Baseball, Fan Data, Sports Data, Top 10, watch party

Oakland Athletics (A’s) MLB Watch Parties & Fan Club Events for OAK

The Oakland Athletics have fostered a culture built by former general manager, Billy Beane. Starting in 2000, Billy Beane used mathematics, pure statistics of a players’ on-base percentage, and other metrics that will be discussed later, in order to allocate the money efficiently towards “cheaper players”. Moneyball, a film made in 2011, illustrates the magnificence and brilliance Beane and the Oakland Athletics management had in building a roster in the early 2000’s. Beane used mathematical metrics like a pitcher’s ERA in order to build a team. According to fictional character Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), who played a role as Billy Beane’s (Brad Pitt) right hand man in the movie Moneyball, said that the Oakland Athletics we’re a team that were a team that were like: “an island of misfit toys”. Although he is no longer the general manager, Beane remains an executive with the Oakland Athletics and is trying to revitalize the team. 

The Oakland Athletics are in discussions of potentially moving to Jack London Square by building a new ballpark that would create a more modern, and replenished atmosphere. Also, the A’s will be working around and building a young, but fiesty roster. All A’s fans need to be patient, because only good baseball is in the Athletics’ future.

All, Basketball, Fan Clubs, Fan Data, NCAA, Sports Data, Top 10, watch party

Top 10 College Basketball Teams: #4 Michigan State Spartans

The Michigan State Spartans are FanWide’s #4 College Basketball Team! From the legendary Magic Johnson to their current star guard Cassius Winston, Michigan State basketball has always been led by its elite players. The devout Michigan State fan base, however, has been what has truly helped the Spartans thrive. Top 10 finishes in 6 of 8 categories helped the Spartans snag a prestigious spot in the top 5 among FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball teams.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Michigan State Spartans game watch party or fan club near you.

Basketball, Fan Clubs, Fan Data, NCAA, Top 10, watch party

Top 10 College Basketball Teams: #5 Duke Blue Devils

Coming in at number 5 in FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Rankings is the Duke Blue Devils. The hiring of head coach Mike Krzyzewski catapulted the extraordinary success experienced by the Blue Devils over the past 39 years. The Hall of Fame head coach took over for the Blue Devils In 1980. During Coach Krzyzewski’s legendary career, he has become the winningest coach in Division 1 college basketball history and has won 4 national championships. “Coach K” has also done a tremendous job of recruiting the top high school players in the country. In the past 5 years, Coach K has recruited NBA lottery picks such as Jahlil Okafor, Brandon Ingram, Jayson Tatum, Marvin Bagley III, Zion Williamson, and RJ Barrett to play for the Blue Devils. Krzyzewski’s top notch recruiting shows his ability to adapt to the modern one-and-done era. The Blue Devil’s recent success has caused their fanbase to grow tremendously across the nation. Because of Duke’s recent success and their massive following, the Blue Devils place 5th on FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Team Rankings.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Duke Blue Devils game watch party or fan club near you.

Basketball, Fan Clubs, Fan Data, Sports Fan Data, Top 10

Top 10 College Basketball Teams: #6 Syracuse Orange

Over the years, Syracuse has built one of the most consistently successful college basketball programs in the nation. The Jim Boeheim era has been particularly fruitful. Ten years after the former Orange guard graduated from Syracuse, he was named the head coach of their basketball program. That day in 1976 was a turning point for the program. 946 wins later, Syracuse is an established college basketball powerhouse. Their success on the court has translated to popularity off of it. Because of their prestige, they are often able to land top high school recruits and consistently produce NBA talent. From their consistent victories on the court to their record-breaking arena, Syracuse basketball is a blue-blood program. The team’s impressive resumé has earned them the #6 spot in FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Team Rankings!

Visit FanWide.com to find a Syracuse Orange game watch party or fan club near you.

Fan Clubs, Fan Data, Football, Sports Data, Top 10, Uncategorized, watch party

Top NFL Teams: #1 Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are the top team in FanWide’s NFL rankings. While the Green Bay Packers have dominated the rest of the NFL on the field with their 4 Super Bowl victories and 34 playoff wins, it is their unique connection to their fan base off the field that truly separates them from every other team. Located in the small city of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Lambeau Field sticks out from the houses and local restaurants that surround it. Green Bay may not have the glitz and glamour of a New York or Los Angeles but they have Packers football and they love it. Every Sunday, from September to December, Packers fans come together whether it be at a home game or at a local bar (at a FanWide Packers watch party) to support and root for the Packers. This tight-knit and close community is what makes the Packers fan base special and different from every other NFL team.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Green Bay Packers game watch party or fan club near you.

