Study ranks the Cleveland Browns fanbase as sixth-worst in NFL
By Dan Justik
The Cleveland Browns fanbase is known for being one of the most loyal in all of sports, but a study of all NFL fanbases ranked them at the bottom.
Despite how much the Cleveland Browns have struggled on the field over the past decade, they have had one of the most passionate fanbases in the NFL, let alone every other sport.
There are few fanbases that would stick with their team through as many downs as the Dawg Pound, including a stretch of winning one game in two seasons.
However, despite the Dawg Pound being one of the most loyal, passionate, and diehard fanbases, they typically do not get the respect they deserve. And it happened once again in a recent study conducted by Emory University.
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The Emory University Goizueta School of Business and professor Dr. Michael Lewis conducts an annual study of each team’s fans and then ranks them using statistics based on three main categories: fan equity, social equity, and road equity.
In summary, fan equity is how much the team’s fans will spend on their respective team. Social equity is how many followers a team has on social media. Road equity is based on attendance when the team is on the road, with a team’s performance being a factor.
In this study, the Cleveland Browns fanbase were ranked 27th, with only the Bengals, Jaguars, Titans, Chiefs, and Rams fanbases being ranked lower. The Browns ranked 24th in fan equity, 16th in social equity, and 30th in road equity.
Even with the rankings taking several statistics into consideration, it is hard to justify the Browns fanbase as the sixth-worst in the NFL. And it’s not only because of how the fanbase has remained loyal despite the team’s failures, but because of how far-reaching the fanbase is.
The Browns Backers Club is designed to connect Browns fans not just in Ohio, but wherever they live. According the Browns’ official website, there are around 355 clubs across 14 countries. This is a main reason why the Browns were named FanSided’s best fans for 2018.
When this study is redone for 2020, Browns fans should start to climb the rankings. With the team expected to have more success in 2019, it will result in more fans following the Browns and spending money on the team, no matter where they are playing, helping them boost their spot in the study.
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And with somebody as charismatic as Baker Mayfield leading the team, there is no doubt they will become the fun team to follow in the very near future, adding to an already devoted fanbase that deserves to be ranked higher in this study.