grandkids were UK fans

^ He started out early buying the grandkids 96' National Championship gear lol.

 

[WACB]

I applied to UK and was accepted (still have the acceptance letter) but then my parents saw the price of tuition/room/board and said "No way!"

I went to a small local college instead and had a huge UK flag hanging on my dorm room wall.

 

[Blueaz]

So alums do not bitch about such things and if they do it's OK ?
I know many non alumni fans that are just as invested and as die hard as alumni if not more .

You can get over yourself at any time...
It's non-alumni like you (who feel that they are MORE invested in UK) and make smart-ass comments...just smh

 

[O C-A-T-S 06]

I am a recent alumni but I was born blue. Both my parents attended eku but were always UK fans. Something about living in Kentucky makes it hard to not be a fan, although I guess I'm biased.

 

[lawrencekash]

I suspect the vast majority of non-alumni fans were born or lived in KY. You cannot live here (accept in the 'ville) and not become a Wildcat fan.

 

[feelthebeirne]

I also wasn't able to attend college, but joined the alumni association as a dues paying associate member !

 

[BoulderCat]

UK makes sense. It's been a state wide passion since the 1940's. Even many alums are like me who'd already been a fan for a decade by the time I showed up on campus.

The other thing which caught my eye was CU showing up 2nd on the other end. Again makes sense. I visited their Rivals board a month or so ago. Only 2 boards, both premium, almost no activity on either. Seems no one in Colorado cares about CU sports except alums, and apparently they don't care much. Can't say I blame them. There just aren't many people who follow NCAA cross country skiing competitions.

 

[RondoBaller21]

I'm a non-alumni fan, but I grew up in Lexington and have always been a UK fan. My dad graduated from UK.