20 Most Die-Hard Fan Bases In Sports

By Jacob Kornhauser

20 Most Die-Hard Fan Bases In Sports

Presbyterian v Duke — Passion is a great thing in sports both on and off the field. Fan bases are the most passionate part of sports, as they live and die by their teams. While most good fan bases are very passionate, these 20 professional and college fan bases are the most die hard in North American sports.

20. New York Knicks

New York Knicks v Toronto Raptors

20. New York Knicks

New York Knicks v Toronto Raptors — The New York Knicks might just be the worst team in the NBA this season, but they still have fans supporting them. During the bad times, they have plenty of fans, which makes it all the more rewarding when they're actually good every few years.

19. Duke Basketball

Duke v Mercer

19. Duke Basketball

Duke v Mercer — Duke basketball has a unique sports brand and their fanbase voraciously supports them. Their student section especially gets rowdy for big games and gives them a huge home-court advantage. With their winning tradition, the program has developed quite the fan following.

18. Montreal Canadiens

Detroit Red Wings v Montreal Canadiens

18. Montreal Canadiens

Detroit Red Wings v Montreal Canadiens — It's no secret Canada goes crazy about hockey, and the Montreal Canadiens might be their most beloved team. They're an Original Six team, which means they're deeply rooted in history. For that reason, and the fact that they have more Stanley Cups than any other franchise, they have a great fanbase.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers

Cleveland Browns v Pittsburgh Steelers

17. Pittsburgh Steelers

Cleveland Browns v Pittsburgh Steelers — The Pittsburgh Steelers have more Super Bowls than any other franchise in NFL history, and they have one of the best fan bases in sports. The "Terrible Towel" is a trademark of the fanbase that routinely sees its team get to the playoffs.

16. Golden State Warriors

Indiana Pacers v Golden State Warriors

16. Golden State Warriors

Indiana Pacers v Golden State Warriors — There's a reason they call the Golden State Warriors' home court of the Oracle Arena the "Roaracle". This fanbase gets really pumped up about their team and sells out games even during seasons they're not so great. This season, they're among the best in basketball, so they've been an even more passionate fanbase than normal.

15. Philadelphia Eagles

Wild Card Playoffs - New Orleans Saints v Philadelphia Eagles

15. Philadelphia Eagles

Wild Card Playoffs - New Orleans Saints v Philadelphia Eagles — Philadelphia gets the reputation for being a very critical fanbase. While they surely are that way, they really get behind the Philadelphia Eagles no matter what. They'll boo the team when they're not doing well, but they show up in great number to provide their team home-field advantage.

14. Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings v Boston Bruins - Game Five

14. Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings v Boston Bruins - Game Five — For a span of about 10 years from the late 1990's to the late 2000's, the Detroit Red Wings were the most dominant team in hockey. They've been great in other eras too, and that's helped turn their fanbase into one of the most passionate in sports. They will fill up Joe Louis arena and cheer their team on with the best of the NHL's fans.

13. Chicago Bears

New Orleans Saints v Chicago Bears

13. Chicago Bears

New Orleans Saints v Chicago Bears — Chicago Bears fans are faithful to a fault. Even when the team isn't good, they will rally behind the team and cheer them on. Chicago is a football town before anything else, and that's because of the Bears. During good times or bad, Soldier Field will always be full.

12. Kentucky Basketball

Kentucky v Wisconsin

12. Kentucky Basketball

Kentucky v Wisconsin — Basketball is a way of life in Lexington, and fans support the Kentucky Wildcats more than almost any other team in collegiate athletics. They're one of the best programs historically, and since coach John Calipari arrived on campus, they've been among the best in the game. That's only reinvigorated an already passionate fanbase.

11. Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks Victory Parade

11. Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks Victory Parade — They don't call them the "12th Man" for nothing. The Seattle Seahawks' fans get really loud for every game and the team has been extremely successful as of late. Seattle as a city is a great sports town, and ever since losing the Supersonics, they've rallied even more around the Seahawks.

10. Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins v Minnesota Wild

10. Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins v Minnesota Wild — Boston fans in general are some of the best (and most spoiled) in all of sports, and the Boston Bruins are one of the teams they get most passionate about. Like other teams in town, the Bruins have been very successful lately and because of that, the fanbase continues to grow stronger year in and year out.

9. Chicago Blackhawks

St. Louis Blues v Chicago Blackhawks

9. Chicago Blackhawks

St. Louis Blues v Chicago Blackhawks — Chicago Blackhawks fans were among the best in hockey for decades, but they hit a rough patch in the late 1990's to mid-2000's. However, as soon as they drafted Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews (and started televising games), the team's fortunes changed. Now the team sells out every game every year and watches their team be one of the most dominant franchises in sports this decade.

8. New England Patriots

AFC Championship - New England Patriots v Denver Broncos

8. New England Patriots

AFC Championship - New England Patriots v Denver Broncos — The New England Patriots were the first sports dynasty of the 2000's, and that reignited a fanbase that was always passionate. This magical era with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady has made the Patriots' fans into one of the most passionate groups in sports.

7. Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders v Denver Broncos

7. Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders v Denver Broncos — Raider Nation is one of the best fan bases in sports simply because they continue to support the team even after a horrible past decade. As the team looks to be improving, Raider Nation may start reminding people just how passionate they really are.

6. Alabama Football

SEC Championship - Alabama v Missouri

6. Alabama Football

SEC Championship - Alabama v Missouri — Since Alabama and most of the South doesn't have a professional sports team, a lot of the region pulls for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Since coach Nick Saban took over and returned the team to its former glory, the fanbase has been even more passionate. Overall, the Crimson Tide fanbase embodies the southern college football culture.

5. Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers v San Antonio Spurs

5. Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers v San Antonio Spurs — The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful franchises in sports history, and they've built quite the fan following because of that. It also helps that they play in a huge sports market. While they're facing a rough patch right now, their fanbase continues to look to the future in hopes that they will return to their championship ways in time.

4. Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs Introduce Jon Lester

4. Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs Introduce Jon Lester — Any team that still has a fanbase after 107 straight seasons without a championship is a team with a great fanbase. Chicago Cubs fans are among the most passionate in all of sports, as everyone waits for the team to claim that elusive World Series title.

3. St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals v Washington Nationals

3. St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals v Washington Nationals — St. Louis is quite the baseball town, as nearly everyone around is a St. Louis Cardinals fan. Every October, the playoffs present a time for the city and its fans to rejoice as the team goes for another World Series title. Very few fan bases are as passionate with such a competitive team, which makes them one of the best fan bases in all of sports.

2. Green Bay Packers

Detroit Lions v Green Bay Packers

2. Green Bay Packers

Detroit Lions v Green Bay Packers — Since they have just one team, Green Bay rallies behind the Green Bay Packers unlike fans of any other team. It definitely helps that the team has had back-to-back Hall of Fame caliber quarterbacks, but this fanbase is supportive no matter what. Every year when the playoffs roll around, it's a good bet that at least a game or two will be played at Lambeau Field.

1. Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox v Houston Astros

1. Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox v Houston Astros — This fanbase was the best in sports even before they finally ended their long World Series drought, and now that the team revived its championship pedigree, they're an even better fanbase. They still have the passion they had before they were successful, but now they have the expectation for success that makes them even more passionate than in the past.

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