Basketball, Fan Clubs, Fan Data, NCAA, Sports Data, Sports Fan Data, Top 10, watch party

Top 10 College Basketball Teams: #8 Michigan Wolverines

Coming in at #8 on FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Teams: the Michigan Wolverines. From the legendary “Fab Five” in the early ‘90s to the modern Michigan team, Wolverines basketball has always been about team cohesion and success. The strength of the team, however, cannot exist without the strength of the fans, who are unwavering in their support of the Wolverines. To repay their support, Michigan has grown into a yearly juggernaut, made evident by numerous Big Ten and NCAA Tournament wins. Strong finishes across all categories earned the Wolverines the #8 spot among FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Teams.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Michigan Wolverines game watch party or fan club near you.

Teams were evaluated in 8 different categories (visit this blog post to see the methodology):

All, Analysis, Baseball, Football

Was Kyler Murray Right In Choosing Football?

Last September, FanWide asked if there would ever be another multi-sport star? The gold standards in this regard have long been the inimitable Bo Jackson and the flashy Deion Sanders. Russell Wilson and Tim Tebow have tried to join the club, with mixed results. Usain Bolt looked decent on the pitch when he gave soccer a shot, but a contract dispute prevented him from fully pursuing what might have become an interesting career. And then, of course, there was Michael Jordan, whose brief foray into baseball didn’t exactly pan out.

The reason we’re revisiting this idea now is Kyler Murray, who was mentioned in the previous article mentioned above and was just drafted first overall in the NFL Draft. The Oklahoma quarterback made his mark on sports history when he was selected, becoming the first athlete to be drafted in the first round of both the NFL and MLB drafts. He was picked ninth overall in the MLB Draft just 10 months ago, by the Oakland Athletics. Following that selection, Murray received permission from Oakland management to play out his senior year in college football and certainly made the most out of the opportunity. In his final season, he totaled 5,362 yards and 54 touchdowns and was awarded the Heisman Trophy.

Fan Clubs, Fan Data, Football, Top 10, Uncategorized

Top NFL Teams: #2 Dallas Cowboys

Coming in at number 2 in FanWide’s Top 10 NFL Team rankings is America’s Team, the Dallas Cowboys. Currently, the Cowboys have one of the youngest and most explosive offenses in the entire National Football League. Their young nucleus consists of quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott, and wide receiver Amari Cooper. On the defensive side of the field, The ‘Boyz are loaded with playmakers such as defensive lineman Demarcus Lawrence, linebacker Jaylon Smith, and safety Byron Jones. With this talented core, the Cowboys were able to win the NFC East and advance to the NFC divisional round in 2018. While the Cowboys have been successful as of late, their historical success truly separates them from every other NFL team. The Cowboys have won a whopping 35 playoff games and 5 Super Bowls. America’s team is home to countless NFL greats such as Emmitt Smith, Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, and Tony Dorsett. Playing for America’s team comes with a lot of pressure and responsibility. This young and talented Cowboy roster is more than capable to handle these enormous expectations.

Dallas Cowboy fans celebrating / Photo Courtesy of the SCDCFC Interview on FanWide

Visit FanWide.com to find a Dallas Cowboys game watch party or fan club near you.

Basketball, Fan Clubs, Fan Data, NCAA, Top 10, watch party

Top 10 College Basketball Teams: #10 Wisconsin Badgers

FanWide’s #10 College Basketball team is the Wisconsin Badgers! Few programs can combine historical greatness and present success the same way Wisconsin can. Though the team has not won a National Championship since 1941, the Badgers are a consistent threat in the always-competitive Big Ten conference, year in and year out. Even more impressive, however, is the unwavering commitment of Badgers fans, who are always there to support their team. Top 10 finishes in the categories of fan clubs, recent tournament wins, attendance, and aggregate social media followers earned the Wisconsin Badgers the #10 spot among FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Teams.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Wisconsin Badgers game watch party or fan club near you.

Teams were evaluated in 8 different categories (visit this blog post to see the methodology):

Fan Clubs, Fan Data, Football, Sports Data, Sports Fan Data, Top 10, watch party

Top NFL Teams: #3 New England Patriots

At #3 in FanWide’s Top NFL teams ranking is the New England Patriots. The Patriots have been the epitome of success for the better-part of the 21st century. Recently, the Patriots, otherwise known as the Pats, have had an incredibly high success rate. In this decade the patriots have a regular-season winning percentage of 74%. What New England has done is unlike anything else in sports. The New England Patriots were the laughing stock in the NFL in the 1980s, but quite a lot has changed. The Pats have created a dynasty like no other in which a playoff win seems to be guaranteed every year along with a Super Bowl appearance. The reason for the Patriots’ recent success is because of the brilliance of head coach Bill Belichick, the magnificence of future-hall-of-famer Tom Brady, and caring owner in Robert Kraft. Many may hate the Patriots for their cheating allegations, but no person can take away the dominance and greatness from the Patriots in the 21st century. Tom Brady is still going strong at 41 years old, along with the Patriots’ chances of winning.

Visit FanWide.com to find a New England Patriots game watch party or fan club near you.