Team with 3rd largest fanbase in North America?

Who do you consider to be the sports franchise, or college sports team (single sport) with the largest number of fans in the United States & Canada that would identify themselves as fans of that team?

Once again, like in many of my other polls, I kinda skipped around based on what would obviously be the near-consensus picks anyway. The Yankees have a fanbased untouchable by any standards, and the Cowboys are on their own level as well with what seems to be a decent-sized niche of fans in every part of the country.

Largest fanbases in US/Canada
1. New York Yankees
2. Dallas Cowboys

I'd probably say the Lakers.

I'd probably say the Lakers.

Yeah, I agree. Although not a rabid following, I think Manchester United may have quite a few fans as well. Wherever they go in the U.S. they get massive crowds, far greater than the crowds the other big clubs are getting.

I voted Lakers

Yeah, I agree. Although not a rabid following, I think Manchester United may have quite a few fans as well. Wherever they go in the U.S. they get massive crowds, far greater than the crowds the other big clubs are getting.

If it didn't say in North America, you'd have a point.

If it didn't say in North America, you'd have a point.

No, I really do believe they have alot of fans in North America. Soccer is a huge participation sport in North America, and it seems like half of the players who support a club support ManU.

Duke has a huge bandwagon following.

celtic glasgow has a huge fanbase in north america because of the irish. hard to guess if it's bigger than lakers/cubs etc, but i think yes.

Yeah, I agree. Although not a rabid following, I think Manchester United may have quite a few fans as well. Wherever they go in the U.S. they get massive crowds, far greater than the crowds the other big clubs are getting.

I believe that Real Madrid had the most fans outside of their respective country, followed by Ajax and Manchester. This is about a year, maybe two years old though, so it might have changed but I doubt it. I'll try to provide a source..

I believe that Real Madrid had the most fans outside of their respective country, followed by Ajax and Manchester. This is about a year, maybe two years old though, so it might have changed but I doubt it. I'll try to provide a source..

if we talks about "fans" and not just sympathizers i really think celtic is the clear number 1. they have fans all over the world. the irish emmigrated to almost every country. if you would visit a game of them, you would know what i mean. they travel from sydney, new york and everywhere via plane to friendship games and so. it's amazing.

if we talks about "fans" and not just sympathizers i really think celtic is the clear number 1. they have fans all over the world. the irish emmigrated to almost every country. if you would visit a game of them, you would know what i mean. they travel from sydney, new york and everywhere via plane to friendship games and so. it's amazing.

Apparantly, so do Ajax, Real and United fans. These were the 3 soccer teams with the most supporters outside their respective country. But like I said, these numbers were 1, maybe 2 years old.

I think you guys are still failing to realize that professional soccer isn't as mainstream here enough to have the pure number of fans that any of the teams on this poll do.

celtic glasgow has a huge fanbase in north america because of the irish.

Why don't they support an Irish team?

As much as it kills me, I voted for Notre Dame. One team that is probably more popular than quite a few teams in this poll is the Oakland Raiders.

Oh, and while I hate the Red Devils, there's no doubt that Man U is the most popular soccer team in the US. That said, they don't belong anywhere on this particular poll.

There's no such thing as a soccer fan in the United States.

None that I've encountered at least...

The Pittsburgh Pirates

Why don't they support an Irish team?

Celtic are a Catholic based Scottish team, and originally constituted of lots of Irish Immigrants living in Scotland. They are a much grander scale club than any Irish clubs, like Shamrock Rovers(GO HOOPS! :yo: ) and therefore easier to follow and a no-brainer to cheer for.

The Pittsburgh Pirates

All joking aside, a poll conducted last winter by some institution says the Pirates are the 9th most popular baseball team nationwide.

That was quite shocking. I'd provide a link if I had one, I forget where I read it, it was either ESPN The Magazine or the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette...

I believe that Real Madrid had the most fans outside of their respective country, followed by Ajax and Manchester. This is about a year, maybe two years old though, so it might have changed but I doubt it. I'll try to provide a source..

At the same time, I think that it is Juventus and Milan who have the biggest numbers of club of fans in the world. Over a thousand, yes a thousand, for each team.
I read as well that Flamengo had a huge following worldwide. :dunno:

Anyway, I voted Lakers here.

Lakers.

Add the SF49ers.

