Forbes decided to reveal their list of the ‘Most Passionate Sports Fans in America in 2020’ and, while the Vegas Golden Knights didn’t make the cut, it won’t be long before they do.
The sports world is still on lockdown so coming up with creative content is the order of the day, and that has been the same for us as we continue to try and bring you the best Vegas Golden Knights coverage.
And Forbes decided to make the most of all this spare time by coming up with America’s most passionate sports fanbases in 2020.
It is an interesting list.
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Perhaps not surprisingly the Green Bay Packers, the storied NFL franchise, came out on top with The Cheeseheads taking the term ‘fanatic’ to the next level.
In-fact, the top six was made up of all NFL franchises with the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Seattle Seahawks all falling in line after the Packers in that order.
The top six isn’t jaw-dropping given that the NFL and football dominates America, while all of the teams in the top six have won Super Bowls in recent history.
Then you have the Patriots who have constructed one of the best dynasties of all time, so it is almost a given that they have a passionate fanbase behind them.
Will that change now Tom Brady has departed for pastures new? Only time will tell.
The Golden State Warriors, who were one of the most dominant franchises in the NBA prior to this year, slotted in at No. 7 and the Oklahoma City Thunder were one spot below at No. 8.
Interestingly, the Pittsburgh Penguins were the only NHL franchise to crack the list and the Boston Red Sox rounded out the top 10.
Given that the Penguins have three recent Stanley Cups to their name, not to mention one of the most recognized figures in the sport in Sidney Crosby, then it is no surprise that they made this list.
Crosby is a hockey god while the Penguins regularly sell out PPG Paints Arena, and it helps that they are competitive year in and year out.
Pittsburgh also cracked the top 10 based on their 3.9 million Social Media following, in addition to the presence they command in the NHL and beyond.
That’s why I can see the Golden Knights making such a list in the not-too-distant future.
After all, the Knights have been an absolute home run since entering the NHL in 2017, rewriting the blueprint for expansion teams.
Not only have the front office crafted a Stanley Cup contender from the get-go, but Vegas residents have proved that hockey really can work in the desert.
They have flocked to T-Mobile Arena in their thousands and the bonkers pre-game shows and electric atmosphere makes the building one of the best in the entire National Hockey League.
Every game at T-Mobile Arena is pretty much like a playoff contest, and the average attendance in 2019-20 was 18,310, only a couple of places behind Pittsburgh who averaged 18,537.
With an ever-growing social media presence, marketable stars such as Marc-Andre Fleury and Mark Stone and continued success on the ice, the Vegas Golden Knights brand will only continue to grow over the coming years.
Just look at the amount of signs that are in the crowd before every game, and also when a new player joins the organization such as Alec Martinez.
Golden Knights fans are fanatics and they absolutely adore their team, they adore hockey and that is evident at every game.
They travel well in numbers and the noise generated when the Golden Knights light the lamp is just incredible.
As a result, the Golden Knights will continue to vault towards the top of the most valuable franchises in the NHL and it won’t be long before they are considered to have some of the most passionate fans in all of America.
It is only a matter of time.