There’s something both hilarious and tragic about being a die-hard sports fan. You ride the rollercoaster every season, knowing full well the odds are stacked against your team. For Colorado Rockies fans, though, it’s less of a rollercoaster and more like waiting for a ride that never actually gets going. So, when an article from Outkick claimed that a Rockies fan was suing the team for being bad, the reaction wasn’t exactly shock.
The thing is, that initial framing isn’t entirely accurate. The Outkick article leaned into the headline-friendly angle of “Rockies fan sues team for being bad,” which made waves across social media and even sparked a flurry of jokes which are definitely deserved. But a Tweet quotoed in their article from Front Office Sports quickly added clarity to the situation, linking to their article that explained the real issue behind the lawsuit: the fan isn’t suing because the team is bad — he’s suing because he believes the Rockies haven’t done enough to protect fans from foul balls at Coors Field.
That’s a huge difference, but also an interesting example of how narratives around losing teams catch fire fast. The idea that someone would sue a team simply for being bad? That resonated with fans on an emotional level — because it felt true, even if it wasn’t.
Still, the lawsuit’s mischaracterization surely hit a nerve with Rockies fans for a reason. They have been through a lot. The team’s performance over the last couple decades has been, generously speaking, underwhelming. They’ve only made the playoffs five times since 1993. They’ve never won the NL West. Not once. Even their magical 2007 World Series run ended in a sweep. So when people heard about a fan suing them for being bad, the emotional reaction was, “Well, can you blame him?” While it seemed believable because it shows just how frustrated the fan base really is—suing a team for being uncompetitive is not legally viable.
Whether it’s trading away Nolan Arenado, letting DJ LeMahieu walk only to see him become a key piece for the Yankees, or signing Kris Bryant to a massive deal that hasn’t panned out, the Rockies’ front office has given fans plenty to complain about. And while the lawsuit is actually about stadium safety and not the win-loss record, the way it was framed Outkick’s headline tapped into a much larger conversation — one about what sports fans deserve from their teams. Not wins, necessarily, but effort. Direction. A plan. A commitment to putting a competitive product on the field.
The fact that so many people latched onto the false narrative says something about the Rockies’ reputation. Many naive sports fans assumed it was a real lawsuit. No one questioned it. Some people believed a fan would actually take legal action over the sheer dysfunction of the team.
Imagine you’re a Rockies season ticket holder. You pay thousands each year, show up to games, buy jerseys, support the local economy around Coors Field. What do you get in return? More often than not, a last-place team, a confusing roster strategy, and a front office that rarely speaks candidly about its intentions. For some fans, it starts to feel like they’re being taken for granted — like the team just expects them to show up, no matter what.
So, when a story breaks—even if it’s wrong—that someone is finally holding the team accountable, it spreads like wildfire. Because fans are hungry for change. They’re tired of hoping for a rebuild that never comes, or a plan that never materializes. They want more than just sunshine and cheap beer at the ballpark. They want purpose. They want ownership to show pride.
That’s what makes this moment so revealing. As mentioned earlier, the actual lawsuit, according to Front Office Sports, is about netting and safety precautions to protect fans from being hit by foul balls. It’s a serious issue—one that affects every ballpark and has gained more attention in recent years. But the fact that the emotional takeaway was, “Finally, someone is suing a team for being terrible,” says more about the state of the franchise than any legal document could.
It also opens up a broader question. What is the relationship between a fan and their team? Is it purely transactional—you buy a ticket, you get to watch baseball? Or is there an unspoken contract of effort and intention? Most fans understand they’re not guaranteed wins. But they want their team to try. And when it looks like that’s not happening—when player development stalls, veterans are kept around for no reason, and the front office seems more focused on public relations than performance—that unspoken contract starts to feel broken.
Rockies fans have every right to be frustrated. They’ve had to endure more than their share of baffling decisions, unfulfilled potential, and forgettable seasons. And while this particular lawsuit has nothing to do with on-field performance, the initial reaction to it shows just how eager fans are for some form of accountability.
Will anything change because of this? Not likely. The lawsuit will make its way through the courts, focused on safety protocols and netting standards. But the emotional undercurrent—the fan base’s cry for help, for change, for something—won’t go away. And if the Rockies front office is paying attention, they’d be wise to realize that fans aren’t just showing up out of habit anymore. They’re watching. They’re judging. And they’re one viral story away from taking their frustrations to the next level.
Here’s the thing, folks: The lawsuit may not be about losing games. But the fact that that some people believed it was, should be a wake-up call. Fans get tired of being patient. Tired of excuses. Tired of watching teams rebuild, retool, and reload while they stay stuck in neutral, or worse being horrible.
With that… Maybe this is the moment that changes things. Or maybe it’s just another funny headline in a long line of them. Either way, the message is clear: Some Rockies fans aren’t just along for the ride anymore. They want a team that shows it values them as much as they’ve valued the team. Whether through roster moves or netting safety, that effort has to start showing up. Because faith only lasts so long without results.
Sometimes, if you cannot play with them, you don’t want to root for them either!