The Most Popular MLB Teams Don’t Have the Most Loyal Fans
· Yahoo Sports
Popularity and loyalty are often treated as the same thing in sports, but a new fan survey suggests they are anything but among MLB teams.
Some of the biggest brands in baseball may have enormous followings, yet when it comes to sticking with a team through bad seasons, spending money, and making personal sacrifices, several less-heralded fanbases are considerably more committed.
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That makes the latest rankings of MLB Teams particularly interesting.
A recent study by the folks at Casino Guru surveyed 1,500 MLB fans across America. The study looked into fan loyalty based on the following metrics: long-term support, emotional investment, attendance, spending, and willingness to prioritize games over other commitments. The resulting rankings produced some surprising conclusions.
The Miami Marlins came out on top with a loyalty score of 69.4 out of 100, followed by the Washington Nationals at 69.1 and the San Diego Padres at 68.9. Meanwhile, some of baseball’s most recognizable brands landed much lower.
The New York Yankees ranked 16th, the Los Angeles Dodgers were 10th, the Boston Red Sox were 22nd, and the Atlanta Braves finished 25th. The Chicago Cubs were the highest-ranked traditionally massive-market franchise, coming in fifth.
MLB Teams With the Biggest Fanbases Aren’t Always the Most Loyal
The Yankees and Dodgers are by far the clubs with the biggest national following, so their relatively modest positions in the loyalty rankings are particularly surprising. But that’s precisely what makes the distinction between popularity and loyalty crucial.
In other words, some teams are chock full of bandwagon supporters, not die-hards.
The survey measured behaviors that go beyond simply identifying as a fan. Could supporters continue watching after poor performances? Would they choose a playoff game over a major social event? Would they travel to see their team, spend significant money, or even get a team-related tattoo?
Those questions produce a very different picture of MLB Teams.
The Marlins, for example, ranked first despite enduring several difficult seasons. 67% of their surveyed fans said they had never stopped watching or supporting the club because of poor performance. Nearly two-thirds would also choose a Marlins playoff game over a major social event.
The Nationals ranked second despite going through a lengthy rebuild. 32% of their fans said they attend at least 11 home games per season, while 16% attend at least 31 games.
Those numbers suggest loyalty isn’t necessarily created by winning. Loyalty is based more on a community-based identity.
The Most Popular Clubs May Be the Ones That Need Fans Most
The results also offer an interesting lesson about what actually creates a loyal fanbase among MLB Teams.
The Padres ranked third, with 58% of surveyed supporters saying they would name a child after a team legend and 32% willing to get a team-related tattoo. The Cubs ranked fifth despite missing four of the last five postseasons, another indication that sustained loyalty can survive disappointing results.
Conversely, the Oakland Athletics ranked last at 57.6, while the Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox occupied 29th and 28th. The A’s have endured poor performance and a controversial relocation process, while the White Sox followed their 2021 division title with years of struggles, including a modern-era record 121 losses in 2024.
The survey shouldn’t be treated as a definitive scientific measurement of every fanbase, of course. The researchers themselves note that sample sizes varied and that the rankings are indicative rather than representative of each team’s entire support base.
Still, the findings make one thing clear: the most popular MLB Teams aren’t necessarily the ones with the most loyal fans.
Sometimes the strongest supporters aren’t wearing the jerseys of baseball’s biggest brands. They’re the ones who keep showing up when their team gives them very little reason to.
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