Sports franchises are only as big as their fans. People watching, interacting with, and buying merchandise for their team is the lifeblood of any organization. That’s why the largest tend to have the biggest markets, most notable players, and a giant social media presence.
Every team has its fans, but some have many more fans than others. There are a range of different aspects that impact those numbers, ranging from on-court success and online followers to big names and iconic branding.
Currently, the Lakers, Bulls, and Warriors are the most well-liked organizations in the NBA due to their winning history and sheer star power. While a few franchises aren’t far behind, all of the top teams in the NBA know how to get fans to tune in night after night after night.
1. Los Angeles Lakers
No NBA team has more fans, or more enemies, than the Los Angeles Lakers. They are one of the winningest franchises in NBA history, which gives them a long and storied history that goes all the way back to the early days of the league.
On top of that, they have one of the biggest markets in the NBA. Los Angeles is a gigantic city with millions of people. That allowed the team to build up a big social media following in addition to bringing in some of the most iconic players of all time.
Where many franchises have had one or two iconic superstars, the Lakers have had Kareem Adbul-Jabaar, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and LeBron James. Those are some of the biggest names in sports history.
That incredible star power is enough to bring in fans from all across the country. Add in their various rings, long-term success, and high fan engagement, and it’s easy to see why so many people root for the Lakers all over the world.
2. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls have not had a ton of on-court success over the past few decades. Even so, they are currently one of the largest NBA teams with the most fans as shown by their stadium attendance, as well as how they lead the league in fan surveys for overall positive opinions.
That positivity generally comes from their 90’s dominance, where Michael Jordan brought six rings to the city in eight years. That’s one of the best runs in sport’s history, and it’s also one of the most iconic periods in the history of the NBA.
Chicago and the greater Chicago area is one of the largest markets in the country, giving the team plenty of fans across a range of different states. They have a large social media presence and online following as well.
The Bulls’ past didn’t just invigorate those in Chicago, it created a strong fan base all over the world. Jordan is incredibly recognizable in various countries. That makes the Bulls brand recognizable too, and it’s a big reason they’re at the top of this list.
3. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors spent decades as one of the smallest markets in the NBA, but their fanbase exploded over the past ten years due to their big name players (Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson) and unmatched success.
That trio, alongside their brief stint with Kevin Durant, completely changed the franchise. They went from a middling team to a high-power three shooting franchise that fans loved to watch due to the fast offense, deep shots, and incredibly exciting plays.
The Warriors gave rise to the deep three, and stretched the floor in a way that no one had ever done before. Such splashy highlights created a large online following, and made them one of the most fun-to-watch teams to ever step on an NBA floor.
In addition, the Bay Area is one of the largest metropolitan centers in the United States. There are millions of people in Northern California, and they all came aboard once Stephen Curry exploded onto the scene and turned them into a real contender.
4. Boston Celtics
Like the Lakers, the Celtics are a franchise that has both a long history and a winning culture. They have signed many big name players, ranging from Larry Bird and Bill Russell to Jaysom Tatum and Paul Pierce, and have 18 championships spread across several decades.
The Celtics started out strong, winning eleven straight rings, and then continued to be one of the most successful teams of the 80’s. Boston is a big sports city, and the Celtics have given it reason to cheer for many, many years.
Even in off seasons, they still made deep pushes or brought in the best players they could find. That’s why the franchise marks so highly in fan engagement scores. It isn’t just about winning, it’s about always being in the conversation in one way or another.
The team is also one of the most notable franchises in the NBA. Their clover logo is iconic, and their social media has some of the most followers around. Older fans love the Celtics because of their early dominance, and new fans
5. Miami Heat
Most of the top teams steadily grew their fan base through constant winning. That is not true of the Miami Heat, who have a large fan base due to their rise to prominence in the 2000’s with Dwayne Wade and their continued success with LeBron James and then Jimmy Butler.
The team took home one championship during the 2000’s and two more in the 2010’s. They also do well online, as they represent one of the youngest and most exciting cities in the entire United States.
Such aspects are why the organization scores so highly in fan engagement metrics. Miami has a certain pull that brings in big names and creates a fun atmosphere that many other cities can’t match. As long as they keep winning, their fanbase will remain as stable as ever.
Factors Influencing Fanbase Size
Fanbase size varies from team to team, and it’s heavily influenced by a range of factors. The biggest of those is how well a team plays. Winning teams, or those with a long winning history, almost always have more fans than those who don’t.
That’s because people like to root for successful franchises. Seeing a team go out and lose year after year is demoralizing, especially for fans not in the area. Those with direct ties to a franchise will always stick around, but bandwagoners drop off when things aren’t going well.
As shown in the above sections, big name stars help bring in fans too. The NBA is a star-powered league where many people choose to root for all-stars or big names over specific teams. That’s especially true for international fans or those in foreign markets.
The rise in foreign-born superstars has greatly increased the NBA’s global presence, and created many more fans for teams like the Bucks, 76ers, Mavericks, and Nuggets. That shows the power one superstar can have on an entire fanbase.
The final aspect that can lower or explode a team’s fan size is social media presence. Today’s world is a digital one. The franchises that are able to create engagement on platforms like Instagram and Twitter tend to expand better than those that don’t.
Highlights, big plays, and interviews are all ways some teams create much better fan engagement during the season. The more followers they can pull in, the more shares they will get. Such views can then turn into more fans.
Conclusion
The NBA is one of the most hip professional sports leagues. A big reason for that is their large social media influence and digital followings. By being able to leverage such platforms, plenty of teams have expanded their reach and brought in more fans than ever before.
Organizations with the largest stars or most expansive markets tend to have the biggest followings. Many fans root for players, and getting a big signing can bring in a lot of views regardless of a franchise’s success.
However, as the Warriors show, winning works wonders too. Turning a team around or making a surprise championship run is one of the best ways to sell more merchandise, earn more social media followers, and get fans in seats.
The top teams have a strong history, but there’s no telling when another might usurp them. All it takes is a big trade, deep playoff run, or interesting bit of news to change the landscape.
