DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado football fans are in good company among the rest of North America, but not Colorado baseball fans.
Online sports betting community OLBG analyzed the popularity of every North American franchise in the four major sports leagues – the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League.
Analysts measured fan attendance numbers, the amount of online search traffic for each team, the number of YouTube subscribers and the average social media following to come up with an overall popularity score. The scores run from zero to 10, with 10 being the most popular. The analysis covered 124 teams in total.
Among every franchise in all four leagues, the Denver Broncos ranked eighth in North America for overall popularity, just below the San Francisco 49ers and the Golden State Warriors.
Colorado’s other teams weren’t so popular with each in the bottom half of the overall popularity score. The Denver Nuggets ranked 72nd for popularity, almost exactly as popular as the Memphis Grizzlies. The Colorado Avalanche ranked 85th.
Colorado baseball is even less popular. The Colorado Rockies are one of North America’s least popular franchises, ranking 104th for popularity – just ahead of the Edmonton Oilers and just behind the Arizona Diamondbacks.
NFL franchises are by far more popular than the other leagues. Among the 10 most popular teams, nine are in the NFL, with the Golden State Warriors the lone basketball exception. The Dallas Cowboys are the nation’s most popular franchise, followed by the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
On the low end of the popularity spectrum are hockey teams. Each of the 10 least popular franchises in North America are NHL teams. The Arizona Coyotes are the least popular, followed by the Winnipeg Jets and the Ottawa Senators.