It’s difficult to measure passion, but Forbes took a shot by ranking the most passionate sports fans in 2020. They used more than just what meets the eye, including TV ratings, game attendance, merchandise sales, and social media reach.
It turns out that NFL fans are most passionate of all, taking six out of the 10 spots.
The Top Spot
Coming in at No. 1 on their list are the Green Bay Packers. The Cheeseheads of Green Bay have always been loyal in Lambeau Field. Not to mention, some of these fans are owners.
There are 361,169 fans that are shareholders of the team. Their social media following is 7.49 million, and the average attendance of a game is over 77,000. With the long history of championship football with the Packers, this comes as no surprise.
Many of the biggest names in football have come out of Green Bay, including Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. Their fanbase isn’t just in Wisconsin but across the country.
Nos. 2-5
The second spot is the New England Patriots. The funny thing is, this loyalty has recently been tested. They have had years of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady dominating the NFL, but things are about to change.
However, this doesn’t change their long history of winning. Owner Robert Kraft has built a franchise worth $4.1 billion.
Anyone that tries to argue about Deflategate or how good any of their teams were, there are plenty of Patriots fans that will defend them until the end. One fan even created a GoFundMe to pay for the Deflategate fine.
Yet another NFL team comes in third with the New Orleans Saints. “Who Dat” nation truly rallies around this team every year. Sean Payton and Drew Brees have been at the front of the line for years and have created a large following.
This team gained even more popularity after Hurricane Katrina. Many people in New Orleans lost a lot during that natural disaster, and the Saints franchise was always there. They created happy moments for the people of New Orleans while also helping with the relief efforts.
No. 4 is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Many of these teams have had the same quarterback and coach duo for a long time, and the Steelers are no different. Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin have done a lot for this franchise.
The team is valued at $2.8 billion, with a social media following of 9.8 million. They have had some great teams over the years accompanied by wild fans in the stands.
At No. 5 is the Philadelphia Eagles. If it wasn’t obvious how much these fans cared, the streets of the city after their recent Super Bowl win confirmed their passion. Philadelphia is a big city for sports, but it doesn’t get much bigger than the Eagles.
The Rest
The Forbes list continues to 10 teams, with the Seattle Seahawks making it six NFL teams atop the list.
Another sport finally breaks through with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors at No. 7, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 8.
The NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins are at No. 9, followed by the only MLB franchise on the list, the Boston Red Sox, at No. 10.
