It is estimated that there is a 30-year waiting list for season tickets for the Green Bay Packers. It is an honor to be in the loudest outdoor stadium in Kansas City thanks to Chiefs fans. An ongoing skit about Chicago Bears’ superfans ran on Saturday Night Live for six years. In addition to its number of fans and social media followers, the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders have even been the subject of television shows. NFL is always at home with the best online sportsbook websites adding an extra element for supporters and fans to enjoy. In the NFL, who are the most devoted and loyal fans? The question is important for a number of reasons.
The Top Five
A Green Bay Packers fan base leads all NFL fan bases as of 2022, followed by the Patriots, Cowboys, the Eagles, and a Steeler fan base. Most NFL fans would agree with this result, with the Eagles possibly being an exception. In the NFL, there are four teams who are long-term kings: the Packers, Patriots, Cowboys, and Steelers.
1. Green Bay Packers
The Packers take the lead in revenue from premium-based fan equity measure. They’re also in 4th place for social and talent equity metrics. What makes the Packers stand out is their fan equity metric though. Although the Green Bay metro area only contains about 300,000 people and is 119 miles away from Milwaukee, it still manages to sell out tickets and has one of the top 5 ticket prices in its league. The Packers have a large social media following, which is another indicator of their popularity. On the talent side, the team does exceptionally well.
2. New England Patriots
The Patriots finish number 2. In terms of creating fandom, the Patriots are an excellent example. It wasn’t that long ago that the Patriots weren’t as important as they are now. There has been a very strong sports market in Boston for many years, but the Patriots have been the weak link. In the following decade, the Patriots became the dominant team in the league under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Across the board, the Patriots are very good.
3. Dallas Cowboys
With the most social media followers and the highest attendance in the league, the Cowboys are ranked third. Cowboy fans are often criticized as being less passionate than other fan bases. Even when the Cowboys struggle, the fans attend and spend time with the team despite their casual attitude.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
With a top 5 price point and strong demand, the Eagles perform exceptionally on Fan Equity. Regardless of a team’s quality, attendance is high. This team is also among the top teams on social media. It might be best to look at the Eagles to understand why we should analyze data. It is possible that the Eagles will get overlooked in a poll because people tend to think of teams with a deep history of championships. However, key metrics show that Eagles fans are impressive.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
Fifth place goes to the Steelers. The Steelers were expected to be in the same group as the Packers, Cowboys, and Patriots. Steelers tickets are less expensive than those of other top teams, so they drop a bit in the rankings.
The Bottom Five
The Jaguars, Cardinals, Bengals, Titans, and Washington Commanders are at the bottom of the NFL barrel in terms of reputation. There’s probably no surprise on this list. These clubs underperform relative to league averages in terms of attendance, pricing, and social media engagement.
Washington Commanders
The Washington Football Franchise fell on hard times in recent years, poor talent acquisition and name controversy have pushed the club to the bottom of our list. It’s a marketing and football mess. This offseason has made it worse, as the Commanders’ name drew poor reception. The team feels like an expansion franchise that started by angering the local market.
Tennesse Titans
The Titans are near the bottom of the league. Because the marketing results are less than expected given their level of success in other areas, the Titans rank near the bottom. The Social Equity scores were especially awful. Building brand equity is challenging for the Titans because they don’t have as much time in the market as other clubs do. Even though they’ve done well occasionally, they haven’t had a superstar QB or won at exceptionally high levels.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are one of the most interesting current stories in the NFL. The team has a long history of underachievement. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. After earning their first Super Bowl title, the franchise has a dynamic and marketable quarterback in Joe Burrow. It will take some time, but this is a brand to keep an eye on. While the Bengals finish 31st in Fan Equity, they rank 25th in Social Equity. It’s a minor variation, but it offers cause for optimism moving forward.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are near the bottom of the list, below several teams that have moved or changed names. Arizona is likely a tough market for reasons unrelated to the team’s performance. Beautiful summer weather and a lack of generational loyalty are typically to blame for lower rankings among Sun Belt, Florida, and Southern California teams.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are interesting for a few reasons. Firstly, Trevor Lawrence is one of the most hyped quarterbacks in recent memory. However, their first season was a complete disaster. Secondly, Urban Meyer is no longer with the team. Thirdly, it remains to be seen if Lawrence can turn the franchise around and make them relevant both on and off the field (in terms of ticket sales and social media engagement).