North America’s Favorite Franchises (NFL - NBA - MLB - NHL & by State)

Editor-In-Chief with 20 years experience covering the betting angles to breaking news stories. Portsmouth fan and Amateur League Snooker Players

From sporting events that appeal to global audiences, such as the annual NFL Super Bowl Championship, to the more niche sports of Quadball (otherwise known as Quidditch for you Harry Potter fans), there really is something for everyone.

The national leagues of football, basketball, hockey and baseball, known as the ‘Big Four’ are currently all billion-dollar industries. As a result, it is fair to say that North America has cemented itself as a sporting giant.

US Betting Sites now offer so many opportunities to get involved in the world of sports, but with over 100 sports franchises to choose from within the Big Four leagues, it can be tricky to know who to back - luckily the team here at OLBG has got you covered!

Using a combination of search data, social followings, Youtube subscriber counts and fan attendance statistics we have made a list of the most popular sports franchises across America and Canada.

The Most Popular Sports Franchises In North America

Below is a list of the most sought-after sports franchises across the Big Four leagues. With a total of 124 franchises in America and Canada, we have ranked them based on their social popularity and attendance.

Rank	Sport Franchise	Location	Sport	Fan attendance	Search volume	Youtube subscribers	Average social following	Franchise Popularity Score /10
1	Dallas Cowboys	Texas	NFL	85,428	69,740,000	301,000	5,474,785	9.78
2	New England Patriots	Massachusetts	NFL	69,464	15,729,000	211,000	5,274,434	8.78
3	Pittsburgh Steelers	Pennsylvania	NFL	67,541	23,129,000	183,000	4,300,000	8.7
4	Kansas City Chiefs	Missouri	NFL	70,811	27,006,000	238,000	2,122,097	8.66
5	Green Bay Packers	Wisconsin	NFL	70,529	36,716,000	104,000	3,297,425	8.64
5	Philadelphia Eagles	Pennsylvania	NFL	67,653	19,333,000	248,000	2,993,784	8.64
7	San Francisco 49ers	California	NFL	71,274	11,829,000	223,000	2,869,250	8.48
8	Denver Broncos	Colorado	NFL	73,721	22,036,000	116,000	2,592,815	8.46
9	Golden State Warriors	California	NBA	18,087	43,376,000	1,600,000	15,618,764	8.44
10	Chicago Bears	Illinois	NFL	68,778	28,443,000	148,000	2,352,114	8.42
11	New York Yankees	New York	MLB	35,220	22,278,000	124,000	4,937,671	8.31
12	Chicago Bulls	Illinois	NBA	19,556	16,723,000	257,000	10,057,729	8.23
13	Las Vegas Raiders	Nevada	NFL	65,849	14,459,000	223,000	2,408,756	8.03
14	Baltimore Ravens	Maryland	NFL	71,525	11,562,000	205,000	1,886,657	7.99
14	Seattle Seahawks	Washington	NFL	68,507	10,867,000	191,000	3,055,112	7.99
14	Miami Heat	Florida	NBA	18,476	30,963,000	140,000	8,362,623	7.99
17	Cleveland Browns	Ohio	NFL	68,424	24,883,000	251,000	1,366,783	7.95
18	New York Giants	New York	NFL	71,153	9,948,000	151,000	2,638,436	7.93
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Florida	NFL	71,667	27,517,000	191,000	1,233,333	7.91
20	Boston Celtics	Massachusetts	NBA	18,360	29,950,000	130,000	6,442,557	7.79
21	Carolina Panthers	North Carolina	NFL	70,928	12,340,000	108,000	2,322,895	7.77
22	Chicago Cubs	Illinois	MLB	30,675	12,357,000	211,000	2,500,000	7.74
23	Detroit Lions	Michigan	NFL	66,532	20,969,000	728,000	1,337,985	7.69
24	Minnesota Vikings	Minnesota	NFL	65,931	18,153,000	207,000	1,532,606	7.56
25	Buffalo Bills	New York	NFL	72,269	31,899,000	97,600	1,199,323	7.5
26	Atlanta Braves	Georgia	MLB	33,461	37,448,000	96,300	1,830,470	7.44
