Since I recently wrote an article about the top-10 worst fans in sports, I thought it was only right that I did a piece on the 10 best fanbases.
Here is that list:
10. Dallas Mavericks Fans
The Mavericks have boasted the best attendance/capacity percentage out of any team in the NBA every season since 2002-03.
The entrance of owner Mark Cuban brought a brand new fan base that showed as much compassion and intensity as the team's owner had—this season, reaching an astonishing 105.7 percent capacity for each home game.
The American Airlines Center is one of the loudest arenas in the NBA, if not the loudest.
9. Buffalo Sabres Fans
A surprise entrant onto the list, Sabres fans are some of the most loyal in the NHL, many of whom come from Canada nightly to watch the Sabres' home games.
This season, the Sabres finished second in the NHL in both total home attendance average and percent capacity (109.4).
All this for a team that missed the playoffs this past season and didn't play that great hockey until after the midway point.
8. Toronto FC Fans
For a sport that still doesn't have a huge viewing popularity in the United States, it has definitely found a home in Canada. In just its second season in the MLS, Toronto FC has been a financial success thus far, selling out every game they've hosted.
Toronto FC had to cap its season ticket sales this season at 16,000, which is an MLS-high. The sea of red at BMO Field is something that needs to be seen; the fans in Toronto are very loyal to their team and gives the stadium a feel of an English Premier League game.
Fans rain red streamers and other things down on the opposing players whenever they head over to take a corner kick.
Even without a big-name player on the team, Toronto FC has been, huge financially—and a big asset to the MLS.
7. Montreal Canadiens Fans
One of the original six teams in the NHL, the Habs to this day have arguably the biggest following of any NHL team. The Bell Centre, where the Canadiens play, has the largest seating capacity in the entire NHL—and, good or bad, Canadiens fans go to games.
The Canadiens had the largest average home attendance this season, with 100 percent capacity.
Fans seem to live and die based on how the Canadiens perform and follow the team almost religiously.
I guess that's what happens when you play in a hockey haven, as many see it.
6. Washington Redskins Fans
The largest stadium in the NFL also boasts one of the largest capacity percentages of any team in the NFL.
This past season, the Redskins were first in the NFL by averaging just under 89,000 fans per home game and second with a 110 percent capacity.
The most loyal Redskin fans are the Hogettes—some of the best fans in pro sports, even though they're men wearing dresses.
Good or bad, Redskins fans are always there in full force, supporting their team.
5. Boston Red Sox Fans
Love their fans or hate their fans...while many people around the country feel there are too many Sox bandwagoners, nobody can deny how much loyalty comes with a diehard Red Sox fan.
They do play in one of the smallest stadiums in baseball, but Red Sox fans pack Fenway Park to the max and then some. In 2007, the Red Sox averaged 101.4 percent capacity each home game.
For the 86 years that Red Sox fans didn't see a World Series title, they would always say, "our time will come eventually," and it finally did.
Maybe it was a return on being so loyal, even through all those years that the "curse" might've kept the Red Sox and their fans from reaching the top of the mountain.
4. Calgary Flames Fans
When teams make the playoffs they typically hand out t-shirts to every fan coming to the game so the entire arena is sporting the same color.
In Calgary, it isn't just the playoffs that brings a one-colored fan unity throughout the arena.
The thing that is amazing is, instead of red t-shirts, almost every fan at the arena, during every game, has a red Flames jersey.
Calgary Flames fan support is so strong that, even with teams like the Maple Leafs and Canadiens and Sabres and their loyal fans, I give the Flames fans the top spot among NHL fans and Canadian fans in general.
Last season, the Flames ranked first in the NHL with an amazing 112.4 percent capacity.
Good or bad, Flames fans will always be out in full force—with their red Flames jersies, no less.
3. Green Bay Packers Fans
If you're looking to get season tickets for the Green Bay Packers, you'll end up in a waiting list so long you may die with plenty of names still ahead of you.
The Packers, with all their rich football history, have one of the biggest and best fan bases in all of sports. Even in a small town like Green Bay, fans come out in droves.
The most amazing thing is how the Packers always sell out, even if the weather outside is 10 degrees.
Last season, the Packers ranked first in the NFL with a 116.5 percent capacity, which is hard to even fathom.
Even with the retirement of town hero Brett Favre, Packers fans will continue to come out and support this team.
You know the fans are loyal when they are willing to pay yearly to be on a waiting list for season tickets they will most likely never receive.
2. Chicago Cubs Fans
The lovable losers in sports, Chicago Cubs fans have gone 100 years without a World Series title, and that stretch could go on a lot longer before the Cubs finally win one.
