Fandom 250: Chicago Cubs fans named best in MLB
By Mike Dyce
Chicago Cubs fans were ranked atop the MLB category in this year’s Fandom 250, the ultimate ranking of fanbases worldwide.
Every year, the Fandom 250 seeks to rank the best fanbases in the world. Not only does this include sports franchises, movies and television shows, but the individual actors and athletes.
This year, the winner of the Fandom 250 MLB category are the fans of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubbies faithful ranked 12th overall on the 2017 Fandom 250 after ranking No. 1 overall in 2016.
Fandom 250: Full ranking of 250 fanbases
Why Chicago Cubs fans?
Chicago Cubs rode a wave of euphoria into the 2017 season after ending their 108-year World Series drought in 2016. Five million fans flooded the streets for the Cubs’ World Series parade in the city, one of the largest human gatherings in history.
In 2017, Cubs fans bought replica 2016 World Series rings at a record pace, including 108 rings priced at $10,800 each in a matter of days.
And their support didn’t wane after getting a taste of victory. Over three million Cubs fans attended a game over the 2017 season.
The decades of losing transformed Cubs fans into more of a family than a fanbase. During a playoff game in the bleachers, a pair of brothers went above and beyond to help an elderly couple of season ticket holders, who were relocated for the playoffs, enjoy the game. They stayed seated so the older man could see and helped them up the steep stairs.
Cubs fans also essentially co-opted Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, turning it into another home venue. Some of the largest crowds at Miller Park were against the Cubs, as hordes of fans from Illinois made the drive north to watch the Cubs. The Chicago Tribune labeled Cubs fans large presence at Miller Park as a “hostile takeover.”
Cubs fans created a World Series like atmosphere at Miller Park for an early April game this season. And it’s not just in nearby Milwaukee, 25,000 Cubs fans created a home field atmosphere in Tampa Bay this season. San Antonio and Las Vegas made a top-10 list of cities where Cubs tickets were being bought. Not for road games, for games at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs fanbase is as strong as ever, just no longer lovable losers.
Fandom 250: Full ranking of 250 fanbases
Full Category List:
- Chicago Cubs
- New York Yankees
- Boston Red Sox
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Cleveland Indians
- Houston Astros
- New York Mets
- Kansas City Royals
- San Fransico Giants
- Washington Nationals
To see where these 11 MLB fanbases rank amongst the other fandoms on the list, check out the full Fandom 250 list.
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.