Betway’s latest research has revealed which teams have the most loyal fanbases.
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Every sports fan is going to think that they are the most loyal or the most passionate. But, which supporters actually come out on top here.
To find out, our survey also asked people to crown several fan awards, including which teams have the most sportsmanlike fans, the most loyal fans, and the most ‘bandwagon’ fans.
Crowning the Fan Awards
The fans that create the best atmosphere
When we say atmosphere we’re talking chants, cheers, and that buzz in the air that you just can’t quite bottle. From pregame tailgates to mid-match singalongs, which fans are creating the best spirit for their team.
When it comes to baseball, there must be something in the air in New York because the Yankees and the Mets are in first and second, respectively. With the Yankees attracting die-hard fans like the Bleacher Creatures, it makes sense that they come out on top. Can we get a “roll call”.
For the NBA it’s the LA Lakers, and in the NFL, fans of the San Francisco 49ers are apparently bringing the best vibes. Well, they did have a whole lot to shout about this season, having reached the 2024 Super Bowl final — and only narrowly missing out on taking the Lombardi trophy home.
Now, we’ve also determined which fans are the loudest, and it has to be said, loudest does not always equal the best atmosphere. In fact, nearly every group of supporters who have been deemed the loudest, didn’t even make it into the top three teams that create the best atmosphere. Clearly, it takes a lot more than noise to bring the heat.
The Chicago White Sox have the loudest fans in the MLB, while supporters of the Golden State Warriors are really making their presence known on the court in the NBA. Over in the NHL, the Philadelphia Flyers have the noisiest supporters, and the Detroit Lions are the loudest in the NFL.
The fans that are the most sportsmanlike
Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose, and it’s the latter that really reveals the true nature of sports fans. So, which fans tend to lose gracefully, and which are the biggest sore losers?
Maybe it’s the sun or maybe it’s just the fact that their teams often win, but Los Angeles is home to some very sportsmanlike fans, with both the LA Dodgers and the LA Lakers coming out on top for their respective sports. Despite winning a very impressive 100 games during the 2023 season, the Dodgers were swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS, stripping them of any hope of winning the World Series. Maybe a gracious reaction from fans here is what has awarded them the title of most sportsmanlike?
Having said that, New York is home to some very fair supporters too, with both the NFL’s New York Giants and the MLS’s New York Red Bulls also being voted as having the most sportsmanlike fans.
On the other end of the scale, the Cincinnati Bengals are seen as having the least sportsmanlike supporters in the NFL, while Oakland Athletics are at the bottom for the MLB. The 2023 season saw Oakland Athletics becoming the fastest team to lose a season since 2003, having lost 112 games overall. Sad times for fans, but it’s still no excuse for being a sore loser.
The fans that are the most loyal, and the most ‘bandwagon’ fans
Any sports team would be nothing without a loyal fanbase, but there’s a big difference between a committed fan and a glory supporter. So, which teams have the most loyal fans, and which tend to see the most ‘bandwagon’ supporters?
When it comes to loyalty, LA is again coming out on top, with fans of the LA Angels and the Lakers deemed the most dedicated. Lakers fans in particular are really getting their flowers here, having also been voted the most loyal and most sportsmanlike. One of the most successful teams in NBA history, the team has won 17 championships, so it’s not hard to see why fans remained so dedicated to the team
Over in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers have the most committed supporters, while the Seattle Sounders are the most loyal in the MLS.
With every successful team, there is always going to be those ‘plastic’ fans, who have perhaps just jumped on the bandwagon of success. In the MLB, people think fans of the New York Mets are the most likely to be glory supporters, and for the NFL it’s Dallas Cowboys and LA Rams supporters.
In the MLS, Orlando City have been voted the most ‘bandwagon’ fans, but Inter Miami CF is a very close second, which is not surprising given they’ve just signed one of the most iconic footballers in the world. But can you really blame anyone for jumping on the Messi bandwagon?
Conclusion
Whether you’re catching the MLB through summer, or watching the NFL in Autumn, no matter the season, we always have tons of great sporting action hitting our screens throughout the year.
So, grab your jerseys, learn the chants, and make sure you bring all the passion to support your team.
Methodology and Sources
All data was taken from a survey of 2,021 American sports fans of MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL, MLS aged 18+. Survey was conducted in April 2024.
