What NFL Team Has The Best Fans? (1 Viewer)

[kevinray]

everytime I see a thread like this I immediately say Pittsburgh Steelers fans - bar none.they come to the Meadowlands (Jets) in droves to the point where they cause a bit of a panic where you may not get your normal spot if you're late. They are respectful, knowledeable, avid, generous, party goers who just love their Steelers. What's not to like about Steelers fans?

At least someone understands us! We're not intentionally obnoxious, but we're everywhere. In every city and in every stadium. So, it just seems that way! I moved from Pittsburgh to Toronto 2 years ago, but I kept my Steelers license plate on my car. About once a month, I get a comment from someone who sees the plate and gives me a "here we go Steelers" in a parking lot. I'd never have guessed that there'd be as big a Steelers following as there is in Toronto.

something about being a steeler fan gets into your cells, your DNA, your chemistry.

That's just the Iron City.

 

[BGP]

The Browns haven't put out a consistent winner in 20 years, and have been horrible most of the time, and yet Cleveland is STILL a Browns city. Sleeping giant.

 

[bjabrad]

Now, you have the Rams, but trust me, that is a baseball town. Rams games are like tennis matches. People go and then act like they are @ Center court at the French Open.

The same could be said about the Patriots. Boston is a Red Sox town and the Pats, even with all of their success, still come in second in fan enthusiasm. Now sure, the TV ratings are there and Patriots talk goes on all the time on local sports stations, but the passion isn't the same. Case in point, during the past few years, Patriots players have been vocally upset about the lack of crowd noise at home games at Gillette. For a team with so much success to have to issue a wakeup call to its own fans, is beyond embarrassing.You'd NEVER find that at Fenway Park.

Patriots fans are just well behaved...they are not animals.

Patriots fans aren't well behaved. They're horrible. They barely even support their own team. They only show up to games because the Pats are winning, and they hardly even care about their team, preferring to chant *BASEBALL CHANTS* at FOOTBALL GAMES.I mean, what a slap in the freaking face that the Patriots players lay it all on the line and win a superbowl for their city, and are rewarded by hearing their fans whine about baseball. What inungrateful SOBs. In my mind, no fanbase has *EVER* shown as little class as the Patriots Fans did after beating St. Louis in 2001. I can't think of a single fanbase that is by and large as undeserving of the success they've been blessed with than the Patriots fans.

Plus they do tend to be ridiculously whiny. Steelers fans, Cowboys fans, Niners fans, and Packers fans have all shown they know how to win with class. Not so for Patriots fans. (I'd like to add Broncos fans to the first list, as well, but obviously I lack perspective on that :( ).

Whoa whoa whoa....hold on a minute hear. I sat through the Grogan/Eason years on cold steal benches.

I loved Steve Grogan. He was the man. Eason, not so much. Quick trivia question: Who holds the NFL record for most rushing touchdowns scored by a QB in a season?

Lemme take a stab, Grogan? Grogan was a champion of the people

Grogan was my favorite as well since I grew up in Kansas and he played for Kansas State. I'm a big fan of the naked bootleg (especially when eing announced by Howard Cosell on the MNF halftime show). But I also developed an admiration for Russ Francis, Sam "Bam" Cunningham, Don Calhoun, Stanley Morgan, Raymond Clayborn and hall of famers John Hannah and Mike Haynes.Concerning the Fan topic, I'm too close to call it since I'm a KC fan and haven't been to any other stadiums but my experience with other teams fan would leave me with these few thoughts:

Raiders: bounced on their heads one too many times as children and now believe that everything is a conspiracy against them.

GB--great fans similar to Nebraska fans in that it's just about all that's going on in the state. (btw, ever been to a Nebraska @ KU football game where there are more Nebraska fans than KU fans in the stands and the Nebraska buses are lined up for about a quarter mile?)

Dallas-I have been there since I live in DFW now and it's true about them being front runners as well as sitting on their hands in games. It's more of a status symbol to be there than to actually be a good "cheering" fan. The better Cowboy fans can be found at the bars in DFW and other cities.