27	New Orleans Saints	Louisiana	NFL	68,111	11,482,000	97,900	2,454,329	7.4
28	LA Dodgers	California	MLB	39,388	7,019,000	211,000	2,966,667	7.36
29	Milwaukee Bucks	Wyoming	NBA	17,555	13,785,000	409,000	3,079,276	7.32
30	Atlanta Falcons	Georgia	NFL	69,468	11,323,000	111,000	1,851,666	7.26
30	Miami Dolphins	Florida	NFL	67,504	26,166,000	80,800	1,536,025	7.26
32	Dallas Mavericks	Texas	NBA	18,415	18,243,000	118,000	3,112,539	7.24
33	Boston Red Sox	Massachusetts	MLB	29,257	10,068,000	78,300	3,043,090	6.81
34	St. Louis Cardinals	Missouri	MLB	34,485	24,178,000	67,400	1,500,000	6.71
35	LA Rams	California	NFL	71,155	10,872,000	94,900	1,247,580	6.61
36	LA Lakers	California	NBA	18,414	3,635,000	548,000	17,792,766	6.59
37	Cincinnati Bengals	Ohio	NFL	71,117	16,649,000	54,900	1,232,714	6.55
38	Brooklyn Nets	New York	NBA	17,405	11,511,000	83,400	3,128,707	6.26
39	Houston Astros	Texas	MLB	29,179	20,450,000	47,100	1,566,232	6.16
40	Arizona Cardinals	Arizona	NFL	65,700	11,908,000	69,300	1,183,806	6.02
41	Houston Texans	Texas	NFL	67,269	9,528,000	46,000	1,739,079	6
41	Washington Commanders	Washington	NFL	63,505	9,891,200	77,700	1,343,637	6
43	New York Jets	New York	NFL	76,663	5,520,000	76,400	1,303,387	5.98
44	New York Mets	New York	MLB	31,281	9,193,500	73,700	1,367,560	5.87
45	San Francisco Giants	California	MLB	30,002	5,126,500	78,600	1,948,959	5.78
46	New York Knicks	New York	NBA	18,177	5,010,000	81,200	3,742,397	5.71
47	Utah Jazz	Utah	NBA	17,610	13,164,000	70,400	1,765,421	5.65
48	Philadelphia 76ers	Pennsylvania	NBA	18,622	6,368,000	62,600	2,542,295	5.61
49	Tennessee Titans	Tennessee	NFL	67,266	11,048,000	52,100	950,413	5.57
49	Houston Rockets	Texas	NBA	16,120	5,854,000	103,000	8,320,492	5.57
51	LA Chargers	California	NFL	69,961	2,604,000	131,000	1,140,883	5.55
52	Phoenix Suns	Arizona	NBA	16,979	17,195,000	48,600	2,056,157	5.51
52	Toronto Raptors	Toronto	NBA	17,913	2,636,000	152,000	2,963,680	5.51
54	Indianapolis Colts	Indiana	NFL	66,499	5,893,000	61,000	1,356,552	5.47
54	Cleveland Cavaliers	Ohio	NBA	17,813	7,844,000	33,900	8,290,513	5.47
56	Sacramento Kings	California	NBA	15,532	5,253,000	120,000	3,464,426	5.27
57	Oklahoma City Thunder	Oklahoma	NBA	15,768	4,580,000	99,000	4,832,105	5.12
57	Seattle Mariners	Washington	MLB	25,764	13,614,500	43,200	868,056	5.12
59	Detroit Tigers	Michigan	MLB	21,585	14,986,000	22,800	1,489,746	5.1
60	San Diego Padres	California	MLB	33,365	7,025,500	71,300	812,909	5.08
61	Pittsburgh Penguins	Pennsylvania	NHL	17,684	8,965,000	47,200	2,029,790	5.04
62	Chicago Blackhawks	Illinois	NHL	18,489	3,755,000	70,900	2,190,984	4.92
63	LA Clippers	California	NBA	16,918	1,568,500	120,000	3,414,834	4.9
64	Philadelphia Phillies	Pennsylvania	MLB	28,828	6,748,500	29,400	1,502,623	4.84
65	Portland Trailblazers	Oregon	NBA	16,888	4,897,000	95,100	2,187,097	4.8
66	Toronto Blue Jays	Toronto	MLB	29,582	2,954,200	41,100	1,866,280	4.74
67	Milwaukee Brewers	Wyoming	MLB	28,713	12,101,000	28,200	764,567	4.68
68	Jacksonville Jaguars	Florida	NFL	66,829	6,588,000	48,600	696,088	4.66
68	San Antonio Spurs	Texas	NBA	15,965	4,469,000	57,600	4,805,460	4.66
70	Memphis Grizzlies	Tennessee	NBA	16,757	10,941,000	48,600	1,614,870	4.61
70	New Orleans Pelicans	Louisiana	NBA	16,103	3,845,500	138,000	1,864,058	4.61
72	Denver Nuggets	Colorado	NBA	16,911	7,437,000	57,400	1,726,697	4.59
73	Chicago Whitesox	Illinois	MLB	23,427	6,673,000	37,400	1,047,020	4.31
73	Texas Rangers	Texas	MLB	23,652	8,173,000	16,900	1,421,729	4.31
75	Atlanta Hawks	Georgia	NBA	16,736	7,553,000	38,200	1,764,468	4.21
