I’ve been an NFL fan my whole life, and it’s no surprise that there are some pretty dedicated fan bases around the sport. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always wondered which NFL team has the most fans. Well, I’m here to tell you that the answer isn’t so straightforward, depending on what metrics you’re looking at.
You see, there are many different ways to gauge a team’s fan base; you can look at things like television ratings, merchandise sales, number of season ticket holders, and even social media following. Some might even argue these metrics don’t measure true fan loyalty, so let’s discuss each in turn, starting with television ratings.
TV ratings, especially with the advent of streaming services, are often used to measure fan popularity. While there are popular teams like the New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, and Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s hard to definitively say which team has the most viewers. It could shift from one season to the next.
Another way to measure fan loyalty is through merchandise sales. According to the NFL’s official retail numbers, the Cowboys reign supreme here; they were tops in jersey sales and merchandise in 2018, and they’ve been the most popular since 2014. Among the top three teams, the Patriots are a distant second and the Chicago Bears are third.
Looking into how fan loyalty translates to stadiums, season ticket holders are a good indication of who’s fervent about their team. Here, we once again see the Cowboys at the top, followed by the Bears, Giants, Patriots, and Steelers.
Social media also gives us a hint as to which team is most popular. Here, the Cowboys are again on top, with the Patriots, Bears, Steelers, and Ravens not too far behind. On Twitter alone, the Cowboys have over five million followers, and the Patriots have over four million.
So, it’s really hard to definitively say which NFL team has the most fans. If we were to take all these metrics into account, it would be pretty even between the Cowboys, Patriots, and Bears. Of course, one could also argue that being a fan isn’t just about how much merchandise you buy, or how much you tune in to watch. It’s about what the team means to you on a personal level.
As far as fan loyalty is concerned, I believe there’s a different kind of connection formed between a team and its fans. Sure, there are tangible markers of loyalty like TV ratings and merchandise sales, but there’s a certain personality behind each team—their unique style of play, the color of their jerseys, their ballparks—that can give us a better understanding of why certain teams are more popular than others.
There’s something special about sharing in an event with a group of people who are just as passionate about your team as you are. Perhaps it’s the sense of camaraderie that sets a particularly fanatical fan base apart from the rest.
You know, I think there are some teams who have an incredible following that might not show up in the metrics. I’m sure many of us can think of certain franchises who have dedicated, albeit smaller, fanbases that don’t make the leaderboards but are still incredibly important to the game.
I think the debate over which NFL team has the most fans could go on forever. It really depends on what you think being a fan is about. In some ways, being a fan is about showing up and being part of something greater; it’s about representing a team and making sure it survives. On the other hand, being a fan could also be about tuning into the games and just looking for an escape from everyday life.
I’ve come to think of fan loyalty as something that bridges the real and unreal; it’s a magical kind of connection that links real world events to the emotional lives of fans. It’s this intangible, ephemeral feeling about a team and its players that really makes being a fan special. And if you ask me, that’s what really defines who has the most fans.