TeeJay
02-06-2008, 01:47 AM
During the BBCs coverage of Super Bowl XLII the commentary team of Dick Stockton and Sterling Sharpe, stated that New England are very popular in England. *Shudders* Surely this can’t be right…New England and popular in the same sentence!!:dang:
But tis true…and I hang my head in shame……….for my fellow Countrymen (and women…don’t think you get off lightly in this act!) have apparently put the Pats as the number one supported team in the UK.:banging:
The Steelers come in mid table which is a bit of a shocker, but not all is lost. The Steelers are still the highest ranking AFC North Team….so no change there.:tt02:
Popularity contest
Which is the UK’s most popular NFL team? After a great deal of speculation, nfluk.com can finally reveal which NFL team is the most supported, and which team are looking to add to their fanbase in Britain.
Using our database of over 19,000 nfluk.com members, we have discovered that British fans of American Football certainly place a huge emphasis on success as a factor when choosing their teams.
Top of the pile are the New England Patriots, winners of three of the past four Super Bowls and the NFL’s current ‘dynasty’ team. The Patriots own an 8.5% share of fans in the UK, and that majority will have had plenty to celebrate in recent seasons, as Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Tedy Bruschi and others have held the Vince Lombardi trophy in 2002, 2004 and 2005.
The other over-riding factor that effects how you chose your favorite team was history. The NFL hit its popularity peak in the UK in the mid-1980s, and the next three teams reflect that, with the Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins coming in at numbers two, three and four.
Thousands of people adopted Miami as their team in the ‘80s due to the success that Dan Marino brought to Miami. In the early days of Channel 4’s NFL broadcasts it was common to see Marino throwing touchdown after touchdown on Sunday night. The emergence of South Florida as a holiday destination also helped the Dolphins grab a significant chunk of the UK’s NFL fans.
The success of the 49ers in the ‘80s and ‘90s undoubtedly played a huge part in their popularity in the UK, as Joe Montana and Steve Young’s spirals to Jerry Rice led San Francisco to four Super Bowl victories between 1985 and 1995.
The Redskins’ won the first Super Bowl ever to be televised live in the UK – Super Bowl XVII in 1983 – and in the process captured the UK first ever bandwagon fans! Joe Gibbs and Washington returned to the Super Bowl in 1988 and 1992, cementing their fanbase and ensuring a place in plenty of British fans’ hearts.
Whether historical or recent success is responsible is unclear, but the Green Bay Packers jump into fifth place in our popularity contest, with 5.6% of the UK fan share. Green Bay won Super Bowls I and II under Vince Lombardi, but had just eight more winning seasons in the span of 28 years before returning as Super Bowl champs with Brett Favre at quarterback in 1997.
The Raiders’ sixth place can be partly explained by their consistency through the past twenty years – the self-professed ‘Team of the Decades’ have an NFL-best .611 winning percentage since 1963 – and also their popularity in the shops. Los Angeles and Oakland Raiders t-shirts and caps have been among the best-selling in the UK since the NFL’s popularity began on these shores.
‘America’s Team ‘ – the Dallas Cowboys – are a way off being ‘Britain’s Team’, sitting in ninth place despite having been to eight Super Bowls – including three wins in the 1990s.
Rounding out the top 10 are the Chicago Bears, who were at the centre of the NFL’s popularity at its peak in this country – winning Super Bowl XX in 1986 and capturing the UK’s imagination with legendary defensive tackle Williams ‘The Refrigerator’ Perry. The Bears even brought their circus to London that year, playing the Cowboys in an American Bowl at Wembley Stadium in front of 86,000 people in 1986.
Knowing British fans’ fascination with winning teams, it would be no surprise to be the 18th ranked team – the Indianapolis Colts – increase their share of 2.4% of fan interest, if they can continue with their perfect season.
Spare a thought for fans of the Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals… statistically you are more likely to have no affiliation to an NFL team than to support one of them.
Patriots 8.5%
Dolphins 8.2%
49ers 6.1%
Redskins 5.8%
Packers 5.6%
Raiders 5.4%
Eagles 4.9%
Giants 4.7%
Cowboys 4.3%
Bears 4.1%
Bucs 4.0%
Broncos 3.6%
Rams 3.5%
Steelers 3.0%
Falcons 2.8%
Seahawks 2.6%
Jets 2.6%
Colts 2.4%
Vikings 2.3%
Titans 1.7%
Browns 1.7%
Bengals 1.6%
Ravens 1.6%
Bills 1.4%
Panthers 1.4%
Chiefs 1.1%
Chargers 0.9%
Lions 0.9%
Jaguars 0.7%
No Affiliation 0.7%
Cards 0.6%
Saints 0.6%
Texans 0.6%
So the 2008 Wembley game between San Diego and New Orleans should be a riotous affair! :0
And yes, I remember watching that Redskins game back in 1983, my first introduction to the NFL, on a very grainy black and white portable TV. 22 seasons of supporting The Steelers later I finally get to see them win a Super Bowl that wasn't on DVD or video, so we don't all just support the team thats winning that year!