75	Minnesota Timberwolves	Minnesota	NBA	16,419	5,353,500	55,200	1,863,271	4.21
75	Cleveland Guardians	Ohio	MLB	21,289	11,770,000	18,200	1,006,393	4.21
78	Detroit Pistons	Michigan	NBA	16,468	7,103,000	53,000	1,439,249	4.13
79	Washington Wizards	Washington	NBA	16,231	3,643,500	53,700	2,541,029	4.07
80	Boston Bruins	Massachusetts	NHL	17,850	7,688,000	17,500	1,679,621	3.95
81	Tampa Bay Light	Florida	NHL	19,092	11,329,500	20,300	716,193	3.86
82	Minnesota Twins	Minnesota	MLB	22,670	8,906,500	19,800	773,186	3.84
83	Cincinnati Reds	Ohio	MLB	23,765	8,110,000	15,000	903,975	3.8
84	Toronto Maple Leafs	Toronto	NHL	15,586	2,397,000	117,000	1,490,983	3.76
85	Colorado Avalanche	Colorado	NHL	17,498	11,702,000	31,300	688,468	3.72
85	Washington Capitals	Washington	NHL	18,573	3,945,000	54,500	835,743	3.72
87	LA Angels	California	MLB	27,950	1,674,000	43,600	1,192,283	3.7
88	Baltimore Orioles	Maryland	MLB	21,918	7,002,000	19,400	836,079	3.62
89	New York Rangers	New York	NHL	16,839	6,350,000	34,400	1,343,315	3.58
90	Minnesota Wild	Minnesota	NHL	18,542	5,870,000	40,300	634,907	3.54
90	Pittsburgh Pirates	Pennsylvania	MLB	21,969	7,475,500	11,600	866,649	3.54
92	Detroit Red Wings	Michigan	NHL	16,984	5,558,000	48,400	1,004,993	3.52
92	Charlotte Hornets	North Carolina	NBA	17,294	5,474,000	20,000	1,644,958	3.52
94	Montreal Canadiens	Montreal	NHL	15,495	0	163,000	1,347,047	3.46
95	Orlando Magic	Florida	NBA	16,127	4,126,000	27,000	1,857,292	3.31
96	Vancouver Canucks	Vancouver	NHL	17,285	795,200	110,000	862,667	3.27
97	St. Louis Blues	Missouri	NHL	17,716	5,910,500	31,800	739,103	3.25
98	Indiana Pacers	Indiana	NBA	15,577	2,417,500	24,300	2,321,322	2.97
99	Kansas City Royals	Missouri	MLB	19,224	2,564,500	20,000	1,087,884	2.95
100	Dallas Stars	Texas	NHL	17,896	4,881,500	29,200	701,078	2.91
101	Tampa Bay Rays	Florida	MLB	19,477	5,702,000	16,000	619,255	2.89
102	Washington Nationals	Washington	MLB	26,419	3,903,000	12,700	734,449	2.85
103	Arizona Diamond Backs	Arizona	MLB	24,499	2,727,100	20,700	603,397	2.81
104	Colorado Rockies	Colorado	MLB	30,134	4,280,000	11,300	471,801	2.71
105	Edmonton Oilers	Edmonton	NHL	14,927	2,210,500	63,000	762,130	2.42
106	LA Kings	California	NHL	14,828	2,983,500	38,200	885,719	2.32
107	Vegas Golden Knights	Nevada	NHL	18,100	2,172,500	28,300	544,767	2.26
108	Miami Marlins	Florida	MLB	19,452	2,658,000	9,830	555,953	2.12
109	Philadelphia Flyers	Pennsylvania	NHL	16,540	1,924,000	22,800	1,086,017	2.11
110	Nashville Predators	Tennessee	NHL	18,495	2,447,000	5,930	501,634	1.81
111	Carolina Hurricanes	North Carolina	NHL	17,210	5,260,000	0	427,210	1.73
112	Seattle Kraken	Washington	NHL	17,151	3,774,500	19,100	330,561	1.69
113	San Jose Sharks	California	NHL	12,573	2,046,000	33,900	741,309	1.67
114	Oakland A's	California	MLB	18,102	302,600	18,200	603,867	1.65
115	Buffalo Sabres	New York	NHL	9,997	3,758,500	25,900	600,660	1.57
116	Columbus Blue Jackets	Ohio	NHL	16,237	1,381,300	25,200	415,681	1.2
117	New Jersey Devils	New York	NHL	12,744	1,296,000	25,600	537,275	1.08
118	Calgary Flames	Calgary	NHL	14,284	1,705,300	20,000	497,837	1
119	Florida Panthers	Florida	NHL	14,811	4,350,500	6,540	316,798	0.98
120	New York Islanders	New York	NHL	16,942	1,274,000	5,020	437,322	0.88
121	Anaheim Ducks	California	NHL	13,083	1,665,700	18,400	474,769	0.83
122	Ottawa Senators	Ottawa	NHL	9,155	678,200	25,500	424,384	0.71
123	Winnipeg Jets	Winnipeg	NHL	12,716	867,500	18,300	471,321	0.61
124	Arizona Coyotes	Arizona	NHL	11,601	1,478,500	15,500	337,771	0.43