The fans, however, are some of, if not the, most loyal fans in sports.
Each year they come into opening day saying "this is our year," and, more often than not, it turns out that it isn't their year, after all.
Even with that, the Cubs have one of the best attendance figures in pro sports. In 2007, the Cubs finished second in the MLB with a 97.7 percent capacity.
That is amazing, especially given a large portion of Cubs home games are during the day—a work or school day, no less.
No Cubs fan can be accused of jumping on the bandwagon because they haven't won anything since the year the Ford Model-T was put on the market.
Keep being loyal, Cubs fans: One day a championship will come, and, when it does, the rest of the sports world will salute you all rather then hiss or boo.
1. Manchester United Fans
When one thinks of loyal fans, not many here in the United States even consider fans across the Atlantic, who are soccer hooligans.
But on this list, they get recognized.
With that said, the No. 1 sports fans right now, in my eyes, are fans of the Manchester United Football Club—or soccer team, for us Americans.
Manchester United fans travel in droves to matches seemingly eveywhere. A great example is yesterday's Champions League final in Moscow, which saw an absurd amount of Man U fans that were there.
Manchester United fans are so loyal, they would fight to the death, it seems, on behalf of their team.
Old Trafford remains a sports landmark, and is always filled to capacity when a Manchester United game is taking place.
Don't think Man U fans are the best? Don't say that to an actual Man U fan in England, or you could be in a world of trouble.
A great example is from the movie "Euro Trip," which shows a group of Man U fans on a bus arrive in Paris, spot a man in a France jersey, and then chase him through the streets.
To me, that is what a Manchester United fan is—and that is why they are the No. 1 fans in sports right now.
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4 months ago
I don't know if this is better then my worst fans in sports article but we'll see. Let me know what you guys think and if you would change the list at all or what teams you would take out and which ones would you add.
4 months ago
haha get ready for those that will hate this list, I like it but get ready for those that wont....
4 months ago
how the f' is the Lakers Fans not in the top 5? You put Mavs in top 10? u lost all credibility there.
from 4 months ago
LA Fans made my worst fans in sports article, they were #1 actually on that list
http://www.bleacherreport.com/articles/23675-The-Top-Ten-Worst-Sports-Fans-160508
from 4 months ago
Lakers fans are by far the worst in sports. Its easy to root for a team when Kobe is on the team, and you are winning championships or darn close every year. Lets talk after Kobe retires in 10 years.
4 months ago
for sure Manchester U fans are kinda really insane!! what about liverpool though?! for every home game, there have to be police squads to protect the other fans.
good choice for the flames as well. the entire city is amazing especially during the playoffs.
about the Habs (hehe), you might be interested by this article
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/24566-NHL-Bandwagon-Fans-Keeping-the-League-Afloat-210508
anyway, I hope this one will be a hit as the previous one! good job!
from 4 months ago
Pool fans are loyal supporters but are too violent as well..........almost thuggish at times......who can forget the Heysel stadium tragedy..??
Utd fans are one of the most well behaved and the most numerous as well.
A special mention must go out to the fans of the Indian National Cricket Team,who fill every stadium that the team plays in.
Besides there is this faction of people called the Bharat army (Indian version of the Barmy Army) who travel with the team at all their matches.......some commitment.
from 4 months ago
Totally agree! Manchester and Liverpool probably have the most loyal soccer fans!!!
4 months ago
The Habs should be ahead of any other hockey team. I'm a Sabres fan and every time they have to play Montreal away I hate it because I know how devoted those fans are. They are the greatest franchise in NHL history and therefore, they have the greatest fans. Awesome article.
from 4 months ago
Montreal fans are awesome, and I think its something that many of the fans wear suits' to the games, or so I have been told but I still think the sea of red, with red jerseys to be exact is an amazing sight to see at an arena.
from 4 months ago
you guys, you must be among the rare ones to consider the Habs fans to be awesome ...
seriously. just ask the Bruins fans, toronto ... anyone in the league actually! lol
people say the Habs fan community is arrogant, that we have stolen the "ole ole" thing to European teams and so on and so on . it is tough sometimes ! lol
somehow, I still think the Bell Center would need something to identify itself to. A song (still like Liverpool) ... ONE colour (like the flyers do with the orange crush) and so on
4 months ago
I don't think many soccer fans would agree that Man Utd fans are by any definition the "best" fans in soccer.
