Fandom 250: A look at the numbers and statistics from the ranking

The second annual Fandom 250 list was released and here is a look at the numbers, stats and changes to the ranking.

Every year, FanSided editors get together to compile a list of the 250 fanbases in the world for the Fandom 250. It’s a herculean task that inevitably will infuriate some people.

When ranking the fandoms the FanSided editorial team takes into consideration longevity, legacy and size. But as it’s a ranking based on a single year, what happened in 12 months is taken into consideration and given significant weight.

Finally, the “passion barometer” is the great equalizer of the equation. If the list was ranked purely on social media following, it’d be stagnant and not a great indicator of quality. The passion barometer judges the quality and engagement of the fandom, and is just as important as size and longevity.

Now that the list is unveiled, here is a breakdown of the changes to the list and some statistics about the fandoms on the list.

Debuts and departures:

Out of 250 fandoms, 159 returned to the list and 91 new fandoms debuted. Of the 91 fandoms that left the list, a large part can be accredited to the removal of two categories, publishers and politics. There was an upheaval in Brands as we re-evaluated the process.

Biggest climbs:

Legend of Zelda – 207 spots
WWE – 190 spots
Conor McGregor – 142 spots
Stephen Colbert – 141 spots
Los Angeles Dodgers – 131 spots
Rick and Morty – 121 spots

The new Legend of Zelda game sold more copies than the Nintendo Switch console. Let that sink in. The game is almost entirely responsible for the success of the switch.

Conor McGregor dominated the sports landscape, and his fans are a big reason why. (Read more)

Biggest falls:

James Bond – 169 spots
Detroit Red Wings – 125 spots
Ghostbusters -123 spots
The Beatles – 122 spots
Pretty Little Liars – 98 spots

James Bond is now two years removed from their last film, which hurts their buzz. Ghostbusters had a film debut in 2016, providing a spark. The biggest moment for the film was their inclusion in Strangers Things 2.

Pretty Little Liars wrapped up their final season in 2017, and the ratings continually fell over the life of the series.

By city:

Pittsburgh is the only city with a team at the top of two categories
- Penguins/NHL, Steelers/NFL
- Only two Pittsburgh teams made the list
New York has most pro-teams on list with 5 (Giants, Knicks, Mets, Rangers, Yankees)
Chicago second with 4 (Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs)
Los Angeles has 4 if you mix in college (UCLA, USC) with pro (Dodgers, Lakers)
Bay Area – 3 fandom (Giants, Raiders, Warriors)
Boston – 3 fandoms (Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox)
Cleveland – 3 fandoms (Browns, Cavaliers, Indians)
City by city breakdown (Pro Franchises in the US)
- Atlanta – 1 fandom (Falcons)
- Bay Area – 3 fandom (Giants, Raiders, Warriors)
- Boston – 3 fandoms (Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox)
- Buffalo – 1 fandom (Bills)
- Chicago – 4 fandoms (Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs)
- Cleveland – 3 fandoms (Browns, Cavaliers, Indians)
- Dallas – 1 fandom (Cowboys)
- Denver – 1 fandom (Broncos)
- Detroit – 1 fandom (Red Wings)
- Green Bay – 1 fandom (Packers)
- Houston – 1 fandom (Astros)
- Kansas City – 2 fandoms (Chiefs, Royals)
- Los Angeles – 2 fandoms (Dodgers, Lakers)
- Memphis – 1 fandom (Grizzlies)
- Minneapolis – 1 fandom (Timberwolves)
- Nashville – 1 fandom (Predators)
- New Orleans – 1 fandom (Saints)
- New York – 5 fandoms (Giants, Knicks, Mets, Rangers, Yankees)
- Oklahoma City – 1 fandom (Thunder)
- Philadelphia – 2 fandoms (76ers, Eagles)
- Portland – 1 fandom (Timbers)
- Pittsburgh – 2 fandoms (Penguins, Steelers)
- San Antonio – 1 fandom (Spurs)
- Seattle – 1 fandom (Seahawks)
- Louis – 1 fandom (Cardinals)
- Washington D.C. – 2 fandoms (Nationals, Redskins)

Canada also made it on the list.

3 Canadian cities on the list
- Edmonton – 1 fandom (Oilers)
- Montreal – 1 fandom (Canadiens)
- Toronto – 2 fandoms (Maple Leafs, Raptors)

Random Facts:

Portland Timbers are the only MLS team on the list
- First MLS team to make the list
The Internet Famous category debuted
9 of the 15 returning categories had repeat winners.

Category Stats:

16 Categories for 250 Fandoms
- NFL – 16 fandoms
- NBA – 12 fandoms
- MLB – 11 fandoms
- NHL – 8 fandoms
- Soccer – 8 fandoms
- College – 24 fandoms
- Sports Figures – 18 fandoms
- Movies – 14 fandoms
- TV – 35 fandoms
- Celebrities – 31 fandoms
- Music – 27 fandoms
- Gaming – 9 fandoms
- Comics – 9 fandoms
- Internet Famous – 5 fandoms
- Brands – 17 fandoms
- Other – 6 fandoms
Breakdown by broader category
- Sports
  - 102 Fandoms between leagues and athletes
    - Includes UFC, NASCAR, golf, CrossFit and yoga from Other Category
  - Entertainment (TV, Movies, Celebs, Music, Comics)
    - 116 Fandoms

Average Rankings:

A more telling stat might be the average overall ranks for fanbases in the Fandom 250. The NFL came in atop the list, followed closely by soccer. Sports had a higher average overall ranking than entertainment categories. Comics and music categories were the entertainment fanbases with the highest marks.

Average overall ranking for each fandom
- NFL – 92.75
- Soccer – 94.75
- Sports Figures – 102.94
- MLB – 104.36
- NBA – 113.33
- Comics – 119.88
- Music – 122
- Brands – 125.11
- College – 132.91
- Other – 132
- Movies – 133
- TV – 138.71
- NHL – 139.25
- Celebrities – 139.67
- Gaming – 145.22
- Internet Famous – 161

In sports, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Cubs, Golden State Warriors and Ohio State Buckeyes repeated as winners.

In entertainment, Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Pokémon and Beyoncé were repeat winners in their category.

Netflix also repeated the category winner in Brands.

College Sports:

College sports fans are a passionate bunch, and one of the largest category on the list. Three different conferences tied with five schools on the list.

ACC – 5 (Clemson, Duke, Flordia State, Louisville, North Carolina)
Big 10 – 5 (Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin)
Big 12 – 3 (Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas)
FCS – 1 (North Dakota State)
Independent – 1 (Notre Dame)
JuCo – (East Mississippi Community College)
Pac 12 – 3 (UCLA, USC, Washington)
SEC – 5 (Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Tennessee)

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Fandom 250: A look at the numbers and statistics

By Mike Dyce | Dec 12, 2017