1. Dallas Cowboys, NFL - Popularity score of 9.78 /10

Of all the Big Four leagues, it is a Football team that tops the ranking for the most popular sports franchise in North America. Residing in Texas, the Dallas Cowboys have come out with a popularity score of 9.78 out of a possible 10, and based on their nickname of ‘America’s Team’ it is clear that they have a place in the heart of many.

2. New England Patriots, NFL - Popularity score of 8.78 /10

Playing in the iconic national colors of red, white and blue, the New England Patriots come in as the second most popular sports franchise with a popularity score of 8.78. They have a strong online presence meaning that their devoted fans have a lot to see - even their mascot ‘Pat Patriot’ has his own Twitter page!

3. Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL - Popularity score of 8.7 /10

With the joint highest number of Super Bowl wins alongside the New England Patriots, it seems that the recurring global coverage may have catapulted them into the limelight as they complete the top three in our list of the most popular sports franchises in North America.

MLB’s Most Popular Franchises

MLB baseball giant

As the oldest major sports league in the world, MLB has cemented itself as a baseball giant! With teams spanning across 29 US states, as well as in the Canadian city of Toronto, there are baseball opportunities all over North America, but which of these teams are currently the most popular?

Rank	Sport Franchise	Location	Fan attendance	Search volume	Youtube subscribers	Average social following	Franchise Popularity Score /10
1	New York Yankees	New York	35,220	22,278,000	124,000	4,937,671	8.31
2	Chicago Cubs	Illinois	30,675	12,357,000	211,000	2,500,000	7.74
3	Atlanta Braves	Georgia	33,461	37,448,000	96,300	1,830,470	7.44
4	LA Dodgers	California	39,388	7,019,000	211,000	2,966,667	7.36
5	Boston Red Sox	Massachusetts	29,257	10,068,000	78,300	3,043,090	6.81
6	St. Louis Cardinals	Missouri	34,485	24,178,000	67,400	1,500,000	6.71
7	Houston Astros	Texas	29,179	20,450,000	47,100	1,566,232	6.16
8	New York Mets	New York	31,281	9,193,500	73,700	1,367,560	5.87
9	San Francisco Giants	California	30,002	5,126,500	78,600	1,948,959	5.78
10	Seattle Mariners	Washington	25,764	13,614,500	43,200	868,056	5.12
11	Detroit Tigers	Michigan	21,585	14,986,000	22,800	1,489,746	5.1
12	San Diego Padres	California	33,365	7,025,500	71,300	812,909	5.08
13	Philadelphia Phillies	Pennsylvania	28,828	6,748,500	29,400	1,502,623	4.84
14	Toronto Blue Jays	Toronto	29,582	2,954,200	41,100	1,866,280	4.74
15	Milwaukee Brewers	Wyoming	28,713	12,101,000	28,200	764,567	4.68
16	Chicago Whitesox	Illinois	23,427	6,673,000	37,400	1,047,020	4.31
16	Texas Rangers	Texas	23,652	8,173,000	16,900	1,421,729	4.31
18	Cleveland Guardians	Ohio	21,289	11,770,000	18,200	1,006,393	4.21
19	Minnesota Twins	Minnesota	22,670	8,906,500	19,800	773,186	3.84
20	Cincinnati Reds	Ohio	23,765	8,110,000	15,000	903,975	3.8
21	LA Angels	California	27,950	1,674,000	43,600	1,192,283	3.7
22	Baltimore Orioles	Maryland	21,918	7,002,000	19,400	836,079	3.62
23	Pittsburgh Pirates	Pennsylvania	21,969	7,475,500	11,600	866,649	3.54
24	Kansas City Royals	Missouri	19,224	2,564,500	20,000	1,087,884	2.95
25	Tampa Bay Rays	Florida	19,477	5,702,000	16,000	619,255	2.89
26	Washington Nationals	Washington	26,419	3,903,000	12,700	734,449	2.85
27	Arizona Diamond Backs	Arizona	24,499	2,727,100	20,700	603,397	2.81
28	Colorado Rockies	Colorado	30,134	4,280,000	11,300	471,801	2.71
29	Miami Marlins	Florida	19,452	2,658,000	9,830	555,953	2.12
30	Oakland A's	California	18,102	302,600	18,200	603,867	1.65

