Eh, American audiences almost always pull for the underdog. Otherwise, why make the journey if they're only going to lose? That's why they changed the ending of Dodgeball, test audiences hated it.
What was the real ending?
EDIT: Or original.
Without spoiling the real ending for anyone who didn't see it, I'd say it was probably the exact opposite.
So they lost their gym? And Ben Stiller didn't get fat?
Basically, yeah. The original stopped after Ben hit Vince to eliminate him. There was no foul, the Cobras win. They celebrate, and it ends with a frozen shot of Ben celebrating with Michele the Fitness concierge. The director said he wanted that ending to show that the good guys don't always win in the end.
Anyway, test audiences hated it, studio execs hated it and told the director to change it. He threw a hissy fit and walked off the picture, but came back and shot the theatrical ending.
Like IDRM said, of course test audiences don't like it. But it would have made for a better movie.