And you were better off sticking to just US and Canadian teams, and admitting as much. Now you are saying that 9 of 10 of the best fan bases are in the US and Canada? Now one is going think this conclusion is based on any substantive knowledge of sports outside of the US and Canada.
from 4 months ago
With over 330 million supporters worldwide I would say many soccer fans would agree with me, those that don't are the ones so loyal to their team that they hate anything and everything about Man U. Basically 5% of the world are Manchester United supporters, that is incredible.
4 months ago
Man Utd "Best fans"!
Are you taking the piss, I respect the Manchester based and linked fans but the vast majority of Man Utd fans are blatant glory hogs! Look you can't tell me if Man U had won nothing for 60 years then they wouldn't have as many fans!
Best fans, you base that who went to see their team in a final, how about the Irish soccer fans who invaded Italy, Usa and Japan. And my team Newcastle United who haven't won anything domestically in 55 yrs and still we sell out home and away matches and our support never waivers.
Don't tie support in with trophies, barren spells are what defines a clubs support!
from 4 months ago
Manchester United hasn't always been successful, they had seasons where for the first half of the season they were close to the relegation zone of the standings. They were not that successful in the first couple of years of the 1970's among other seasons. I did not put their fans on this list due to the champions league final, I put them on because of everything else, their loyalties and passion run very deep, as they do on many other soccer teams, I just feel Manchester United fans are the most passionate fans of any team. I might've been better off just putting soccer hooligans in the #1 spot rather then a specific team but I liked putting specific teams this time around.
4 months ago
Best NORTH AMERICAN FANS!!! By FAR the best fans in the world are Boca Fans. Fenerbahce gets a honorable mention, as do liverpool fans.
4 months ago
The Toronto Maple Leafs have not won the Cup since 1967 and they sell out all the time. I'm not suprised they've been left off this list because the fans in the platnium seats are just a bunch of suits who talk about business and sit on their hands all game. This list should onlyhave been based on N. America only. Toronto FC matches are a lot more enjoyable than Leafs/Raptors/Jays games and this is because of the support and of course the beutiful game of football.
from 4 months ago
Isn't that what most of the people that sit lower level are now? Just a bunch of suits that just watch the game and don't make much noise at all for the home team when something happens? It seems these days most lower level tickets are handed out through corporations to clients to try and please them.
from 4 months ago
agreed ... I used to work in a company where they give canadiens tickets to the clients who are just passing by Montreal. i mean, the people dont know anything about the game, they just go and sit there. they clap from time to time, and they find it cruel when there is a fight in front of them.
4 months ago
Calgary doesnt even have the best fans in Alberta...let alone the whole NHL...look at the sell out streaks in the NHL...Calgary is a bandwagon bunch and I'm sure once the team falters the C of Red will get smaller and smaller. Look at the attendance b4 their recent playoff streak.
4 months ago
No offense to Mavs fans, since I am one, but they (we) are not among the ten best in sports. Sure they fill the AAC, but they are the most negative people this side of Pre-2004 Red Sox fans. Just read the comments on the MavsBlog for the Dallas Morning News.
from 4 months ago
I agree with Alex. You can't put the Mavs in the top 10. Part of being a top 10 fan base is support during losing years. Before Cuban took over and spent millions this team was a door mat in the NBA and the fan base was pretty small. Now they win, and now they show up. So, no dice. Good fans follow teams through bad times: Chicago Cubs.
4 months ago
Calgary Flames as the best fans in the NHL? laughable...this a team that needed garbage bags to cover the nosebleeds before going on a Stanley Cup run in 2004....
"Good or bad, Flames fans will always be out in full force—with their red Flames jersey no less."
HA! Again, apparently you didn't watch Flames games before 2004 because I rarely saw red jersey's in the crowd...if you look closely, you'll see that most "fans" have the new jersey's that came about in 2004
They're not even the best fans in the province let alone the NHL
As for Man U...yeah, it must be hard being a fan of a team that constantly wins year after year...what hardcore fans!
4 months ago
Flames Fans wear their Jerseys all day on game days whether we are luckey enough to have tickets or not. We love our team.
4 months ago
Not one college team on here and you call this the best fans list??? How many of the fan bases you have mentioned travel in droves like Bama, OSU, UM, USC, OU, Clemson, UGA fanbases do??? The only one I will give you the benefit of the doubt on is ManU and not another one. Not another one of those fan bases travel like college football fans do.
from 4 months ago
This is only a list with pro sports teams on it, I didn't include college teams on this list or on my list of worst fans either.
4 months ago
really no yankees ? come one dog they have already sold 4 million tickets.... toronto fc? is this a joke NO ONE CARES ABOUT SOCCER just ask Jim Rome
from 4 months ago
The Yankees are so negative. I guess it depends on your criteria but every other day something isn't good enough for them. If you need proof look no further than the treatment of A-Rod in the not-so-long-ago past.