Guess nfluk had better get ready to change those stats, cause The Steelers are about to dominate once again!
But tis true…and I hang my head in shame……….for my fellow Countrymen (and women…don’t think you get off lightly in this act!) have apparently put the Pats as the number one supported team in the UK.:banging:
The Steelers come in mid table which is a bit of a shocker, but not all is lost. The Steelers are still the highest ranking AFC North Team….so no change there.:tt02:
Popularity contest
Which is the UK’s most popular NFL team? After a great deal of speculation, nfluk.com can finally reveal which NFL team is the most supported, and which team are looking to add to their fanbase in Britain.
Using our database of over 19,000 nfluk.com members, we have discovered that British fans of American Football certainly place a huge emphasis on success as a factor when choosing their teams.
Top of the pile are the New England Patriots, winners of three of the past four Super Bowls and the NFL’s current ‘dynasty’ team. The Patriots own an 8.5% share of fans in the UK, and that majority will have had plenty to celebrate in recent seasons, as Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Tedy Bruschi and others have held the Vince Lombardi trophy in 2002, 2004 and 2005.
The other over-riding factor that effects how you chose your favorite team was history. The NFL hit its popularity peak in the UK in the mid-1980s, and the next three teams reflect that, with the Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins coming in at numbers two, three and four.
Thousands of people adopted Miami as their team in the ‘80s due to the success that Dan Marino brought to Miami. In the early days of Channel 4’s NFL broadcasts it was common to see Marino throwing touchdown after touchdown on Sunday night. The emergence of South Florida as a holiday destination also helped the Dolphins grab a significant chunk of the UK’s NFL fans.
The success of the 49ers in the ‘80s and ‘90s undoubtedly played a huge part in their popularity in the UK, as Joe Montana and Steve Young’s spirals to Jerry Rice led San Francisco to four Super Bowl victories between 1985 and 1995.
The Redskins’ won the first Super Bowl ever to be televised live in the UK – Super Bowl XVII in 1983 – and in the process captured the UK first ever bandwagon fans! Joe Gibbs and Washington returned to the Super Bowl in 1988 and 1992, cementing their fanbase and ensuring a place in plenty of British fans’ hearts.
Whether historical or recent success is responsible is unclear, but the Green Bay Packers jump into fifth place in our popularity contest, with 5.6% of the UK fan share. Green Bay won Super Bowls I and II under Vince Lombardi, but had just eight more winning seasons in the span of 28 years before returning as Super Bowl champs with Brett Favre at quarterback in 1997.
The Raiders’ sixth place can be partly explained by their consistency through the past twenty years – the self-professed ‘Team of the Decades’ have an NFL-best .611 winning percentage since 1963 – and also their popularity in the shops. Los Angeles and Oakland Raiders t-shirts and caps have been among the best-selling in the UK since the NFL’s popularity began on these shores.
‘America’s Team ‘ – the Dallas Cowboys – are a way off being ‘Britain’s Team’, sitting in ninth place despite having been to eight Super Bowls – including three wins in the 1990s.
Rounding out the top 10 are the Chicago Bears, who were at the centre of the NFL’s popularity at its peak in this country – winning Super Bowl XX in 1986 and capturing the UK’s imagination with legendary defensive tackle Williams ‘The Refrigerator’ Perry. The Bears even brought their circus to London that year, playing the Cowboys in an American Bowl at Wembley Stadium in front of 86,000 people in 1986.
Knowing British fans’ fascination with winning teams, it would be no surprise to be the 18th ranked team – the Indianapolis Colts – increase their share of 2.4% of fan interest, if they can continue with their perfect season.
Spare a thought for fans of the Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals… statistically you are more likely to have no affiliation to an NFL team than to support one of them.
Patriots 8.5%
Dolphins 8.2%
49ers 6.1%
Redskins 5.8%
Packers 5.6%
Raiders 5.4%
Eagles 4.9%
Giants 4.7%
Cowboys 4.3%
Bears 4.1%
Bucs 4.0%
Broncos 3.6%
Rams 3.5%
Steelers 3.0%
Falcons 2.8%
Seahawks 2.6%
Jets 2.6%
Colts 2.4%
Vikings 2.3%
Titans 1.7%
Browns 1.7%
Bengals 1.6%
Ravens 1.6%
Bills 1.4%
Panthers 1.4%
Chiefs 1.1%
Chargers 0.9%
Lions 0.9%
Jaguars 0.7%
No Affiliation 0.7%
Cards 0.6%
Saints 0.6%
Texans 0.6%
So the 2008 Wembley game between San Diego and New Orleans should be a riotous affair! :0
And yes, I remember watching that Redskins game back in 1983, my first introduction to the NFL, on a very grainy black and white portable TV. 22 seasons of supporting The Steelers later I finally get to see them win a Super Bowl that wasn't on DVD or video, so we don't all just support the team thats winning that year!
Guess nfluk had better get ready to change those stats, cause The Steelers are about to dominate once again!