 

[BGP]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Browns

Cleveland Browns fans are fiercely loyal. In fact, a 2006 study conducted by Bizjournal http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14686579/ determined that Browns fans are the most loyal fans in the NFL. The study was largely based on fan loyalty during winning and losing seasons, attendance at games, and challenges confronting fans (such as inclement weather or long-term poor form of their team). [2] The study noted that Browns fans filled 99.8% of the seats at Cleveland Browns Stadium during the last seven seasons, despite a combined record of 36 wins and 76 loses over that span. [3]

The most prominent organization of Browns fans is the Worldwide Browns Backers. The organization has approximately 50,000 members and is considered the largest sports-fan organizations in the USA. [4] Browns Backers clubs can be found in every major city in the United States, and in a number of military bases throughout the world, with the largest club being in Phoenix, AZ. In addition, the organization has a sizable foreign presence in places as far away as Egypt, Australia, Japan, and Sri Lanka.

 

[BGP]

Interesting tidbit about the Steelers here from bizjournal:

Division: AFC NorthRank in NFL: 21Rank in division: 4This may come as a bit of a surprise. Pittsburgh fans have the reputation of being as dedicated as they come, but the numbers don't back up the image. The Steelers have been consistently strong on the field -- even winning February's Super Bowl -- but they're only 16th in the percentage of seats filled since 1996.

So they win like crazy, but don't pack the stadium.

 

[BGP]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writ...b.week14/4.html

Peter King on December 12th, 2005 writes:

4. I think this is what I didn't like about Week 14:

a. Why all the empty seats at Heinz Field? Weird. Very weird. I'm looking across the field from the press box early in the second quarter and there are scores of four-seat and two-seat gaps. What gives?

 

[GRIDIRON ASSASSIN]

This is a tough debate...

Of all the 'loser' teams, I'd say the Browns. Cleveland is the only NFL team's city that has never played in or hosted a Super Bowl - yet the fans are die hards.

Of all the 'above average' teams over the years, I'd say the Chiefs. Those folks are passionate, then again, it's Kansas City - what the hell else do they have to do out there?

Packer fans? Keep 'em.

 

[Raider Nation]

The Browns haven't put out a consistent winner in 20 years, and have been horrible most of the time, and yet Cleveland is STILL a Browns city. Sleeping giant.

Browns fans boo their own regularly.I nominated the Steelers/Chiefs/Packers fans in a three-way tie not just because they always sell out their games, and seem to be painfully loyal, but mainly because even when things are going poorly, they seem to give positive reinforcement. The New York teams, and many other cities such as Philly, Minnesota, Dallas and Miami, the locals voice their displeasure when the team is not playing well.Fans in Pittsburgh, Green Bay and Kansas City seem to be eternal optimists. That's important.

 

[Kevin Ashcraft]

This is a tough debate...Of all the 'loser' teams, I'd say the Browns. Cleveland is the only NFL team's city that has never played in or hosted a Super Bowl - yet the fans are die hards.Of all the 'above average' teams over the years, I'd say the Chiefs. Those folks are passionate, then again, it's Kansas City - what the hell else do they have to do out there?Packer fans? Keep 'em.

Easy buddy....KC does have over 2 million people, and a pretty good nightllife....it is just spread out. KC is not very densely populated---but trust me, we ain't bored as most coastal types think we are.And many fans, I would gather over 50%, do not even live in KC, They are from Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma. It goes back to what I was saying earlier. KC - and DEN - to a large degree are huge regional teams.

 

[Raider Nation]

This is a tough debate...Of all the 'loser' teams, I'd say the Browns. Cleveland is the only NFL team's city that has never played in or hosted a Super Bowl - yet the fans are die hards.Of all the 'above average' teams over the years, I'd say the Chiefs. Those folks are passionate, then again, it's Kansas City - what the hell else do they have to do out there?Packer fans? Keep 'em.

Easy buddy....KC does have over 2 million people, and a pretty good nightllife....it is just spread out. KC is not very densely populated---but trust me, we ain't bored as most coastal types think we are.

I spent a week in Kansas City one night.

 

[brednbuddah]

everytime I see a thread like this I immediately say Pittsburgh Steelers fans - bar none.they come to the Meadowlands (Jets) in droves to the point where they cause a bit of a panic where you may not get your normal spot if you're late. They are respectful, knowledeable, avid, generous, party goers who just love their Steelers. What's not to like about Steelers fans?

At least someone understands us! We're not intentionally obnoxious, but we're everywhere. In every city and in every stadium. So, it just seems that way! I moved from Pittsburgh to Toronto 2 years ago, but I kept my Steelers license plate on my car. About once a month, I get a comment from someone who sees the plate and gives me a "here we go Steelers" in a parking lot. I'd never have guessed that there'd be as big a Steelers following as there is in Toronto.

something about being a steeler fan gets into your cells, your DNA, your chemistry.

