Ranking the Major Sports Fanbases: Part Two NBA

Continuing on my four part series of ranking sports fanbases, today we will take a look at the NBA and where each team's fans stand, from 30-1.

30. Memphis Grizzlies
A franchise that should have never moved from Vancouver. This is a team that is in playoff contention in a tough Western Conference and yet stands last in attendance. Yes, fewer fans than the Nets. In contrast, when in Vancouver, the fans were there, especially with the Chinese immigrants in the city. Tennessee is not a sports area and the Grizzlies are learning the hard way.

29. New Jersey Nets
Yes, it's hard to root for the worst team possibly of all-time, but seriously, even when this team was good a few years ago the Nets got a lukewarm response. In the playoff series against the Raptors a few years ago, the fans barely cared in contrast to Toronto fans. Very lukewarm, very apathetic, even in good times. Plus terrible attendance to boot.

28. Philadelphia 76ers
These fans keep Philly from being a complete sports city. I never fail to get lower level seats THE DAY OF THE GAME!! For a team that wasn't too bad the last few years and a large market team, that's a joke. This team barely exists in the minds of Philly fans and it's defintily a shame. Thumbs down.

27. Sacramento Kings
Another market that isn't a real sports market. The Warriors not far from them have more drawing power and the Bay Area teams effecitvely rule the Northern California area. It shows, when the Kings couldn't even sell out when LeBron came to town earleir this season. Yes, they suck this year, but like the Nets, the fans didn't care when the team was good and it hurt them, the lack of home court advantage.

26. Charlotte Bobcats
A city that lost its team, begged for a new one, got a new one, and then ignored them like they did the old team. If Charlotte doesn't care about basketball, then they don't need a team. The Bobcats are one of the more exciting young teams in the league and could be in for their first ever playoff berth this year, yet no one cares. Poor fan support in the deep south in a lukewarm sports city.

25. Indiana PAcers
Let's face it, college hoops rule in Indiana and this is living proof why. The Pacers do have a small diehard fanbase and when the team is on, the Fieldhouse gets rocking. Unfortunatly, when the team is off, you can hear crickets, like today. This is a franchise whose fans have a lot of potential ,but the attention turns to basketball teams elsewhere.

24. Atlanta Hawks
For once, the Hawks are good, but decades of incompetence have fans staying away still. Atlanta is a poor sports city where only champions win fans (and barely at that). The Hawks recent good play hasn't attracted more fans yet, exposing Atlanta fans for being the fakes that they are.

23. Minnesota Timberwolves
It's rough up in Minnesota, the franchise has had minimal success and though the fans came in the Garnett era, that is long gone. Still, Minnesota fans are able to outdraw better teams such a as Atlanta in bad times, which gives them an O.K. ranting. However, this team is clearly #4 in the city and could be more marketbale to draw more people. The potential is there.

22. New Orleans Hornets
You have to give New Orleans a little bit of a pass for the KAtrina disaster, but in the long run, the city is not a basketball town, considering they can't sell out one of the smaller arenas in the league. This is a solid team with a hardcore fanbase, but the good news ends there as there is a severe lack of a constant fanbase.

21. Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee has suffered from a lack of success for a while and it is also a small market minor-league type of town. They draw well for a small market, but lack an expanded fan base state-wide that they could have. Blame it partially on a lack of marketbale players, but the potential is there in Milwaukee.

20. Miami Heat
Another good franchise with a lack of interested fans. They came during the championship run a few years ago and then disappeared likke Shaq almost as quickly. Miami is far from a sports town and the fact that their second most popular team is 20th in league rankings tells the story itself.

19. Los Angeles Clippers
I give the Clippers a little bit of credit, simply because they have to contend with the mosterous Lakers and share an arena with them. There is a solid fanbase for the Clippers, it could be a little bit bigger if the Lakers weren't in town or if they played in Anaheim, but it's there. A little more success and more people will jump on board in L.A.

18. Washington Wizards
This 18th rankings is mostly based off of decent attendance numbers, everytime I see a game at Verizon Center, that place is basically dead. The arena feels like it is full of suits, which is a growing problem in today's sports world overall. In any case, the Wizards must market more to diehard fans ala Washington Capitals. Otherwise, the dead arena theme will continue.

17. Detroit Pistons
Give the folks in Detroit a pass, the city is in shambles with the unemployment problems and the Pistons simply can't draw like they did they early part of this decade. Still, the Pistons fanbase is continuing strong as they possibly can and with a rejuvenated economy, thsi team's fanbase will get a huge boost. Until then, they're middle of the pack.

16. Phoenix Suns
The fans in Phoenix can get very rowdy and loud when the Suns are playing well, which is most of the time. That being said, this team does struggle to sell out and interest drops severely when the team fails to play well. The Suns have been good for so long, we tend to forget that the folks are mostly fair weather fans in th desert.

15. Houston Rockets
Another fair weather fanbase, which is disappoiting considering the immense size of the Houston market. The Rockets are a team that frequently wins, but if this team is down, the fan interest drops severely. Still, the fans, like Phoenix, are loud and proud, giving the Rockets a middle of the pack ranking.

14. Toronto Raptors
My guys, the Raptors, have a better than expected fanbase. Toronto is a big sports town and the Raptors have a pretty loyal fanbase that draws decently enough. However, in off years, Air Canada Center can be rather dead and many Raptors fans are a bit fair weather. However I give them credit for drawing well in a Canadien city.

13. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have drawn well for a while now and though you can compare the San Antonio fanbase to Houston and Phoenix, the Spurs draw more fans and have a slightly better fanbase in terms of consistency. The Spurs are the lone team in the city and generally rule the city's sports light, giving them a boost as well.

12. Golden State Warriors
A much better than expected fanbase, the Warriors frequently pack the house in Oakland despite poor play many years. The fans in Oakland are some of the most loyal around and the Bay Area has established itself as a pretty good basketball hotbed in my mind. Kudos to the Warriors fans, 12th is well deserved.

11. Denver Nuggets
With the team's recent resurgence, the Nuggets have really picked up a chunk of fans and is kepping them around despite mediocre years the past few years. The Denver market has really drawn better sports wise then in the past and the Nuggets fanbase is the largest it has ever been.

10. Utah Jazz
Some of the most loyal and loudest fans in basketball, I feel like the Jazz fans go very underappreciated in Salt Lake City. Ask anyone around the league and you'll discover Utah is actually a pretty tough place to place, especially in the postseason (remember Bulls-Jazz in the 90's) Definitly a top ten market here.

9. Portland Trailblazers
Another underapprecaited market, the Blazers attendance really picked up in the 2000's, even during meager years. However, the big kicker here is the Supersonics move to Oklahoma City that gave the Trailblazers the entire Pacific Northwest area as their territory. Portland is suddenly a pretty big draw.

8. Oklahoma City Thunder
The folks is the midwest have really taken a liking to their Thunder, who have sold out the vast majority of their games the first two years. Will the novelty wear out or are the fans in Oklahoma City for real? Only time will tell how loyal the Thunder fans actually are.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers
Sure, the Cavs sell otu on a nightly basis with the LeBron era upon them, however the fans are lukewarm if the team is losing as evident before James came on board. Still the fans have seem to grow more knowledgable and in larger number with LeBron on board, so give the Cavs credit.

6. Orlando Magic
The lone team in Orlando has a very large following Florida, more so then the Heat, and is preparing to open a new arena in a couple years. The Magic sell out regularly and though they have been successful throughout their history, the fanbase has shown much loyalty thoughout the past 20+ years.

5. Dallas Mavericks
A colorful owner, a team that is good annually, a large market area, all of these equal for one of the most rabid fanbases in the NBA. Dallas fans can get restless if the team plays poorly, but they are mainly loyal and sell out American Airlines Center on a nightly basis.

4. Chicago Bulls
This fanbase has impressed me, even though the dynasy days are long gone, the fans still sell out United Center, despite the poor team taking the floor on a nightly basis these days. Chicago is a rabid sports town willing to support even strugglign teams, as evidenced here.

3. New York Knicks
I wonder how the Knicks still sell out every game, because they have been lousy for many years now. However bad the team is, the fans still show up and even though many times they show they're displeasure, you can't really blame them, these fans are the most loyal and the msot caring in a way.

2. Boston Celtics
Boston is number two simply because the Celtics got pushed to the backburner when this club was losing. However, in good times, this is the hardest place to play with all the history and the savage fans waiting to greet the visitors. Nothing could beat the atmosphere from the Finals in 2008, the Boston fans were some of the best I ever saw.

1. Los Angeles Lakers
When it comes to consistent support and popularity, there is no denying the Lakers aare the most popular team around. They sell out every night, tickets are like getting entrace into a Hollywood premaire, but most importantly, the fans are loud and wear their gold proudly, even in feeble seasons. Without question, Lakers fans are number one in my book.


City Rankings So Far

To qualify for rankings for the best sports city, only cities with at least two teams can qualify. I am taking each city average position in each list and ranking the cities based on highest average ranking. These are than rankings so far, with MLB and NFL lists still to come.


1. New York City 5.5 (Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Rangers, Knicks)
2. Chicago 7 (Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls)
3. Cleveland 7 (Indians, Browns, Cavaliers)
4. Boston 8 (Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins, Celtics)
5. Toronto 8 (Blue Jays, Maple Leafs, Raptors)
6. Detroit 11 (Tigers, Lions, Red Wings, Pistons)
7. Buffalo 11 (Bills, Sabres)
8. Oakland 12 (Athletics, Raiders, Warriors)
9. Dallas 12.5 (Rangers, Cowboys, Stars, Mavericks)
10. Los Angeles 13 (Dodgers, Kings, Lakers, Clippers)
11. Pittsburgh 13 (Pirates, Steelers, Penguins)
12. Minneapolis 13.5 (Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild)
13. Denver 17 (Rockies, Broncos, Avalanche, Nuggets)
14. Philadelphia 17.5 (Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, 76ers)
15. Washington D.C. 17.5 (Nationals, Redskins, Capitals, Wizards)
16. St. Louis 18 (Cardinals, Rams, Blues)
17. New Orleans 22 (Saints, Hornets)
18. Newark/North Jersey 22.5 (Devils, Nets)
19. Phoenix 23.5 (Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Coyotes, Suns)
20. Miami 25 (Marlins, Dolphins, Panthers, Heat)
21. Indianapolis 25 (Colts, Pacers)
22. Charlotte 25.5 (Panthers, Hurricanes, Bobcats)
23. Atlanta 26 (Braves, Falcons, Thrashers, Hawks)
24. Nashville 26 (Titans, Predators)
25. Tampa 27 (Rays, Buccaneers, Lightning)