4 months ago
I agree with you about the Chicago Cubs fans. Anyone who can be loyal to a team that hasn't won in 100 years earns my respect.
4 months ago
Loyalty to Manchester United is easy for their fans - they win so often. How many of those fans were around during the dark days of the late 70s and 80s? The ones who were deserve some kudos - and deserve to enjoy the team's more recent successes - but the rest... not so much.
If you want to find great fans in the English Premier League, then you need to look further down the table - in fact to the very bottom. Derby County Football Club finished '07-'08 with the lowest points tally in Premier League history. They won ONE league game all season. Week after week they were beaten soundly - 6-0 by Liverpool, 5-0 and 6-2 by Arsenal, 6-1 by Chelsea - and perhaps worse than these, 6-0 at home by Aston Villa, 5-0 at home by West Ham, 4-0 at home by fellow relegated team Reading. Their solitary league win was by 1 goal to 0 back on September 17th. There was every reason for the fans to stay away in droves.
But they didn't. In fact they recorded Derby's third highest average crowd ever - in their least successful season. Pride Park Stadium held an average gate of 32,432 for the 19 Premier League fixtures, the 12th highest average in the top flight. They were the seventh best-supported club when it comes to the percentage of ground filled - better figures than Newcastle, Liverpool, Aston Villa or Everton. Attendances for all the final seven matches at Pride Park - when relegation seemed certain - topped 33,000. The lowest league attendance of the season was 30,048 for the visit of Blackburn Rovers on December 30, and the highest was 33,087 for the final game of the year, against Reading.
Now that is a truly great fanbase; they keep coming to watch, keep shelling out their money through the hard times. Not with any expectation of improvement. Nobody is that optimistic. Just because they love their team and want to support them come rain or shine. And the club has already sold upwards of 20,000 season tickets for next year, despite the fact the club will be playing in the next division down.
It's great that so many Manchester United fans can afford the trip to Moscow. But the fact that more than 30,000 fans made it to Pride Park every week to watch the worst football Derby County ever served up makes their fans my choice for number 1.
4 months ago
This is a very Americanized view of the sportsworld. If you think that Man United fans are the best football fans in the world, then you are obviously uneducated when it comes to your understanding of football fans around the world. Travel to Buenos Aires, and visit La Boca, where their team Boca Juniors is engrained in their culture. Go to El Monumental and watch River Plate play. Travel throughout Argentina, and see how important the sport of football is in some communities, it will destroy what we call "hardocore" by quite a bit. It's the same case throughout South America. This is also the case throughout most of the world, travel to Germany, other English grounds, France, Spain, Japan, Egypt, Turkey, etc. And you will see top fanbases.
And to the person that stated "no one cares about soccer"
Well, if this is a list of the worlds top 10 fan bases. Then really, we should be saying who cares about American football, hockey, and to a certain extent basketball. Because football, or soccer, is the worlds game.
4 months ago
Boston? Are you nuts! I agree with Manchester United, but Boston Red Sox? Get real!
4 months ago
Your only knowledge about the world's sports comes from Euro trip, doesn't it?
First off, any mention of a N.A. fan base being in the top 10 is just ludicrous. You have to get past the top 50 before a non-soccer fan base could be mentioned. Secondly, wtf? Manchester United, seriously? In case you don't know, Manure fans are often the laughing stock of soccer fans as they are mostly, especially with the recent success of the club over the last decade or so, glory hunters and fickle fucks. Their home fans are very tame and the loyal loud fans can not even get tickets for the games. Their away support is top notch but it is not the best, and there are many teams that match that support and exceed it. It is hard to rank the top 10 fan bases, but it's gotta be made up of the Southeastern and Central European fan bases (Turkish and Croatian clubs such as Galatasaray and Dinamo Zagreb ...) and South American fan bases (Argentinian barra bravas, Brazilian torcidas and so on).
from 4 months ago
I didn't base the list off of the Man U fans going to Russia to see the Finals for Champions League. I should've known by putting a soccer team as the #1 spot that all other soccer fans would want their team in the list also, this isnt the top 10 soccer fans in the world right now, its top 10 fans in sports.
4 months ago
How are the New York Yankees' fans not on this list?
from 4 months ago
'Cause Yankees' fans deride players when they don't win World Series. The fans on these lists are "tick-and-thin" loyalists.