1. New York Yankees - Popularity score of 8.31 /10

With a score of 8.31 /10, the New York Yankees top this list as the current most popular MLB team. Indicators of their popularity include the fact that they have the largest average social following of any teams featured in this list with a total of 4,937,671. As well as this, they also have a high average fan attendance when compared to their rival clubs, and are among the most Googled baseball teams.

2. Chicago Cubs - Popularity score of 7.74 /10

As one of two MLB teams situated in Illinois, the Chicago Cubs take this silver medal in terms of the most popular baseball franchises. Playing their home games at Wrigley Field, this team is more commonly known for their large Youtube following which they regularly provide content for, with notable series including ‘The Breakdown’ whereby well-known Cub-related events are analyzed.

3. Atlanta Braves - Popularity score of 7.44 /10

Completing this top three are the Atlanta Braves who have a popularity score of 7.44 /10. One aspect worth mentioning here is their colossal 37,448,000 total Google searches over the last year - higher than any other club in this list! Their mammoth search interest is likely the result of the popular network ‘Battery Power’ which reports on the latest news about this franchise and regularly makes the headlines.

MLB World Series Betting Guide: Strategies, Statistics & Picks

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NBA’s Most Popular Franchises

Despite being a newer addition to the Big Four leagues, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has certainly made its mark within the sporting industry. NBA players are currently among the top highest-paid athletes and this is the result of sponsorships and endorsements resulting from the widespread popularity of this sport.

Rank	Sport Franchise	Location	Fan attendance	Search volume	Youtube subscribers	Average social following	Franchise Popularity Score /10
1	Golden State Warriors	California	18,087	43,376,000	1,600,000	15,618,764	8.44
2	Chicago Bulls	Illinois	19,556	16,723,000	257,000	10,057,729	8.23
3	Miami Heat	Florida	18,476	30,963,000	140,000	8,362,623	7.99
4	Boston Celtics	Massachusetts	18,360	29,950,000	130,000	6,442,557	7.79
5	Milwaukee Bucks	Wyoming	17,555	13,785,000	409,000	3,079,276	7.32
6	Dallas Mavericks	Texas	18,415	18,243,000	118,000	3,112,539	7.24
7	LA Lakers	California	18,414	3,635,000	548,000	17,792,766	6.59
8	Brooklyn Nets	New York	17,405	11,511,000	83,400	3,128,707	6.26
9	New York Knicks	New York	18,177	5,010,000	81,200	3,742,397	5.71
10	Utah Jazz	Utah	17,610	13,164,000	70,400	1,765,421	5.65
11	Philadelphia 76ers	Pennsylvania	18,622	6,368,000	62,600	2,542,295	5.61
12	Houston Rockets	Texas	16,120	5,854,000	103,000	8,320,492	5.57
13	Toronto Raptors	Toronto	17,913	2,636,000	152,000	2,963,680	5.51
13	Phoenix Suns	Arizona	16,979	17,195,000	48,600	2,056,157	5.51
15	Cleveland Cavaliers	Ohio	17,813	7,844,000	33,900	8,290,513	5.47
16	Sacramento Kings	California	15,532	5,253,000	120,000	3,464,426	5.27
17	Oklahoma City Thunder	Oklahoma	15,768	4,580,000	99,000	4,832,105	5.12
18	LA Clippers	California	16,918	1,568,500	120,000	3,414,834	4.9
19	Portland Trailblazers	Oregon	16,888	4,897,000	95,100	2,187,097	4.8
20	San Antonio Spurs	Texas	15,965	4,469,000	57,600	4,805,460	4.66
21	Memphis Grizzlies	Tennessee	16,757	10,941,000	48,600	1,614,870	4.61
21	New Orleans Pelicans	Louisiana	16,103	3,845,500	138,000	1,864,058	4.61
23	Denver Nuggets	Colorado	16,911	7,437,000	57,400	1,726,697	4.59
24	Atlanta Hawks	Georgia	16,736	7,553,000	38,200	1,764,468	4.21
24	Minnesota Timberwolves	Minnesota	16,419	5,353,500	55,200	1,863,271	4.21
26	Detroit Pistons	Michigan	16,468	7,103,000	53,000	1,439,249	4.13
27	Washington Wizards	Washington	16,231	3,643,500	53,700	2,541,029	4.07
28	Charlotte Hornets	North Carolina	17,294	5,474,000	20,000	1,644,958	3.52
29	Orlando Magic	Florida	16,127	4,126,000	27,000	1,857,292	3.31
30	Indiana Pacers	Indiana	15,577	2,417,500	24,300	2,321,322	2.97

