The nation's capital is, naturally, a city of discourse and disagreement. It's where laws are made, debates are had and business is negotiated.
Therefore, it's also natural for it to be teeming with transplants — people who live in or near the city because of their job, but are originally from elsewhere.
So, when statistician Nate Silver posted a controversial take on Washington's sports teams being "weird," the city's natives came out in droves to defend their home turf.
Washington does, in fact, have "cool sports teams" and those like Silver who pointed out that there's no home-field advantage in any stadium because of the healthy presence of the aforementioned transplants, fail to realize that's part of what makes it great.
Sure, certain franchises like the Commanders and Wizards were infamous for dwindling home crowds due to the teams' poor performances over an extended period of time, but what city hasn't endured that kind of drought?
Just one example: Phoenix, Ariz., sees struggling crowd numbers for the Diamondbacks — even after a World Series appearance — and, for a long time, the Suns did before they made a championship run in 2021.
Washington's mayor, Muriel Bowser, responded to Silver on Tuesday, noting all the special and historic sports moments the city has witnessed just in the last six years — including four championship titles.
Washington has seen a sports revitalization since the Capitals' Stanley Cup peak — two Presidents' Trophies and one league title. That seemed to create a snowball effect for the Nationals (2019 World Series), Mystics (2019 WNBA Championship), Spirit (NWSL Championship) and a spike in fan participation regardless of transplant or native status.
Even with that era's high starting to wane, the Commanders have been the hottest ticket in town with rookie sensation Jayden Daniels under center.
Washington is a unique sports town and that's what makes it great. That title is not reserved for the typical titans of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. There's a healthy presence of opposing fan bases as well as strong native support.
When Washington wins, it's celebrated more because it means more than to the juggernaut cities that see perennial championships and success.