I had thought if I did not see the Packers' fans #1 this list would be invalidated. However, you did pick the only two sets that could even have an argument made they are ranked higher. Nonetheless, I will tell you why they should not be:
1. Not only do the Packers sell out every game with a waiting list in the thousands, they sell 50,000 tickets to intra-squad scrimmages. I do not know enough about ManU fans to be sure of this, but I doubt they can claim that kind of pull for exhibitions much less scrimmages. And the Cubs don't sell out every game. Now I know there are a heck of a lot more games for these teams to sell out, but they have larger bases because of the Metro Areas they draw from--for instance, the Cubs play 10 times as many home games every year but have a Metro Area about 500 times as large.
2. The Packers have as many people outside a stadium during a game as inside because they want to be in the vicinity of what is happneing.
3. There are no other teams whose fans can come out in stronger numbers than the home crowds. The first time I attended a game at Candlestick (DON'T call it Monster Park!), I was one of about 20-25% of the crowd to be in green and gold, even though the Niners were still a playoff team.
4. We do this despite the team performing badly for so many years. In sixteen seasons (1973-1988) the Packers had only two winning seasons, 8-7-1 and 5-3-1 in the strike year. From the time Vince Lombardi left after the 1967 season and Mike Holmgren arrived in 1992, 23 non-strike seasons went on without a playoff win.
4 months ago
is this a north american list or global list? clearly the author has no knowledge on sports.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzs8FLb1LzA
4 months ago
i dont agree with the sabres being on this list. they had trouble selling tickets untill they became (self proclaimed) "scary good"
the mark of a diehard fanbase is one that sticks with their team in good times or bad.
from 4 months ago
The problem with the article is that it lacks any criteria in which the author bases what makes fans great. Sabres fans could be seen as great or as bandwagon, depending on point of view. If the belief is a true fan should be selling out every game, through bad management, losing seasons, players who don't care and bankruptcies, then so be it. Others may see true fans as fans who will send a message to ownership by being knowledgeable enough to not spend their dollars on a losing product. I'm not necessarily defending it, but througout their history, Sabres fans are always smart and dedicated when the team has reciprocated and shown a committment to winning.
4 months ago
I find the fact that you keep refering to "soccer" fans as hooligans, we english fans do have our history, but i would feel safe in saying we are now possibly one of the best behaved fans in europe, to be honest i do not agree with your list, but i do not blame you for thinking manchester united are the greatest fans in the world, we are pretty amazing. I think you should have stuck to north american sports fans, the fact of the matter is that teams sell out stadiums and arena's etc.. due to their success, no one wants to pay to se their team lose.
Some football fans may bring up derby, but i believe that the majority of their fans that attented their premier leage games where local neutrals, and obviously with any sports team you do get die hard fans who stick with their team through thick and thin.
Newcastle fans are not good fans, their expectations of their team are based purely on the size of their stadium, they feel that because they are playing in a large stadium they should be a big club. I think Newcastle fans should live up to their fact that they are a mediocre mid-table team.
As for american sports team fans, well i have no idea about american sports I find them to be very boring games.
Heres a question i would like awnsered, does the baseball WORLD series include teams from outside america yet? (i honestly do not know, i do not follow these things)
from 4 months ago
The World Series is just teams in the United States and the one in Canada, being the Toronto Blue Jays. Teams in Japan and wherever else are not considered.
As for what you said about fans not going to games if the team is losing I find that to be untrue, just look at the Red Sox before they won their world series, they always sold out games same with the Chicago Cubs, 100 years without winning a World Series title and fans still pack that ballpark
4 months ago
Teams in the MLB (Major League Baseball) in the USA and Canada (they only have 1 team in the MLB)
4 months ago
it seems like you just arbitrarily put the cubs ahead of the Sox simply because they haven't won a championship.
from 4 months ago
No, I put them ahead because I think Cubs fans are better then Red Sox fans
from 4 months ago
Yea, and I'm saying that was your logic.
from 4 months ago
Yeah, and I'm saying that it had nothing to do with the Cubs not winning a World Series....
4 months ago
Wow. What a thorough and wildly inaccurate list with little to no basis on any real criteria. I particularly love the oversight of so many rabid college football camps.
Look this NHL team has 14 fans but since all 14 of them are hardcore they totally deserve a spot...so does my kid's little league team by these standards.
from 4 months ago
Well if you take notice douche bag, I didn't put college teams on this list because they are all pro sports teams... why don't you write some articles on here before you start commenting peoples stuff negatively you tool
4 months ago
A "The Top-10 Best Sports Fanbases" in the world would basically be all soccer teams. None of these American sports teams come anywhere near as being as loyal, excited or hardcore as soccer fans...a true list (not this americacentric crap list) would have Milan, Liverpool, Boca Juniors, Urawa Reds, Barcelona, Real Madrid....etc
4 months ago
Why are you even a sportswriter, you have no idea what you're talking about. My 14 year old brother could come up with a better list.
from 4 months ago
I'd like to see your list
4 months ago
Sell out crowd = best fan base? I think you have a mindset of a capitalist.
