In my 20s (1990s) I was a sports bar junkie! Be it Gator games or Rams games.....or just another good game. I loved going. I too had a favorite for NFL games and I too was usually put in a dark corner with a 1970s TV LOL. I will say, the Manager at that bar was GREAT about moving me to a better screen if nothing was happening with the big draw games.... I LOVED LOVED LOVED being the ONE bad guy around 20-30 Cowboys fans when we shocked the hell out of them in 1992!
I also agree with investing less when the team stunk year after year. Since the 90s, I have married, had two kids, divorced and re married. Simply cannot afford to pour in the $$$....heck, even during good years. Tickets,parking.....Even sports bars are not nearly as cheap as they were 25 years ago. I remember,around 1991-92 my bud and I spending 9-10 hours on a football Saturday, watching games into the night, at our favorite bar. We had countless wings and pitchers. I even had a burger and we spent about $70. Just last year, my Wife and I had LUNCH at the same bar. I had two beers, she had a margarita and we spent $60 in hardly an hour.