For a CFL team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have a massive fanbase, probably larger than alot of sports teams. Not only do they have a whole province behind them, but they probably have alot of fans in others places, far away from Saskatchewan. Even in Montreal you'll see Green and White in the stands, and in nearby places such as Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg, it's not unusual for the Rider nation to dominate the crowds. If they had more exposure, they'd definetely be one of the most popular.

As for this list, Oakland. The Raiders, that is.

Notre Dame.

Everyplace I've been outside of LA, people hate the Laker's. A lot of conversations go like this:

Where do you live?

I live about 30 minutes east of LA

Ah man, I hate the Lakers!

For a CFL team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have a massive fanbase, probably larger than alot of sports teams. Not only do they have a whole province behind them, but they probably have alot of fans in others places, far away from Saskatchewan. Even in Montreal you'll see Green and White in the stands, and in nearby places such as Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg, it's not unusual for the Rider nation to dominate the crowds. If they had more exposure, they'd definetely be one of the most popular.

As for this list, Oakland. The Raiders, that is.

At least it was appropriate that you ended your cute little CFL plug with a dumb response.

There may not be that many soccer fans in America, but there isn't a tiny amount either. When 60,000 fans pay 100 bucks to see an EXHIBITION game, doesn't it make you think? And among soccer fans, I think Man U has tremendously broad based support. Most North American teams seem to have mostly regional support, with a few notable exceptions. Maybe I'm biased because most of my friends are Man U fans, but in my experience there are ALOT of them.

There may not be that many soccer fans in America, but there isn't a tiny amount either. When 60,000 fans pay 100 bucks to see an EXHIBITION game, doesn't it make you think? And among soccer fans, I think Man U has tremendously broad based support. Most North American teams seem to have mostly regional support, with a few notable exceptions. Maybe I'm biased because most of my friends are Man U fans, but in my experience there are ALOT of them.

Let's just say too many.

I said the Lakers. Go LA!

/not a bandwagoner, lived in Santa Monica for a few years

Add the 9ers.

At least it was appropriate that you ended your cute little CFL plug with a dumb response.

You obviously know nothing about the Riders. You'd be surprised how many people are behind them. IIRC, McMahon stadium sells more Rider merchandise than Stamps. If they were an NFL team, they'd probably be one of the most popular teams in the league.

You obviously know nothing about the Riders. You'd be surprised how many people are behind them. IIRC, McMahon stadium sells more Rider merchandise than Stamps. If they were an NFL team, they'd probably be one of the most popular teams in the league.

Just because a team is vastly popular in Canada doesn't really mean much if they have no fanbase in the States.

The Maple Leafs are the Yankees of Canada, but still don't even touch any of the teams on this poll.

The Pittsburgh Steelers

you can go to a lot of cities around the US and find "Pittsburgh" bars and the super Steelers of the 70's still have tons of fans

hell they are even mentioned in a Charlie Daniels band song

The Pittsburgh Steelers

you can go to a lot of cities around the US and find "Pittsburgh" bars and the super Steelers of the 70's still have tons of fans

Sorry to say, but the same goes for a lot of NFL teams.

The Eagles have websites listing bars flooded with Eagles fans in almost every state in the country.

Sorry to say, but the same goes for a lot of NFL teams.

The Eagles have websites listing bars flooded with Eagles fans in almost every state in the country.
they still arent nearly as popular as the Stillers, of course maybe they would be if they didnt choke away every opportunity to win a title

Wow, nice jab there out of no where....especially considering I was simply giving an example of how the Steelers having Steelers bars in various parts of the country is pretty insignificant.

Okay, from now on Im just going to put in bold letters on the original post of these threads "No homer posts wanted. Thank you for your time."

whatever boss, the steelers are a very popular team no matter what you want to believe

the Steelers are very popular nationwide, regardless of your Philly bias(first leaving out the Steelers-Browns rivalry now this).

I just came back from spending a month in Colorado, Broncos territory, well I met over a dozen Steelers fans while I was there, almost as many as Broncos fans I met. The local pizza place was nothing but terrible towels and Joe Greene jerseys.

When the Steelers played the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX there was a popularity poll between the two and the Steelers ran away with the support of Arizonans, regardless of them being much closer to Texas than Pennsylvania.

They're not more popular than Dallas nationwide, but they're close.