Well, a sellout crowd can be a powerful statement for the front office, however the most loyal and passionate fans are the ones bring the incredible excitement to the game. You can have sellout crowd of 60K with no atmosphere like the NFL...or you can have 20K euro football fans nonstop chanting, singing, drinking and cheering their beloved football team, creating a awesome atmosphere throughout the game. I think I'd rather go the the latter.
4 months ago
How come the Yankees aren't on this list, they set the MLB record for attendance, with 4 straight seasons 4,000,000+ attendance.......
from 4 months ago
And yeah I'm a Yankee fan
4 months ago
You better throw Raider Fans on this list my friend. While the world would like to bash us and label us as drop out, ex con, uneducated, trailer park, drug addicted welfare recipients I know better. I have been in the trenches, behind the scenes and know first hand the level of commitment and dedication our fanbase has. Top notch. A little crazy at times but nothing like it. Nothing like it in the world.
from 4 months ago
I'm gonna be honest with you, I totally forgot about Raiders fans, they are some of the best and most loyal fans in the world. Had I remembered them they would've been in the top 10. Thats my mess up
4 months ago
are u kidding how u can u not put in the Detroit Red Wings fan base in the top 5 let alone the top ten
before u right another article about this think of the Wings fans
4 months ago
you definitely shouldve stuck to North American sports. Now all the soccer fans are gonna bitch about how Manchester is overhyped and that the American public only knows maybe 5 european soccer teams.
Decent article on the whole. Its one of those articles that you're never gonna please everyone because your dissed their team.
from 4 months ago
ignorance is bliss
4 months ago
Interesting article, did you think about the Detroit Pistons at all? They hit 233 straight sellouts yesterday against Boston, and the Palace is one of the loudest arenas in sports. I was at the game and, before the Pistons decided to get down by twenty, it was so loud I had trouble hearing the PA announcer at times. Even when the Pistons had a few futile comeback attempts in the second half, people were on their feet and it was loud.
4 months ago
New York Rangers fans should be on that list. Sticking with your team for 7 years of listless, non-playoff hockey and selling out every game during that stretch should count for something....
4 months ago
Toronto FC, i didn't even know what sport they play, how could they be on this list? If any Toronto team belongs its the Maple Leafs, and the Cowboys belong way more than the mavericks. also if your gonna put red sox fans, you have to put yankees fans, its just natural.
4 months ago
Raiders fans? Warriors fans? I know the "We Believe" is just the last couple years, but I feel like those have shown some promise as real good fans. As for the Raiders, the Black Hole? Come on!
from 4 months ago
sorry, just saw the raiders comment.
4 months ago
I completely disagree with your number 1...MAN U?!? Why not Chelsea fans, or Arsenal fans, or even god-forbid Liverpool fans? Even Derby County for Christ sakes, even with their abysmal showing they sold out every home game. And as for your example...buddy thats a movie not real-life and every European soccer fan would do that for their teams. If anything you should have made European soccer fans that number 1 as a whole
4 months ago
I thought about doing that, but then I saw that all the others were just teams rather then cities or a whole sport in general thats why I went with just one team
from 4 months ago
well, it might have been worthwhile to establish and define your criteria before writing the article, and then make that your introduction to the article. You base some of your best fan bases on sell outs and loyalty, yet some of your worst fan bases sell out and are incredibly loyal. If you would have established your criteria, it would have eliminated a lot of the criticism, as well as opened your eyes to what it takes to make a worthwhile list, and probably changed your lists from an eyeball test to something tangible.
4 months ago
If you're gonna count Man Utd, than why not Liverpool, Leeds or Tottenham or something? Just as passionate, if not more than Utd fans in England. If you want to get crazy, take a look at Boca Juniors fans or Fenerbahce fans.
4 months ago
Forgot about Celtic fans in Scotland, they are "dubbed" the greatest fans in the world. Watching the Glasgow derby is probably the most entertaining sporting event on this planet.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=au4b7FUBhso
4 months ago
I don't think #1 in sell-outs necessarily qualifies a franchise as having one of the "best" fanbases (re: Washington Redskins). Green Bay, okay, no argument there.