That's just the Iron City.

point: the year before the steelers won the super bowl, the Steelers came to the Meadowlands. There was a blizzard that went on from the tailgate until after the game leaving about a foot of snow in the parking lot. As we're driving to the game I'm thinking only the die hards will be in attendance. We get there, some 5 hours before the game, and my jaw dropped to see about a 60-40 Jets:Steelers ratio. We actually had a tackle football game in the parking lot. 8 on 8 Jets vs. Steelers fans. It was still about 60-40 by kickoff. Curtis martin rushed for 150 and the Jets won something like 6-3. after the game we continued the party with pretty much all Steelers fans who drove from Pittsburgh in that mess.I've been a Jets season ticket holder since 91 and I can't recall EVER hanging out with a better group of fans then when the Steelers come to town.

 

[k2isabeast]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Browns

Cleveland Browns fans are fiercely loyal. In fact, a 2006 study conducted by Bizjournal http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14686579/ determined that Browns fans are the most loyal fans in the NFL. The study was largely based on fan loyalty during winning and losing seasons, attendance at games, and challenges confronting fans (such as inclement weather or long-term poor form of their team). [2] The study noted that Browns fans filled 99.8% of the seats at Cleveland Browns Stadium during the last seven seasons, despite a combined record of 36 wins and 76 loses over that span. [3]

The most prominent organization of Browns fans is the Worldwide Browns Backers. The organization has approximately 50,000 members and is considered the largest sports-fan organizations in the USA. [4] Browns Backers clubs can be found in every major city in the United States, and in a number of military bases throughout the world, with the largest club being in Phoenix, AZ. In addition, the organization has a sizable foreign presence in places as far away as Egypt, Australia, Japan, and Sri Lanka.

looks like everyone just "overlooked" this post ..thx for some facts BGP! Bring on more oposing OPINIONS...

 

[Domination]

I don't think you have to be polite or positive to be a good fan. I think that you have to be dedicated and passionate. For that reason the best fans are from the .......

EAGLES

 

[The Ref]

No mention of Pats fans?

Over the last 15 or so years - yes. But you could not find a pats fan for miles from 89-93 (and I should know I was there).

 

[pizzatyme]

everytime I see a thread like this I immediately say Pittsburgh Steelers fans - bar none.they come to the Meadowlands (Jets) in droves to the point where they cause a bit of a panic where you may not get your normal spot if you're late. They are respectful, knowledeable, avid, generous, party goers who just love their Steelers. What's not to like about Steelers fans?

At least someone understands us! We're not intentionally obnoxious, but we're everywhere. In every city and in every stadium. So, it just seems that way! I moved from Pittsburgh to Toronto 2 years ago, but I kept my Steelers license plate on my car. About once a month, I get a comment from someone who sees the plate and gives me a "here we go Steelers" in a parking lot. I'd never have guessed that there'd be as big a Steelers following as there is in Toronto.

something about being a steeler fan gets into your cells, your DNA, your chemistry.

Maybe from the in-breeding?

 

[bcr8f]

Green Bay and Denver(1970's) both sold out stadiums when the teams were bad. Very few teams do that.

 

[onionsack]

Green Bay and Denver(1970's) both sold out stadiums when the teams were bad. Very few teams do that.

You understate the devotion. Green Bay sucked for a lot longer than a mere decade, and the support never waivered a jot. It never will waiver. Home games are sold out until the end of time. Family vacations are planned around away games. Even when the suckiness was at its peak (nadir?) they sold out intra-squad scrimages in three hours! That's right: three-quarters of the entire population of GB paid good money to watch their crappy offense play their crappy defense. The rest of the population cursed themselves for failing to get in line early enough. Is this topic seriously being debated?

 

[SSOG]

Now, you have the Rams, but trust me, that is a baseball town. Rams games are like tennis matches. People go and then act like they are @ Center court at the French Open.

The same could be said about the Patriots. Boston is a Red Sox town and the Pats, even with all of their success, still come in second in fan enthusiasm. Now sure, the TV ratings are there and Patriots talk goes on all the time on local sports stations, but the passion isn't the same. Case in point, during the past few years, Patriots players have been vocally upset about the lack of crowd noise at home games at Gillette. For a team with so much success to have to issue a wakeup call to its own fans, is beyond embarrassing.You'd NEVER find that at Fenway Park.

Patriots fans are just well behaved...they are not animals.

