Atlanta Braves

In the wake of the team's first World Series title in 26 years, Braves Country navigated losing its former franchise cornerstone to a hated rival team. With seemingly all of baseball doubting that this team was still in fact a behemoth, the Braves rattled off 14 straight wins in June to assert their dominance over everyone. Despite a premature postseason exit, Atlanta still won the NL East for the fifth year in a row, spoiling the greatest New York Mets season in years. Braves Country continues to support this team unlike any other in baseball. The attendance numbers at Truist Park and the surrounding area, known as The Battery, have become the gold standard for what a day at the ballpark should be all about. In a sport that is increasingly regionalized and fragmented, few teams have the relevance and support nationwide as do the Braves. The children of the Team of the '90s are all grown up and are loving every last second of Braves baseball.

Overcoming a 10.5-game deficit in the NL East race to beat out the arch rival New York Mets for the division crown. This was the Mets' best season in ages, and to spoil this for them was undeniably satisfying. “The NL East is over!“ ... until it's not! Sal Licata became this year's Bill Plaschke and it was glorious.

This is the southeast's team. You are basically encapsulating the entire SEC football footprint into one MLB fandom. It's very rare where you can get people from multiple regional metropolises to agree on anything. No matter who you cheer for on Saturdays, and Sundays for that matter, all of that passion and energy builds off itself when it comes to Braves baseball. It's hard to equate anything to a collegiate atmosphere, but night games at Truist Park certainly feel bigger, especially when the Braves are on the shortlist of teams who can win a championship. It is the epitome of us vs. them parochialism, but with their combined efforts, it's big-time baseball in a huge market in the Empire State of the South.