Also, you have three NHL teams and one NBA team. I'm not saying leagues should have an equal amount, now. But I am saying the Dallas Mavericks shouldn't necessarily be a top ten team only because of their attendance numbers. I'm saying this as a Dallas resident-- Dallas fans are alright when the team is doing well, but when a team is going through a tough-stretch, Dallas fans immediately sit on their hands. I would suggest the San Antonio Spurs for an NBA representative in the best fanbases.
4 months ago
No Oakland Raider fans?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Not even in top ten?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
from 4 months ago
Yeah, I know, I mentioned it before a little bit up in the page that I completely forgot about Raider Nation and the black hole, had I remembered they would've been in the top ten, maybe i'll go back and edit the piece to include them... thats my bad
4 months ago
Though I'm not a member of the crowd, I think Junior Nation (fans of NASCAR's Dale Earnhardt, Jr.) should be in the top-five of this list. The Mavs fans do not belong here... If any Dallas team does, it would be the Cowboys (again, even though I'm not a fan) for the world-wide following they have.
Here's who I'd have on here (in no particular order)
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. fans
Detroit Red Wings fans
Manchester United fans
Dallas Cowboys fans
New York Yankees fans
Montreal Canadiens fans
Ferrari (Formula 1) fans
Washington Redskins fans
Michigan Wolverines football fans
Tiger Woods' fans
4 months ago
Best Fans - my global list
USA - D.C United
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg16DwgN39U
Canada - Toronto FC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLVvvdm1Y_M
Argentina - Boca Juniors
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhrtwECAhZA
Brazil - Flamengo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP7lezGVFD0
Spain - Real Madrid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8sUgcIl4-o
Spain- Barcelona
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqy7970GxJY
Italy - Roma
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6bDrMYT1yM
Turkey - Fenerbahce
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBBPoyXEOhM
Turkey - Besiktas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exfbOgRtA70
England - Liverpool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka_eBOpLP_g
Japan: Urawa Reds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpMPkseJJCA
Germany - Bayern Munich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT5pxnLAdzQ
Netherlands - Ajax Amsterdam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UssQ-lZSbFA
Netherlands - Feyenoord
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaHbo-zJd4
Portugal - FC Porto
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS4HyDC25Vs
Serbia - Red Star Belgrade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ39Ym2mDQU
France - Olympique Marseille
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzs8FLb1LzA
Scotland - Celtic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awositUJYLM
4 months ago
Nice article, Ian.
It's not likely that you'll ever have people completely agreeing on a list like this -- but most of the people do have a point in the fact that it's almost too "Americanized" of a viewpoint. I obviously have a bias towards football/soccer but I'm also well aware of what's going on in North America as well being from Canada.
As great as Manchester United fans have been, as some people already pointed out, it's easy to support a club as rich and successful as the Red Devils are. If you take a look at Fenerbache, Besiktas, Galatasaray (all clubs from Turkey), Dinamo Zagreb, RS Belgrade, Celtic and Rangers, they blow Toronto FC and Dallas Maverick fans out of the water. That's not even mentioning the rest of the clubs in Europe and the football mad fans in South America. It's a totally different atmosphere.
from 4 months ago
I know the turkish teams quite well. My family is all in Greece so they pay attention to what goes on with the teams over there. My team is Olympiakos from the Greek League of course, I've always loved them, and its in the family to cheer for them....
4 months ago
No way Cubs fans ought to be #2. Hard to argue with your #1, but anyone who has ever been to Lambeau Field knows there is absolutely nothing like it in the world. You have to be in Green Bay on a Sunday to really understand the true majesty of the moment.
Yeah Wrigley gets jammed for every game and there are Cubs fans everywhere and they never win blah blah blah. The FANS, are obnoxious, annoying and uneducated. You go to Wrigley to go to Wrigley and enjoy a game, NOT because they want to see good baseball (100 years is a long time to not be playing good baseball) If anything that proves that Cubs fans are simply either masochists or indifferent. Cheering for a loser doesn't make you a good fan. I've been to Wrigley and I've been to Miller Park in Milwaukee when Cubs fans invade Wrigley, they are not welcoming or fun to be around in general.
Go to a game at Lambeau and you'll realize why they call it the closest thing to a college football atmosphere in pro sports. Stop by any tent you'll be offered a beer and brat no charge, just as long as you're not a dirty Bears fan...or Cubs fan either for that matter
4 months ago
i thought about writing a long and detailed comment for this, but everything wrong about this silly list has already been said. good effort, though.
i think it would have been worthwhile to explicitly state that it's only for professional sports. as of now, it just says "the 10 best fanbases;" strictly speaking, this would implicitly mean that college teams could qualify. perhaps that is why people have complained at the lack of college fan-bases (which clearly would preempt many of those on the list).
from 4 months ago
It did say pro sports originally but somebody would edit it and take out pro sports from the title, I would change it and somebody would change it again
4 months ago
Two words: Red Wings
from 4 months ago
I agree. The Rochester Red Wings have some of the greatest fans...
from 4 months ago
I utterly despise the Red Wings, but that's why I included them on my list... The U-Haul Army (as we call those who have packed up and left the depressed state of Michigan and Detroilet area and moved to prosperous Texas) has a following everywhere.