1. Golden State Warriors - Popularity score of 8.44 /10

Situated in California and featuring the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in their logo, Golden State Warriors come out as the most popular NBA franchise with a score of 8.44 /10. This team is also home to Steph Curry, who is often regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time and highest point scorers. As a result, this franchise is often making the headlines due to his notoriety in the sport - evident by the 43,376,000 Google searches in the last year!

2. Chicago Bulls - Popularity score of 8.23 /10

Joining the Golden State Warriors in this top three are the Chicago Bulls who come in second place with a popularity score of 8.23 /10. With a plethora of trophies in their cabinet, this franchise has had many moments in the spotlight! This success has inevitably led them to gain a large audience, evident by an average social media following of 10,057,729.

3. Miami Heat - Popularity score of 7.99 /10

Any fans of basketball will be aware of the rivalry between our second-place franchise and Miami Heat, and it seems that in terms of popularity, Miami Heat has just fallen short on this occasion. Despite this, the prevalence of this team is still very impressive, with stats including 140,000 Youtube subscribers, and over 30,000,000 searches for this franchise in the last year.

NFL’s Most Popular Franchises

As demonstrated in our ‘Most Popular Sports Franchises’ list, an overwhelming proportion of the teams were from the National Football League (NFL) - with this sport being responsible for the top eight most popular franchises overall. From this it is clear to see that the NFL is hugely popular, but what makes these teams so sought after?

Rank	Sport Franchise	Location	Fan attendance	Search volume	Youtube subscribers	Average social following	Franchise Popularity Score /10
1	Dallas Cowboys	Texas	85,428	69,740,000	301,000	5,474,785	9.78
2	New England Patriots	Massachusetts	69,464	15,729,000	211,000	5,274,434	8.78
3	Pittsburgh Steelers	Pennsylvania	67,541	23,129,000	183,000	4,300,000	8.7
4	Kansas City Chiefs	Missouri	70,811	27,006,000	238,000	2,122,097	8.66
5	Green Bay Packers	Wisconsin	70,529	36,716,000	104,000	3,297,425	8.64
5	Philadelphia Eagles	Pennsylvania	67,653	19,333,000	248,000	2,993,784	8.64
7	San Francisco 49ers	California	71,274	11,829,000	223,000	2,869,250	8.48
8	Denver Broncos	Colorado	73,721	22,036,000	116,000	2,592,815	8.46
9	Chicago Bears	Illinois	68,778	28,443,000	148,000	2,352,114	8.42
10	Las Vegas Raiders	Nevada	65,849	14,459,000	223,000	2,408,756	8.03
11	Baltimore Ravens	Maryland	71,525	11,562,000	205,000	1,886,657	7.99
11	Seattle Seahawks	Washington	68,507	10,867,000	191,000	3,055,112	7.99
13	Cleveland Browns	Ohio	68,424	24,883,000	251,000	1,366,783	7.95
14	New York Giants	New York	71,153	9,948,000	151,000	2,638,436	7.93
15	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Florida	71,667	27,517,000	191,000	1,233,333	7.91
16	Carolina Panthers	North Carolina	70,928	12,340,000	108,000	2,322,895	7.77
17	Detroit Lions	Michigan	66,532	20,969,000	728,000	1,337,985	7.69
18	Minnesota Vikings	Minnesota	65,931	18,153,000	207,000	1,532,606	7.56
19	Buffalo Bills	New York	72,269	31,899,000	97,600	1,199,323	7.5
20	New Orleans Saints	Louisiana	68,111	11,482,000	97,900	2,454,329	7.4
21	Atlanta Falcons	Georgia	69,468	11,323,000	111,000	1,851,666	7.26
21	Miami Dolphins	Florida	67,504	26,166,000	80,800	1,536,025	7.26
23	LA Rams	California	71,155	10,872,000	94,900	1,247,580	6.61
24	Cincinnati Bengals	Ohio	71,117	16,649,000	54,900	1,232,714	6.55
25	Arizona Cardinals	Arizona	65,700	11,908,000	69,300	1,183,806	6.02
26	Houston Texans	Texas	67,269	9,528,000	46,000	1,739,079	6
26	Washington Commanders	Washington	63,505	9,891,200	77,700	1,343,637	6
28	New York Jets	New York	76,663	5,520,000	76,400	1,303,387	5.98
29	Tennessee Titans	Tennessee	67,266	11,048,000	52,100	950,413	5.57
30	LA Chargers	California	69,961	2,604,000	131,000	1,140,883	5.55
31	Indianapolis Colts	Indiana	66,499	5,893,000	61,000	1,356,552	5.47
32	Jacksonville Jaguars	Florida	66,829	6,588,000	48,600	696,088	4.66

