Fansided

Fandom 250 preview: Here are the 11 best MLB fandoms in the world

By Josh Hill

CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 2: Chicago Cubs fans celebrate in the stands after the Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field on Wednesday, November 2, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 2: Chicago Cubs fans celebrate in the stands after the Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field on Wednesday, November 2, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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FanSided is ranking the top 250 fandoms in the world, and the national pastime is well represented.

For the second straight year, the Fandom 250 ranks the most passionate fan bases in the world of sports and entertainment. Everyone has a fan base, whether it’s the YouTube star or that math teacher everyone loves — fandom is everywhere.

The internet loves ranking things. This was a natural marriage. The question isn’t really what the Fandom 250 is, it’s what fandoms top this year’s list as the best in the world. Last year the Chicago Cubs ended a 108-year World Series drought, and in the process, the fandom wasted no time in claiming its first Fandom 250 title.

This year’s final list features 11 baseball fandoms, ranging from the long-suffering to the newly crowned.

Baseball, American’s national pastime. A sport so romanticized that it’s hard not to see it through the lens of a Ken Burns documentary. When you watch a game, what your witnessing was watched by someone 100 years ago, the exact same way.

There’s no other sport like it. There’s no fandom like it.

Baseball fans don’t just love the game, they absorb it. Whether it’s filling out a scorecard at the ballpark or crunching algorithms for game-changing analytics, baseball fans have always been ahead of the curve. We don’t have fantasy football without some baseball fans getting together and creating fantasy baseball in the 1980s. Without the passionate baseball culture of the 1900s, we might not have the nationwide appreciation of athletics that we do now.

Only 11 MLB fan bases made the cut for the Fandom 250, but even the casual fan can agree the sport is well represented.

  • Astros
  • Cardinals
  • Cubs
  • Dodgers
  • Giants
  • Indians
  • Mets
  • Nationals
  • Red Sox
  • Royals
  • Yankees

The final rankings will be revealed on December 12th, so be sure to check back then to see where your fandom ranks.

Fan Vote

As we put together our rankings, we want to hear from you. Who do you think has the best fans in this category? Let us hear from you on social media. Use the #Fandom250 hashtag, submit your photos and videos on Twitter and Instagram and @FanSided and tell us why your fanbase is the best.

Also, take part in our Reader Vote and let our editors know why your fan base is the best!

Next: Every NBA team's Mount Rushmore

What is the FanSided Fandom 250?

The Fandom 250 is the ultimate ranking of fandoms. From sports teams and movie franchises to Instagram celebrities and brands, if something has an avid, sometimes rabid, fanbase, FanSided wants to honor those fans and — in the spirit of healthy competition — rank ‘em.

The Fandom 250 is divided into 16 categories: NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, Soccer, NCAA, Sports Figures, Celebrities, Music, Movies, TV Shows, Comics, Gaming, Brands, Internet Famous and Other. All 250 qualifying fandoms will be ranked both within their categories and against the field, so fans can see how the object of their devotion stacks up against its peers and in the fan landscape at large.

Qualifying fandoms will be announced by category every Tuesday through early December, with the official ranking — and the big reveal of No. 1 fandom — announced on Dec. 12.

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