Top 10

Fan Clubs, Fan Data, Soccer, Sports Data, Sports Fan Data, Top 10

Top European Soccer Teams: #3 Barcelona

Posted on by Steven Freidenrich

Since its inception, La Liga has been dominated by two football clubs: Barcelona and Real Madrid. Lionel Messi’s brilliance has kept Barcelona relevant for years, but he doesn’t do it alone. Aside from a star-studded supporting cast, Barcelona boasts one of the largest fan bases in the world, across all sports. While FC Barcelona’s claim to have 1 billion fans might be inflated (generally attributed to double counting fans on social media, visits to their website, etc.), they are not far off. A history of elite talent has lead to perennial Spanish football dominance, but where do they stand on the global stage? FanWide has collected data that measures both popularity and on-field success. The result? Barcelona ranks #3 among European soccer teams.

Visit FanWide.com to find a FC Barcelona game watch party or fan club near you.

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

Top 10 Baseball Teams: #2 Los Angeles Dodgers

Posted on by Peter Swope

Coming in second on the Top 10 Baseball Teams list is the Los Angeles Dodgers. From Brooklyn, home of the Dodgers until 1957,  to LA, it is difficult for many teams to boast the historical greatness of the Dodgers. The team has a rich history of success, both past and present. The Dodgers also have a rich history of superstars, from Jackie Robinson to Sandy Koufax to current ace lefty and 3 time NL Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw. Situated in the nation’s second largest market, the Dodgers are always situated at the center of the baseball world, and they never disappoint. 1st place finishes in fan clubs, recent wins, recent All-Stars, and and average attendance earned them the spot as FanWide’s #2 Baseball Team.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Los Angeles Dodgers game watch party or fan club near you.

Teams were evaluated in 9 different categories (visit this blog post to see the methodology). The Dodgers graded out as follows:

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

Top NFL Teams: #9 Denver Broncos

Posted on by Andrew Wilf

At #9 in the FanWide Top NFL Teams Ranking is the Denver Broncos. This team seems to always be around in January. The Broncos have had two of the best quarterbacks in Super Bowl history. When John Elway was the starting quarterback for the Broncos he was a part of many people who changed the culture in Denver. Since then, the same culture has been in place. In fact, Denver’s winning culture is so special, Peyton Manning decided to go to Denver at the tail-end of his career. The kings of the Mile High have won three super bowls, and more importantly have fans that are incredibly loyal. Although the Broncos had a season of disappointment in 2018, there is a lot to look forward to in Denver considering the Broncos just recently acquired past Super Bowl MVP, Joe Flacco.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Denver Broncos game watch party or fan club near you.

Fan Clubs, Fan Data, Soccer, Sports Data, Sports Fan Data, Top 10

Top European Soccer Teams: #4 Manchester United

Posted on by Steven Freidenrich

With 20 English football titles, Manchester United is the most decorated football club in England. Their history as an English football powerhouse is undeniable. Because of this reputation, Manchester United has attracted some of the most talented English footballers. English players like Wayne Rooney, Bobby Charlton, and David Beckham have all called Manchester United their home at some point. With better players comes more wins, a cycle of success that has worked in Manchester United’s favor over the years. The club’s tradition of success has given them one of the largest fan bases in the world. Each year, United is always in the mix for a title. Their prominence in English football and beyond has earned them the #4 spot in FanWide’s European soccer rankings.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Manchester United game watch party or fan club near you.

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

Top NFL Teams: #10 Seattle Seahawks

Posted on by Joey Schachtel

The Seattle Seahawks come in at #10 in the FanWide Top 10 NFL team ranking. The Seattle Seahawks are a well rounded team who have found successful recently. They are the winners of Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014 which Russell Wilson, Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch, and the “Legion of Boom” willed them towards victory with FanWide’s own brand ambassador Cliff Avril starting the game with a sack.  Many of the players on the Super Bowl winning roster are still playing for the Seahawks today. While the Seahawks were unable to advance past the wild card round this past season, no NFL team ever wants to face them come playoff time. Around the league, the Seattle Seahawks are known for their crazy fan base which is commonly referred to as the 12th Man. The Seahawks’ fanbase is always loud and excited regardless of the rainy weather. While most of the Seahawks’ success occurred recently, they have still had some NFL greats in the past. Players such as Shaun Alexander and Steve Largent played major roles for the Seahawks in the past. While they only have one Super Bowl to celebrate, their future provides hope for Seahawks fans. With perennial Pro Bowler Russell Wilson returning along with a dominant defense their second Super Bowl appears to be on the horizon.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Seattle Seahawks game watch party or fan club near you.