Patriots fans aren't well behaved. They're horrible. They barely even support their own team. They only show up to games because the Pats are winning, and they hardly even care about their team, preferring to chant *BASEBALL CHANTS* at FOOTBALL GAMES.I mean, what a slap in the freaking face that the Patriots players lay it all on the line and win a superbowl for their city, and are rewarded by hearing their fans whine about baseball. What inungrateful SOBs. In my mind, no fanbase has *EVER* shown as little class as the Patriots Fans did after beating St. Louis in 2001. I can't think of a single fanbase that is by and large as undeserving of the success they've been blessed with than the Patriots fans.

Plus they do tend to be ridiculously whiny. Steelers fans, Cowboys fans, Niners fans, and Packers fans have all shown they know how to win with class. Not so for Patriots fans. (I'd like to add Broncos fans to the first list, as well, but obviously I lack perspective on that ).

Whoa whoa whoa....hold on a minute hear. I sat through the Grogan/Eason years on cold steal benches. Why do you hate the Pats so much? They're America's team. SSOG=unpatriotic I live in Denver and have not been able to adopt the Broncos It appears when you combine passion with success the haters come out to play.

Passion? What passion? The Pats were on the field celebrating their first SB championship and the fans were busy talking Red Sox. How does that qualify as passion?Patriots fans did not support the team when the team was no good, and they barely support the team now that they're amazing (read all the posts about how quiet Foxborough is for such a good team, as well as my stories about the Patriots caring more about baseball than football *WHILE THEY ARE AT THE FREAKING SUPERBOWL*).

Also, calling me unpatriotic because Patriots fans blow? Sure thing, buddy. My nationalistic pride can be entirely summed up by my feelings about some classless bandwagon fans.

FYI link to packer sell out info

link

Broken link. Like I said, though, Washington and Denver are #1 and #2 in consecutive home sellouts, and neither streak dates back to 1960, so I fail to see how Green Bay could have sold out every game since 1960.

That is why this debate is really only about a handful of franchises. KC has had 6-10 seasons, 7-9 seasons where they still sold out every game....people still tailgated and drank lots of beer (at that time it was more of a numbing effect lol)

I am not knocking bandwagon-type fans. I am one of those in college sports.....but let's not act as if we do not know who the contenders are in this argument.

I can throw out several types of fan bases right off the top:

1. Teams who win regularly in front of quiet stadiums (Rams, Patriots)

2. Any franchise under 12 years old in their current location (Jags, Panthers, Texans, Ravens, Titans)

3. Any team who has one playoff appearance in 30 seasons. (Cardinals)

Anyone else got a qualifier that fits?

4. Any team that is not the #1 concern of people living in that town. That rules out the Pats again (because the fans care more about the Red Sox), as well as places like San Diego (where fans care more about the beach) and St. Louis (Cardinals). In fact, as I think about it more, this one seems to correspond rather well with the good teams in front of quiet stadiums thing.The Miami Dolphin fans have to be ruled out immediately, too, in my mind. In 2001 they had a home playoff game against the defending superbowl champion Ravens, and it was blacked out because they couldn't sell out the stadium. If you can't sell out a home playoff game, you don't get into the discussion of the best fans.

Green Bay and Denver(1970's) both sold out stadiums when the teams were bad. Very few teams do that.

You understate the devotion. Green Bay sucked for a lot longer than a mere decade, and the support never waivered a jot. It never will waiver. Home games are sold out until the end of time. Family vacations are planned around away games. Even when the suckiness was at its peak (nadir?) they sold out intra-squad scrimages in three hours! That's right: three-quarters of the entire population of GB paid good money to watch their crappy offense play their crappy defense. The rest of the population cursed themselves for failing to get in line early enough. Is this topic seriously being debated?

Actually, I think Denver is more impressive in that regard. I mean, sure Green Bay was bad in the '60s and '70s, but they had tradition. They had Vince Lombardi and Don Hutson and the most NFL championships in the history of the NFL. There was a reason people were buying the tickets even when the team wasn't good, and that reason was history and tradition.Denver, on the other hand... their home sellout streak began years before their team had ever had a winning season. Seriously- Denver had *NEVER FINISHED WITH A WINNING RECORD*, and they still sold out every home game. There was no reason for optimism among the fans, there was no history or storied past to be celebrated that people wanted to be a part of. It would be like if Detroit all of a sudden started selling out every single home game. It's mind boggling.