1. Dallas Cowboys - Popularity score of 9.78 /10

After ranking first on the overall sports franchise list, it comes as no surprise that the Dallas Cowboys are the most popular NFL franchise. Outnumbering their opponents in every one of the popularity-related categories, this Texas team could not be more deserving of the title. Let's forget the time the Cowboys blew a 24 point lead against the Detroit Lions!

2. New England Patriots - Popularity score of 8.78 /10

Also making their second appearance in these rankings are the New England Patriots. As previously mentioned, they have a popularity score of 8.78 /10 which is largely due to their large social media following - including 211,000 Youtube subscribers. Despite having a lower average fan attendance than some of the other NFL teams, they make up for it with their extensive social media coverage and livestreams.

The Most Supportive Fans

Mar 10, 05:14pm

3. Pittsburgh Steelers - Popularity score of 8.7 /10

Completing our top three list of the most popular NFL franchises is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Competing against their Pennsylvanian rivals, it appears that the Steelers are largely preferred in terms of popularity. One notable Steeler’s fan is rapper Snoop Dogg who famously performed at the Super Bowl halftime show earlier this year and has no doubt contributed to the popularity of this franchise.

NHL’s Most Popular Franchises

Featuring a larger number of Canadian teams than any of the other Big Four leagues, the National Hockey League (NHL) is considered the highest-ranked ice hockey competition in the world - but have the American teams pushed their way to the top of the popularity table?

Rank	Sport Franchise	Location	Fan attendance	Search volume	Youtube subscribers	Average social following	Franchise Popularity Score /10
1	Pittsburgh Penguins	Pennsylvania	17,684	8,965,000	47,200	2,029,790	5.04
2	Chicago Blackhawks	Illinois	18,489	3,755,000	70,900	2,190,984	4.92
3	Boston Bruins	Massachusetts	17,850	7,688,000	17,500	1,679,621	3.95
4	Tampa Bay Light	Florida	19,092	11,329,500	20,300	716,193	3.86
5	Toronto Maple Leafs	Toronto	15,586	2,397,000	117,000	1,490,983	3.76
6	Washington Capitals	Washington	18,573	3,945,000	54,500	835,743	3.72
6	Colorado Avalanche	Colorado	17,498	11,702,000	31,300	688,468	3.72
8	New York Rangers	New York	16,839	6,350,000	34,400	1,343,315	3.58
9	Minnesota Wild	Minnesota	18,542	5,870,000	40,300	634,907	3.54
10	Detroit Red Wings	Michigan	16,984	5,558,000	48,400	1,004,993	3.52
11	Montreal Canadiens	Montreal	15,495	0	163,000	1,347,047	3.46
12	Vancouver Canucks	Vancouver	17,285	795,200	110,000	862,667	3.27
13	St. Louis Blues	Missouri	17,716	5,910,500	31,800	739,103	3.25
14	Dallas Stars	Texas	17,896	4,881,500	29,200	701,078	2.91
15	Edmonton Oilers	Edmonton	14,927	2,210,500	63,000	762,130	2.42
16	LA Kings	California	14,828	2,983,500	38,200	885,719	2.32
17	Vegas Golden Knights	Nevada	18,100	2,172,500	28,300	544,767	2.26
18	Philadelphia Flyers	Pennsylvania	16,540	1,924,000	22,800	1,086,017	2.11
19	Nashville Predators	Tennessee	18,495	2,447,000	5,930	501,634	1.81
20	Carolina Hurricanes	North Carolina	17,210	5,260,000	0	427,210	1.73
21	Seattle Kraken	Washington	17,151	3,774,500	19,100	330,561	1.69
22	San Jose Sharks	California	12,573	2,046,000	33,900	741,309	1.67
23	Buffalo Sabres	New York	9,997	3,758,500	25,900	600,660	1.57
24	Columbus Blue Jackets	Ohio	16,237	1,381,300	25,200	415,681	1.2
25	New Jersey Devils	New York	12,744	1,296,000	25,600	537,275	1.08
26	Calgary Flames	Calgary	14,284	1,705,300	20,000	497,837	1
27	Florida Panthers	Florida	14,811	4,350,500	6,540	316,798	0.98
28	New York Islanders	New York	16,942	1,274,000	5,020	437,322	0.88
29	Anaheim Ducks	California	13,083	1,665,700	18,400	474,769	0.83
30	Ottawa Senators	Ottawa	9,155	678,200	25,500	424,384	0.71
31	Winnipeg Jets	Winnipeg	12,716	867,500	18,300	471,321	0.61
32	Arizona Coyotes	Arizona	11,601	1,478,500	15,500	337,771	0.43