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

Introducing the Top NFL Teams

Posted on by Joey Schachtel

In the United States, football is by far the most prominent and popular sport. Every Sunday (and some Saturdays) from September to January, most Americans wake up with excitement and eagerness. Watching NFL games and rooting for a favorite team is part of American tradition. On average, NFL games tend to get 18 million viewers and the big games are consistently the most watched broadcasts every year. The next most popular league in America, the NBA, only gets around 1.8 million viewers per game. Considering how important football is to America, FanWide has decided to create its own ranking of the top 10 NFL franchises. Using FanWide’s unique data, this top 10 list includes the amount of Fan Clubs each team has around the nation. FanWide has evaluated all 32 NFL teams across both the AFC and the NFC. The top 10 teams have been successful in recent seasons as well as throughout history. They all have their fair share of Lombardi Trophies and are all considered “NFL Elites” relative to the rest of the league. In addition, all 10 NFL teams are big market teams with large and loyal fan bases. Due to their consistent prowess, every football player growing up wants to play for these 10 teams. These teams are considered the tip of the top and have succeeded for decades on and off the field.

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

Top 10 Baseball Teams: #3 Boston Red Sox

Posted on by Peter Swope

The reigning World Series champs take the #3 spot! At the moment, there are few fan bases in all of sports happier than Boston Red Sox fans. For the Sox, 2018 was nothing but a resounding success. Following a franchise-record 108 wins in 2018, the team cruised through the playoffs to take home another Commissioner’s Trophy upon winning their 4th World Series. During this streak they lost only three total games while defeating the archrival Yankees, reigning champion Astros, and a Dodgers team making its second consecutive World Series appearance. Expectations couldn’t have been higher at the recent Red Sox Winter Weekend, held every January, an annual event that allows fans to hear from and even meet current players, team officials, and Red Sox legends. Led by young manager Alex Cora and stars such as right fielder Mookie Betts, designated hitter J.D. Martinez, and ace left-hander Chris Sale, the Red Sox (and their fans) hope to be firmly in the mix for another World Series title in 2019. As a franchise with a rich and storied history, the Red Sox are popular with fans in New England and across the country. It should come as no surprise that they graded out highly among FanWide’s Top 10 Baseball Teams, finishing third overall.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Boston Red Sox game watch party or fan club near you.

Basketball, Sports Data, Sports Fan Data, Top 10

Top NBA Teams: #6 Boston Celtics

Posted on by Michael Wang

From the perspective of fans across all sports leagues, Boston is the common enemy. Not only does this opinion exist because of the constant success most of all the Boston teams have, but also because their fans are some of the most supportive and rowdy fans. In the NBA, the Boston Celtics have had extreme levels of success recently and historically. Legends such as Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and many more have steeped  the Celtics with historical moments. Additionally, Boston has not only the oldest active NBA team, but also the oldest overall NBA franchise, along with the New York Knicks, founded in 1946. Currently, under the guidance of head coach Brad Stevens, stars such as Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Al Horford, and Jayson Tatum lead the team to success. Let’s look at how the Celtics placed 6th in FanWide’s Top Ten NBA Team Rankings.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Boston Celtics game watch party or fan club near you.

Basketball, Sports Data, Sports Fan Data, Top 10

Top NBA Teams: #7 Miami Heat

Posted on by Michael Wang

Miami is by far one of the most active and passionate cities across the United States. On top of that, every season their home team, the Miami Heat, never fail to excite the fans and make strong pushes in the regular season. They struck gold in 2003 by drafting Dwyane Wade from Marquette with the 5th pick in the draft. Wade led the Heat, along with Shaquille O’Neal and others, to a title in the 2006 season. A few years later, LeBron James and Chris Bosh decided to join the Heat and led the team to four straight finals appearances, winning it in 2012 and 2013.

In more recent years, the Miami Heat have had a strong roster with Justise Winslow and Goran Dragic. Lastly, Dwyane Wade’s farewell season is this year this has for sure brought a lot of attention to Miami as a legend is retiring soon. He even got invited to play in this year’s All-Star game. Without further or due, let’s look into how the Heat placed 7th in FanWide’s Top Ten NBA Team rankings.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Miami Heat game watch party or fan club near you.

Basketball, Sports Data, Sports Fan Data, Top 10

Top NBA Teams: #8 Los Angeles Lakers

Posted on by Michael Wang

Popular. Scary. Legendary. Historic. These are only some of the many words that can be used to describe the Los Angeles Lakers. This past offseason changed a lot for the Lakers. LeBron James chose to sign with them and that reignited the fire within the fans. Along with many young stars such as Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and of course Kyle Kuzma, this team has an absurd amount of potential carried by one of the best leaders to ever play the game. Nevertheless, one season good season is not the only reason they place in FanWide’s Top Ten NBA Teams ranking.

The Lakers have always been one of the most exciting teams to watch. The organization was founded in 1947, the second year of the NBA, which ultimately gives them an advantage over almost all teams as their franchise timeline goes back further. Kobe Bryant, easily one of the best and by far the most competitive player to set foot on an NBA court, spent his whole career with LA and recently retired in 2016. Other legends such as Shaquille O’Neal, the whole Showtime Lakers (Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Wilt Chamberlain, and many more have all put on a Lakers jersey. You will never be disappointed watching a Lakeshow…trust me. No wonder why the Lakers were able to place 8th in FanWide’s Top Ten NBA Teams ranking.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Los Angeles Lakers game watch party or fan club near you.