More details on their model are here.
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But some folks over at Emory University have tried to remove the bias from the equation and make a determination – based on tangible, indisputable data – to rank the fan bases of all 32 teams.
Emory used 15 years worth of data on attendance, prices and revenues and compared it to team performance, median incomes and other normalizing factors.
Redskins fans pride themselves on being among the sport’s most passionate and faithful supporters, but those words are subjective.
It’s a debate that likely never will be settled for a variety of reasons, the primary of which is that the people doing the debating are highly biased in their belief that their fan base has an ardor beyond any other.
The “best” fans in the National Football League according to Emory: 1.
Chicago came in 6th, just ahead of the 7th placed Green Bay Packers’ fans, well ahead of the 18th ranked Minnesota Vikings’ fans and Detroit Lions’ fans were way down in 25th. An explanation of study’s methodology can be found here. And teams like them “will do better when we switch to non-financial metrics such as social media following”.
The Packers, Steelers and Seahawks aren’t charging their fans enough money, and that’s why their fans will never be as great as the Cowboys’.
Quirks of an imperfect study aside, there was some genuinely useful information to be gleamed. Sometimes, the real fans are often revealed when they don’t follow a winning team.
Bringing up the rear, from 28th to 32nd, are the Bills, Jaguars, Raiders, Browns and Dolphins. Being good once upon time apparently doesn’t give teams that much cachet with fans.
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The Dolphins don’t have that excuse.
