Super Bowl 2012: Why New York Will Have More Fans Present Than New England

The New York Giants have surprised everyone this season with their run to an NFC championship and a spot in Super Bowl XLVI. The G-Men are on a ridiculous roll right now, and while the New England Patriots have an outstanding and supportive fanbase, expect New York's fans to outnumber them significantly in Indianapolis on February 5.

As a resident of Indiana, I can tell you flat out that there are more Giants fans in this state than Patriots fans. In fact, being a New England fan in this part of the country is frowned upon given the state's Indianapolis Colts problem. In addition to that, Giants fans tend to travel really well from all over the country. 

No matter where you go in America there are always Yankees and Giants fans in every city. That means they will be coming from all over the place to attend the Super Bowl. Plus, any local Indianapolis residents who attend the game are almost guaranteed to root against their conference rival, and in favor of Eli Manning and his cohorts. This state loves the Manning family and despises the Patriots.

In addition to those considerations, a recent report found that Giants fans are outnumbering New England fans almost four-to-one among Super Bowl ticket buyers. If that trend continues, it could turn the Super Bowl from a neutral site contest into a virtual home game for New York.

New York has a notoriously loud and dedicated fanbase, so a huge difference among fans like that could really be a problem for the Patriots. If that trend continues, it could mean bad things for New England, especially if things get tight late in the game.