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In all, 122 teams from the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball were ranked in order, based on a weighted average of scores in eight different categories ranging from the quantitative to the emotionally subjective: “bang for the buck” (24.3%), players (16.6%), fan relations (16.5%), affordability (14.1%), stadium experience (9.1%), ownership (9.0%), title track (6.7%), and coaching (3.9%).
“The best teams in sports find ways to reward their fans’ devotion,” said ESPN The Magazine editor, Peter Keating. “The teams at the top of our Ultimate Standings are winners on the field, but, as we write in the magazine, they’re truly notable for returning fans’ love—keeping core players, discounting tickets, investing in their communities. Value, both economic and emotional, has always figured prominently in our rankings, but this year we heard louder than ever that a team’s commitment to its fans matters more than anything else, more than even new stadiums and championship rings.”
The Packers were the top-scoring team in two of the eight categories, topping all other teams in “stadium experience” and tying for the top spot in “title track”—championships won, or expected to be won, during the lifetime of current fans--with the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Packers also ranked fourth overall in “bang for the buck,” and fifth overall in the categories “coaching” and “ownership.” Their fan base makes up a substantial portion of ownership as the only publicly-owned team in U.S. pro sports.
“The best teams in sports find ways to reward their fans’ devotion,” said ESPN The Magazine editor, Peter Keating. “The teams at the top of our Ultimate Standings are winners on the field, but, as we write in the magazine, they’re truly notable for returning fans’ love—keeping core players, discounting tickets, investing in their communities. Value, both economic and emotional, has always figured prominently in our rankings, but this year we heard louder than ever that a team’s commitment to its fans matters more than anything else, more than even new stadiums and championship rings.”
The Packers were the top-scoring team in two of the eight categories, topping all other teams in “stadium experience” and tying for the top spot in “title track”—championships won, or expected to be won, during the lifetime of current fans--with the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Packers also ranked fourth overall in “bang for the buck,” and fifth overall in the categories “coaching” and “ownership.” Their fan base makes up a substantial portion of ownership as the only publicly-owned team in U.S. pro sports.
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