Getty Steelers fans during a game at Heinz Field in December 2019.
Pittsburgh Steelers fans are 4th on Forbes’ list of America’s Most Passionate Sports Fans 2020. That is, 4th among the 123 professional sports teams that make up the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB.
Of course, measuring passion is subjective, so Forbes has attempted to quantify things by looking at “more concrete evidence, including television ratings, game attendance, merchandise sales and social media reach.”
But by almost any measure, the Steelers organization and its fans come out looking good, with Forbes assessing the team’s value at $2.8 billion, with a social media following of 9.8 million. And all NFL fans know how Steelers supporters frequently have a huge presence in visiting stadiums, including last season’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, when Pittsburgh fans positively ‘took over’ Dignity Health Sports Park.
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Green Bay Packers Fans #1 On The Forbes List
In case you’re wondering, Green Bay Packers fans came in at No. 1 on the 2020 list, with Forbes highlighting how Green Bay’s “season-ticket waiting list has 137,000 names on it, and 99% of current holders renew every year.”
To be sure, Forbes could have cited a similar statistic for the Steelers, as Pittsburgh also has a long waiting list, and, for what it’s worth, fans typically report waiting upwards of two decades before being offered season tickets. (This helps explain why it was a local news story on Pittsburgh TV when a fan won an “Off the Wait List” season ticket contest a few years back.)
Meanwhile, the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints are 2nd and 3rd on the list, respectively. Forbes staff writer Christina Settimi notes that “a full 75% of New Orleans residents identify as Saints fans—second in the NFL to Green Bay’s 82% with the Packers.” Curiously, Forbes chose to illustrate Pats fan support by noting that “One fan started a GoFundMe campaign to help pay a $1 million fine after the Deflategate cheating scandal.”
Also of note is the fact that the first non-NFL team on the list is the Golden State Warriors at #7, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder at #8, the only two NBA teams in the top ten.
Pittsburgh Penguins Also In The Top Ten
As for the first NHL team on the 2020 list, that’s the Pittsburgh Penguins, at #9, thanks in part to “All-Star Sidney Crosby, whose jersey has been a hot item since his 2005 debut,” writes Settimi, before noting that “Two Stanley Cups in the last five years help, as do 12 sellout seasons at PPG Paints Arena.”
Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox are the only MLB team in the top ten, coming in at #10.
The Terrible Towel: Official State Flag?
As for the other NFL teams near the top of the rankings, the Seattle Seahawks are at #6. And I’m guessing that Philadelphia Eagles fans would have something to say about the idea of “making the Terrible Towel the official state flag,” as Settimi suggests. The Eagles are fifth on the list, one spot behind the Steelers.
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