Most popular franchises in US cities

steelcityblues

Just interested to know for anyone who has lived in any of the following, would this be the right running order for popularity of teams in different US cities?

New York 1. Yankees (MLB) 2. Giants (NFL) 3. Mets (MLB) 4. Jets (NFL) 5. Knicks (NBA) 6. Rangers (NHL) 7 Devils(NHL)/Nets (NBA) 9. Islanders (NHL)

Los Angeles 1. Lakers (NBA) 2. Dodgers (MLB) 3. Angels (MLB) 4. Clippers (NBA)/Kings (NHL) 6. Ducks (NHL)

Chicago 1.Bears (NFL) 2. Cubs (MLB) 3.White Sox (MLB) 4. Bulls (NBA) 5. Blackhawks (NHL)

Baltimore-Washington 1. Redskins (NFL) 2. Ravens (NFL) 3. Orioles (MLB) 4. Wizards (NBA) 5. Nationals (MLB) 6. Capitals (NHL)

Boston 1. Red Sox (MLB) 2. Patriots (NFL) 3. Bruins (NHL)/Celtics (NBA)

Bay Area 1. 49ers (NFL) 2. Raiders (NFL) 3. Giants (MLB) 4. A's (MLB) 5. Warriors (NBA) 6. Sharks (NHL)

Dallas 1. Cowboys (NFL) 2. Mavericks (NBA) 3. Rangers (MLB) 4. Stars (NHL)

Philly 1. Eagles (NFL)/Phillies (MLB) 3. Flyers (NHL) 4. Sixers (NBA)

Houston 1.Texans (NFL) 2. Astros (MLB) 3. Rockets (NBA)

Atlanta 1. Falcons (NFL) 2. Braves (MLB) 3. Hawks (NBA)

Miami 1. Dolphins (NFL) 2.Heat (NBA) 3. Marlins (MLB)/Panthers (NHL)

Detroit 1. Lions (NFL)/Tigers (MLB) 3. Red Wings (NHL) 4. Pistons (NBA)

*The ones I highlighted in bold, I am 99% sure are the most popular in their area. What about the smaller cities?

Dodge

Most of it is cyclical. Whoever's succesful is popular

NFL is number one in any city with a team. No question at all about this. Even in Boston with the might and success of the Red Sox, its nothing compared to the Patiots

But you have some wrong too. In Washington the Capitals are more popular than the Wizards and the Nationals combined. Mainly due, again, to them being half decent with Ovechkin

Detroit is called a hockey town as the Red Wings are No 1 there (no 1 behind the NFL, obviously). In Chicago the Bulls are huge. White Sox barely register (compared to cubs)

Its also hard to judge baseball v the winter sports. When you add in MLS and college sports its even more complicated. Seattle Sounders MLS team get far bigger crowds than the Seattle Mariners MLB team. In LA, USC trojans football is a de facto NFL team and gets huge crowds and media attention

steelcityblues

Sorry, but there is no way the Patriots are ahead of the Red Sox in Beantown. The Pats have a good following, but they didn't make that Fever Pitch movie for nothing. Like New York, there is too much baseball blood in the place for any sport to beat it,popularity wise.

I'm sure the Ovechkin signing helped the Caps popularity, but how long will that last without a star player? Hockey die hards in the US are far less than in Canada.

As for 'hockeytown', that was a slogan, not exactly the truth. There have been plenty of empty seats in recent years for the Red Wings. Compare this to the continuing devotion to the Lions, who are undoubtedly a much worse franchise.

Dodge

Well I did say NFL was No 1 everywhere (including Detroit).

I stand by that

The movie Fever Pitch is based on the Nick Hornby book about football. It could've been any US city. There's no doubt baseball is very cinematic

Iang87

Dodge wrote: »

Well I did say NFL was No 1 everywhere (including Detroit).

I stand by that

The movie Fever Pitch is based on the Nick Hornby book about football. It could've been any US city. There's no doubt baseball is very cinematic

you've never been to boston durin baseball season I take it

Dodge

I have, and I'm not trying to downgrade the Red Sox's popularity per se

Its just that the NFL dominates. There's a massive cross over too obviously

Iang87

Dodge wrote: »

I have, and I'm not trying to downgrade the Red Sox's popularity per se

Its just that the NFL dominates. There's a massive cross over too obviously

no i disagree i lived there for a year for all the football season and baseball season. Even the bruins winning the stanley cup didnt take from the red sox.

Pats second there in my opinion

andyman

I'd argue the whole "NFL is number one in any city with a team" by asking if you believe the Dolphins are more popular than the Heat in Miami, especially with Heat boasting three of the best players in the NBA.

Dodge

andyman wrote: »

I'd argue the whole "NFL is number one in any city with a team" by asking if you believe the Dolphins are more popular than the Heat in Miami, especially with Heat boasting three of the best players in the NBA.

Heat were fashionable tickets to have last year, no question, but 1,000s of empty seats at run of the mill game (even if reported as sell outs). Heat even released a video for the play offs begging fans to "fan up" and turn up to game on time

Miami fans, notoriously fickle...

steelcityblues

andyman wrote: »

I'd argue the whole "NFL is number one in any city with a team" by asking if you believe the Dolphins are more popular than the Heat in Miami, especially with Heat boasting three of the best players in the NBA.

You don't understand that just because one team in the city is doing better than the other, does not make them the more popular.

For example, the Rangers got to the recent World Series, but there is no way the Dallas public cares for them more than they do the Cowboys.