4 months ago
Rochester? How about Detroit...
4 months ago
it is well know that Man Utd fans are about the worse fans in british football.
even there ex captain slagged them off http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prawn_sandwich_brigade
from 4 months ago
I thought the article was about "Fan base" size, not quality of fans...
4 months ago
Yeah, Man U have the second best fan base among teams name the Red Devils - I find if you're going to use a soccer team, the "best" fans are how you define it.
Do you define best as the fans who buy tickets to their rival teams stadium and set pyro to it, while screaming and chanting and singing for their team?
No doubt Montreal is a little low for my liking.
If you're going to name the best fans of each soccer league, it's a more fair attempt. Best soccer fans in England, I don't know, maybe Chelsea, but best in Italy are probably AC Milan, Germany (Though I love my Kaiserslautern) tend to be Borussia, of those I've met, I mean, so many countries have fans of their teams.
Good write ups, this and your worst *pro* fan-bases.
4 months ago
Man Utd fan base in the UK is declining due to take over of Glazer family. Most loyal fans left the club and formed FC United of Manchester. Worldwide(especially in the emerging markets like asia and the middle east) however fan base has increased dramatically due to EPL's new lucrative TV contracts. Costing almost £250m!! NBA makes only about $90 million annually from its TV contract overseas.
4 months ago
not sure how u left off the KC Chiefs fans win or lose they support their team
4 months ago
Again... The article is about Fan Base... That would be size and reach of fans across the nation and world. Not the quality or fair weather status of the fans.
4 months ago
Glad you specified about the Mavs fan, i'm from dallas, lived here my whole life and will always cheer for the Mavs, but sadly, over 75% of today's Mavs fan can't tell you any players names before the Cuban era. And if they can its only going to be Harper, Blackmon, and Davis because they are on TV or the radio.
from 4 months ago
Matthew, would you agree that a good portion of those who attend Mavs and Stars games are from the "See and Be Seen" crowd?
I've always regarded the lower-bowl types at Reunion Arena and now American Airlines Center as being a late-arriving, early-leaving, and not really passionate about the sport types. I can't remember who it was in the Dallas sports radio market who referred to the lower-bowl folks at Reunion as the "Boob Jobs and Coke Heads" crowd... But it was funny, and true.
I also believe the Dallas team fans to be fair-weather and bandwagon jumpers. They bitch and moan when the Cows lose, and then think they're the best thing when they win. The Rangers have been so bad for so long it's remarkable as many people as do attend The Ballpark. The Mavs have been good for several years, but the fans are fickle.
And the best team in town, the Stars, are largely ignored until they make their annual trip to the playoffs. They've been the most successful franchise in the city since coming here, but have a hangar to park the bandwagons in.
All in all this is a football town, and I accept that. Of course, that is if you're a Cows fan. There are two major colleges in the area with SMU and TCU, the former still recovering from the "Death Penalty", and the latter making annual trips to no-name bowl games in Houston, Mobile, or even at home.
from 4 months ago
Adam, I think you're referring to The Ticket, 1310 AM, when you talk about the lingo and city description.
from 4 months ago
Adam, you hit it right on the nose. Yes, almost everyone in the lower bowl at the AAC are the seen and be seen crowd, I love the boob jobs and coike heads.
Sadly you are correct about my town having tons of fair-weather fans, but yer almost none of them will admit it, which is hilarious.
You are correct as well in saying thet the Dallas Cows fan base probably should have made the Top 10 worst, this folks are just flat out IDIOTS. And I can proudly say that I am not one of them and will never be, been a life-long 49er fan, so you can imagine what junior high and high school was like in mid to late 90s.
Toughest for me is that my team are the Rangers, and as bad as it has been I will still put in 15-25 games a year, they are my boys still the bitter end. How ever long that my be, hopefully not toooooooo much longer.
The Stars fan base is slowly picking back up, a great example of people here not knowing anything about our good teams. Arena Football team the Desperados are one of the best teams in AFL, maybe a coupel thousand at a game. Indoor Soccer League the Sidekicks have won 4 championships in the last 7 years, if you asked someone from Dallas that, 99% wouldn't have a clue what the hell you ar