The Red Socks vs. The Black Socks

Two links:

First a link from Engadget HD. In the HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray rivalry, Blu-ray fans are organizing a "Buy Blu-ray Day" on Amazon next week. Why? Because HD-DVD fans pulled a similar move this past week on the one-year anniversary of the format. HD-DVD rankings on Amazon skyrocketed, talks of a resurgent HD-DVD-format emerged, and Blu-ray fans were pissed.

Now check out this post from Mark Cuban from awhile back on Fanboy culture.

Take a step back from all this and it's fascinating. Take two steps back and it's astounding.

People these days are rooting for products and companies in the same way people have always rooted for players or sports teams. On the one hand it makes sense. Sports is a business, teams are a brand. Players could be viewed as mere commodities, especially when endorsements are included.

But on the other hand it doesn't make sense at all. The point of choosing a team in a sporting event is to involve oneself in the game. As soon as you choose a team, you now have something on the line, that is, you have something to lose - your team. There is melodrama in the question, "Will they win?" The closer the game - the more drama.

So maybe that's what this is all about? Fanboys join the competition, aka The Game, between businesses. They take a side - for the melodrama.

They are entertaining themselves over a battle of products whose sole purpose is to entertain.

The real winner in all of this? Jeff Bezos.