Basketball, Sports Data, Sports Fan Data, Top 10

Top NBA Teams: #3 Houston Rockets

Posted on by Michael Wang

This organization has been flat out killing it recently. With record of 65-17 last year, and finishing first in the Western Conference in the regular season, their hot streak seemed to carry over into this year. Still need a hint to who it is? Fear the Beard. The Houston Rockets are #3 on FanWide’s Top Ten NBA Teams ranking. Coming off his MVP season, James Harden has been leading the charge for the Rockets. They currently pose one of the biggest threats to making a strong push in the playoffs and possibly winning the Finals. Nevertheless, the success of the Houston Rockets franchise does not start with James Harden. Many big names have put on a Rockets jersey such as Dikembe Mutombo, Robert Horry, Kenny “the Jet” Smith, Charles Barkley, Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Clyde Drexler, Moses Malone, and of course Hakeem “the Dream” Olajuwon. The list goes on and on with legendary Rockets players. They all contributed greatness to the organization, hence placing the Rockets 3rd in FanWide’s Top Ten NBA Teams ranking.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Houston Rockets game watch party or fan club near you.

Basketball, Sports Data, Sports Fan Data, Top 10

Top NBA Teams: #4 Chicago Bulls

Posted on by Michael Wang

Where do I even start with this franchise? Do I cover the Michael Jordan era? Do I talk about Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler? Do I talk about the untapped potential they have on their team? The Chicago Bulls have been one of the most historically powerful franchises in the NBA. Let’s start at the beginning of the major success. In 1984, the Chicago Bulls decided to use their number 3 pick on a kid from UNC. This kid was Michael Jordan. The greatest basketball player of all time. Jordan went on to lead the Bulls to his historic 6 rings. With other strong teammates such as Ron Harper, Steve Kerr, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman, and of course Scottie Pippen, the Bulls seemed unstoppable with Michael Jordan. After this streak of success faded, Derrick Rose was drafted in 2008 with the first overall pick. He carried the Bulls to a lot of success and even managed to win MVP in the 2011 season, making him the youngest player to win the MVP award. Currently, the Chicago Bulls are rebuilding and waiting for their next spark, yet their historical dominance allows them to place 4th in FanWide’s Top Ten NBA Teams ranking.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Chicago Bulls game watch party or fan club near you.

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

Top NFL Teams: #8 Chicago Bears

Posted on by Andrew Wilf

At #8 in FanWide’s Top NFL Teams Ranking is the Chicago Bears. The Bears seem to never be forgotten when mentioning the top NFL teams. The Bears, otherwise known as the Monsters of the Midway, have a history like no other. Since the Bears’ establishment in 1920, the Bears have had quite a lot of success. The Monsters of the Midway have a record of 761-583-42. That is a respectable percentage of victory of 56.4%. This dominance has been seen through the presence of legends like Walter Payton, Gayle Sayers, Mike Ditka, George Halas, and Sid Luckman. The Bears dominance, although lost in recent years, has been restored due to the acquisition of all-pro linebacker Khalil Mack. Although the 2018 season ended on a sour note for the Bears, Bears fans have a lot to look forward to. The Bears have a solid foundation with a more-than-legitimate quarterback and a ferocious defense.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Chicago Bears game watch party or fan club near you.

Basketball, Sports Data, Sports Fan Data, Top 10

Top NBA Teams: #5 Cleveland Cavaliers

Posted on by Michael Wang

“With the first pick in the 2003 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select LeBron James”. This statement, delivered by David Stern (commissioner of the NBA at the time), changed everything for not only the Cavaliers, but the city of Cleveland as a whole. All the way up until 2010, LeBron was committed to the Cavs and made them into a team that was not only well respected, but also feared across the league. After the (first) departure of LeBron, the Cavs no longer seemed to hold the same amount of strength as they had in previous season; however, they hit the jackpot with the #1 pick in the 2011 draft with future All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving. Although Irving struggled to bring the Cavs success in his first few years, he reignited the team’s spirits and potential. When LeBron returned in 2014, the city was joyous and the passion to win was back. During all of LeBron’s next four years as a Cavalier, he carried them to 4 straight NBA Finals appearances. Their most notable performance was coming back from being down 3-1 in the Finals and winning. The city of Cleveland was then branded as “The Land” as it was the center of focus across the league. This season, the team is fresh and young and is led by young guard Collin Sexton who has nothing but success in his future. With all of this going on for the Cavs, it is clear as to why they rank 5th in FanWide’s Top Ten NBA Teams ranking.

Visit FanWide.com to find a Cleveland Cavaliers game watch party or fan club near you.

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.