Boston sports teams popularity ranking.

Matthew McKinley

New Member
Jun 17, 2022
20
If you were looking at objectively at the sports teams of Boston right now, in the year 2022, how would the ranking come out? For many years, sport columnists would insist the city of Boston/New England was a beacon of baseball fandom, that it was the biggest ticket in town. However, with the ascent of the Patriots dynasty in the 21th century that take has become outdated with the media climate we live in, where football reigns as America's favorite game, while baseball has been experiencing a dip in gaining newer viewers that would push the sport to continue being within the cultural fabric of America. Where does it fit with the perception of New Englanders though? For speaking upon daily basis of interacting with others, I think the below list is good summation of how the teams are fairing among people in 2022.

1. New England Patriots
2. Boston Red Sox
3. Boston Bruins
4. Boston Celtics

Patriots have gained the top spot in the last decade or half, while the Red Sox are somewhat dipped but are still beloved in the region. This would be controversy to make a list and having to explain a non-New Englander that the hockey team is more popular than the basketball team. Personal, I know far more fans of the Bruins than the Celtics, and we're one of the bigger hockey hotspots in America. Celtics just don't have the pulse with the people I know in life, even while they were in the finals this year not a whole lot of buzz for the team, compare to the Bruins, which a few years back in the finals there was buzz going around the people I interacted with. Another factor is I'll see Bruins gear quite frequently but hardly ever for the Celtics.
 

Kliq

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 31, 2013
22,673
I suppose it all comes down to social circles; but I would easily say that the Celtics are closer to #2 in the city than they are to #4. Bruins fans, pound for pound, are perhaps the most passionate fans in Boston but I don't think in terms of overall popularity they are bigger than any of the other three teams. Maybe in certain suburbs they are bigger than the Celtics, but the Celtics are wayyyy more popular by my observation.
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
37,059
Hingham, MA
I suppose it all comes down to social circles; but I would easily say that the Celtics are closer to #2 in the city than they are to #4. Bruins fans, pound for pound, are perhaps the most passionate fans in Boston but I don't think in terms of overall popularity they are bigger than any of the other three teams. Maybe in certain suburbs they are bigger than the Celtics, but the Celtics are wayyyy more popular by my observation.
I agree with this.

The Pats are still #1, but not nearly as much of a gap exists post 2019.

I think the Sox are probably #2 based on the history / national appeal, but the Celts are closing that gap, and may pass the Sox over the next 5 years, depending how it goes (i.e., will they win multiple titles like the 81-86 Celts? I was only 5 years old in 1986 so I don't have a great grasp, but it SEEMS like the Celts were the #1 team in town in that era). And then the Bruins are in last and probably falling further behind, as they're not likely to be very relevant in terms of championship contention for the next 5 years.
 

johnmd20

mad dog
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 30, 2003
61,996
New York City
I agree with this.

The Pats are still #1, but not nearly as much of a gap exists post 2019.

I think the Sox are probably #2 based on the history / national appeal, but the Celts are closing that gap, and may pass the Sox over the next 5 years, depending how it goes (i.e., will they win multiple titles like the 81-86 Celts? I was only 5 years old in 1986 so I don't have a great grasp, but it SEEMS like the Celts were the #1 team in town in that era). And then the Bruins are in last and probably falling further behind, as they're not likely to be very relevant in terms of championship contention for the next 5 years.
Judging by the number of people who watch the NFL, I would guess the Pats are in first by a mile.
 

Matthew McKinley

New Member
Jun 17, 2022
20
I suppose it all comes down to social circles; but I would easily say that the Celtics are closer to #2 in the city than they are to #4. Bruins fans, pound for pound, are perhaps the most passionate fans in Boston but I don't think in terms of overall popularity they are bigger than any of the other three teams. Maybe in certain suburbs they are bigger than the Celtics, but the Celtics are wayyyy more popular by my observation.
My perspective comes from living in a small city of 40,000 residents. The B's definitely don't have the overall pull of the Pats or Red Sox, they do have the most loyal fanbase which continues to draw in even while playing mediocre hockey. Right now maybe I overestimate their popularity compare to the Celtics, with the championship lose and all. Where I come from there just seems to be more of a thing for the Bruins than for the Celtics, even during down times.
 

radsoxfan

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 9, 2009
13,622
My perspective comes from living in a small city of 40,000 residents. The B's definitely don't have the overall pull of the Pats or Red Sox, they do have the most loyal fanbase which continues to draw in even while playing mediocre hockey. Right now maybe I overestimate their popularity compare to the Celtics, with the championship lose and all. Where I come from there just seems to be more of a thing for the Bruins than for the Celtics, even during down times.
I'd also agree with the "social circles" argument, but generally think you are overestimating the Bruins and underestimating the Celtics.

From my experience, locally I'd give the Celtics a slight edge and nationally I'd give the Celtics a MASSIVE edge.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
SoSH Member
Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
No love for the Revolution?

Seriously - in a couple of markets, the MLS team is by no means last. These are attendance figures for 2022:

Team Av. Total Gms 2021 YOY W17
1 Atlanta United FC 45,776 366,210 8 43,965 0.04 42,539
2 Charlotte FC 36,997 295,974 8 N/A N/A
3 Seattle Sounders 32,360 226,522 7 25,125 0.29 65,807*
4 Nashville SC 28,731 172,388 6 19,172 0.50 29,269
5 LA Galaxy 23,961 191,688 8 13,400 0.79 21,414
6 Portland Timbers 23,384 163,685 7 21,285 0.10
7 Toronto FC 23,268 162,876 7 8,733 1.66
8 LAFC 22,043 176,347 8 20,204 0.09


Like hockey but to a much greater degree, it's got a super-devoted fan core and regionalization but low awareness among the general public and not-good TV ratings. Liga MX (Mexico) the English Premier League are bigger ratings draws in the US, and the NWSL (new women's domestic league) is already challenging MLS.

Here are the Revs (28 team league, so middle of the pack):

14 NE Revolution 18,442 184,424 10 18,861 -0.02 36,597*


The popular MLS franchises tend to be the newer ones, often because they have better stadium situations and are not just neglected appendages of the NFL club, like the Revolution. Atlanta and Seattle share NFL stadiums but Seattle has a great soccer tradition and Blank has marketed Atlanta very aggressively. Nashville and Charlotte are going gangbusters with new franchises. Note that the combined attendance of the two LA sides per home date is ~45K.

The Kraft failson runs the Revs, in lieu of stocking lightbulbs and trashcan liners, I suppose. Trekking out to Gillette is just not something that most fans are going to do, and the optics of ~20k fans in a stadium that holds 3-4x that, with NFL markings on the field, are terrible - it screams second-class. Revs fans have been agitating for a soccer-specific stadium in Boston proper/Cambridge for years. I have no doubt that with better marketing and a properly executed stadium in an area accessible by the T and walkable the Revs would do well, given the favorable demographics for footy.
 

bsj

Renegade Crazed Genius
SoSH Member
Dec 6, 2003
22,774
Central NJ SoSH Chapter
I suppose it all comes down to social circles; but I would easily say that the Celtics are closer to #2 in the city than they are to #4. Bruins fans, pound for pound, are perhaps the most passionate fans in Boston but I don't think in terms of overall popularity they are bigger than any of the other three teams. Maybe in certain suburbs they are bigger than the Celtics, but the Celtics are wayyyy more popular by my observation.
Agree on this. The Bruins are a distant 4th in my world, but I agree among die hard fans they are much higher.

For me, its

1- Patriots
2- Red Sox
3- Celtics
4- Bruins