1. Pittsburgh Penguins - Popularity score of 5.04 /10

The Pittsburgh Penguins take the top spot as the most popular NHL franchise with a score of 5.04 /10. This team plays host to a plethora of community events and nationwide initiatives which have undoubtedly contributed to its growth in popularity since they were founded in the 1960s.

2. Chicago Blackhawks - Popularity score of 4.92 /10

Just below the Penguins, with a popularity score of 4.92 /10, are the Chicago Blackhawks. As one of the original six NHL franchises, the Hawks have managed to retain their popularity over the years by adapting to the online world. As a result of this, they currently have an average social following of 2,190,984 which is the largest of any other teams in this list.

3. Boston Bruins - Popularity score of 3.95 /10

Despite having the lowest Youtube subscriber count of every NHL team, the Boston Bruins are ranked as the third most popular franchise in this league. As their name suggests, this team is based in Boston, Massachusetts, and they play their home games at TD Garden. With a larger average attendance than the team in the top spot, it suggests that the fans of this franchise are devoted.

Every US State’s Most Popular Franchise

As previously mentioned, the Big Four leagues include teams from a range of areas across North America, and some of these locations play host to multiple teams. Because of this, we were interested to see each state's most popular franchise.

This list only includes US states, and any states for which there were no franchises were removed.

US State							Sport Franchise	Sport	Franchise Popularity Score /10
Arizona	Phoenix						Arizona Cardinals	NFL	6.02
California	Los Angeles	Oakland	Sacramento	San Diego	San Francisco	San Jose	San Francisco 49ers	NFL	8.48
Colorado	Denver						Denver Broncos	NFL	8.46
Florida	Jacksonville	Miami	Orlando	Tampa			Miami Heat	NBA	7.99
Georgia	Atlanta						Atlanta Braves	MLB	7.44
Illinois	Chicago						Chicago Bears	NFL	8.42
Indiana	Indianapolis						Indianapolis Colts	NFL	5.47
Louisiana	New Orleans						New Orleans Saints	NFL	7.4
Maryland	Baltimore						Baltimore Ravens	NFL	7.99
Massachusetts	Boston						New England Patriots	NFL	8.78
Michigan	Detroit						Detroit Lions	NFL	7.69
Minnesota	Minneapolis						Minnesota Vikings	NFL	7.56
Missouri	Kansas City	St. Louis					Kansas City Chiefs	NFL	8.66
Nevada	Las Vegas						Las Vegas Raiders	NFL	8.03
New York	Buffalo	New York					New York Yankees	MLB	8.31
North Carolina	Charlotte	Raleigh					Carolina Panthers	NFL	7.77
Ohio	Cincinnati	Cleveland	Columbus				Cleveland Browns	NFL	7.95
Oklahoma	Oklahoma City						Oklahoma City Thunder	NBA	5.12
Oregon	Portland						Portland Trailblazers	NBA	4.8
Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	Pittsburgh					Pittsburgh Steelers	NFL	8.7
Tennessee	Memphis	Nashville					Tennessee Titans	NFL	5.57
Texas	Austin	Dallas	Houston	San Antonio			Dallas Cowboys	NFL	9.78
Utah	Salt Lake						Utah Jazz	NBA	5.65
Washington	Seattle	Washington					Seattle Seahawks	NFL	7.99
Wisconsin	Green Bay						Green Bay Packers	NFL	8.64
Wyoming	Milwaukee						Milwaukee Bucks	NBA	7.32

Methodology

We used information from Stadium Maps to make a list of every sports franchise across the following leagues: MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL.

We used a combination of ESPN data and Wikipedia to find the average attendance for home and away games in 2022 for each of the above leagues.

We used Google Keyword Planner to add up the total number of US searches for each sports franchise between Nov 2021-Oct 2022.

We used Youtube to find the current number of subscribers for each sports franchise.

We used the following platforms to find the number of followers for each sports franchise: Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. By adding together the total number of Instagram, Twitter and Facebook followers for each franchise and dividing this number by 3, we were able to calculate the average social following for each franchise.

Finally, we used the popularity-based factors (average attendance, search volume, Youtube subscribers and average social following) and normalized each factor out of 10 before taking an average of those scores to get our overall popularity score.

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