Waterford, Connecticut, shows how your geographical location affects your favorite team. Situated precisely in the middle of the road between New York and Boston, Waterford is one of the few battlegrounds in New England, where the historic struggle between the two teams continues. This division is not only expressed in the choice of sports merchandise but also in media consumption.
Waterford households have long been divided by this borderline between two regions. Cable TV packages always include both New York networks, YES and SNY, and New England’s NESN. Thus, growing up in such a place, it is inevitable that you would have to choose whether to listen to the game commentators from New York or Boston. There is no default team for you to follow.
Step into places such as Filomena’s and Pleasure Beach; both sets of fans sit side by side, teasing each other in a friendly manner as they enjoy their drinks. However, when October arrives and baseball’s playoff season begins, things change drastically. It is not uncommon to see a house waving a neat navy blue “NY” flag right beside another that is sporting a red hanging “B.”
Audra Fiano, senior, “Everyone in my family is a huge Yankees fan, and we go to games every once in a while. The atmosphere there is like no other; the Bronx gets absolutely buck wild and people start throwing their stuff everywhere. And you know who doesn’t have 27 rings?? The Red Sox. Go Yanks!”
Alexa Saks, junior, “I grew up in Massachusetts and Boston sports have always been a big part of my life.”
Daniel Gelinas, sophomore, “I love the Red Sox because my favorite player is Roman Anthony.”
Trey Flanagan, freshman, “I like the Yankees better because they have a better history with better teams and players in the past. I also believe the New York teams always come out with better teams and a good history.”
Regardless of whether the locals are reminiscing about the famous 2004 comeback by the Red Sox or debating the current standings, any match between the two rivals is an event worth celebrating in Waterford. It is the perfect opportunity for locals to grill out in the backyard and celebrate with family and friends.
What makes the rivalry in Waterford unique is the fact that there is very little animosity involved. In fact, it brings the whole community together in a sense. It would be easy to see an equal representation of David Ortiz and Derek Jeter jerseys at one patio table during the summer barbecue in Mango Point.
