Study ranks the Cleveland Browns fan base as one of the worst in NFL
By Dan Justik
The Cleveland Browns fan base is one of the most dedicated in all of sports, but a recent study ranked them as one of the worst fan bases in the NFL.
Cleveland Browns fans have had to deal with a lot throughout the years: not winning a championship since 1964, the team being moved to Baltimore in 1995, not making the playoffs since 2002, and only one win in the two most recent seasons.
But throughout all of that, Browns fans have remained passionate about the team. Passionate enough that Browns fans held a parade outside of FirstEnergy Stadium after the team’s winless 2017 season.
But a recent study conducted by Dr. Michael Lewis of Emory University ranked Browns fans as the fifth-worst fan base in the NFL. Lewis used three determining factors to rank the NFL fan bases: fan equity, social equity, and road equity. Jay Busbee of Yahoo! Sports shared how Lewis conducted the study and the entire rankings of the NFL fan bases.
More from Dawg Pound Daily
- How the Browns could maximize Nick Chubb in 2023
- Can Deshaun Watson get to Patrick Mahomes level for Cleveland Browns?
- 3 Cleveland Browns who should see an expanded role in 2023 and 1 who should not
- Is Marcus Davenport on the Browns radar in 2023?
- 5 Free agents from Super Bowl LVII Cleveland Browns should target
"Fan Equity: How much fans spend on their team, at the ticket office and on memorabilia/regalia. (Best: Cowboys, 49ers, Patriots; worst: Rams, Raiders, Jaguars)Social Equity:How passionate fans are in following their teams on social media across all channels. (Best: Patriots, Cowboys, Steelers; worst: Rams, Jaguars, Titans)Road Equity:How well teams draw on the road, adjusting for their win-loss record. (Best: the NFC East, Pittsburgh; worst: Texans, Titans, Browns)"
After the Browns went 1-15 during the 2016 season and 0-16 in 2017, it is understandable that fans would not be willing to spend money on merchandise and at the stadium. Browns fans saw very little positives to be willing to spend their hard-earned money.
The 2017 season was the first season that Browns fans began to not show up to games. In 2013, the percentage of capacity at Browns home games was 97 percent.
But in 2017, the percentage of capacity was only 85 percent, according to Pat McManamon of ESPN. The average attendance in 2017 was the lowest for the Browns since 1984.
With the lack of success the Browns have endured since their last season with a winning record in 2007, it is obvious that the Browns are not going to draw that many fans outside of Cleveland and Ohio, which hurt the fan base in the study.
Next: Who are the 30 greatest players in Browns history?
Even after the study, it is hard for anybody to say that the Browns have one of the worst fan bases in the NFL. After an off-season overhauling the roster, expect the Dawg Pound to come out in full force for the 2018 season.