The most popular sports team in every U.S. state

The big 50

If there's one thing all states have in common, it's a love for sports. We'll run through all 50 states' most popular sports team, starting with Alabama and...

Alabama: University of Alabama football

Crimson Tide football is appointment television in Alabama, unless you’re an Auburn fan or alumnus. Alabama has produced and continues to produce NFL stars at an unbelievable clip. Yardbarker’s Jeff Mezydlo attempted to rank the 25 greatest Crimson Tide football players of all time, but arguably left off some legends in the process.

Arizona: Phoenix Suns

The state of Arizona doesn’t get the same level of respect as some other professional sports fan bases, but they create great environments. The Suns are probably the toast of the state when it comes to teams. Sports Illustrated covered a 2022 study which tabbed Phoenix as the fastest-growing fanbase in the NBA.

Arkansas: University of Arkansas football

SEC country tends to prioritize college football over anything else, and Arkansas is no different. Razorbacks supporters are known for the unique chant, “Woo Pig Sooie”. According to the school’s website, the term started way back in the 1920s, when farmers began to yell hog calls at the games.

California: Los Angeles Lakers

California is absolutely loaded when it comes to historic and polarizing franchises, but the Lakers are the biggest show in town. Los Angeles has attracted some of the biggest stars in the NBA for decades, and that hasn’t changed. Luka Doncic is the latest basketball icon to don the purple and gold.

Colorado: Denver Broncos

Colorado is an underrated sports state, as fans bring the passion for the Rockies, Nuggets and Avalanche. With that said, Broncos football is the largest event in town. Broncos country is a feverish fan base that dials up the noise at home, and brings a contingent of passionate fans to road games as well.

Connecticut: University of Connecticut basketball

Huskies hoops reign supreme in the state of Connecticut, regardless of whether it’s the women’s or men’s program on the court. ESPN’s Jeff Borzello investigated whether the men’s program qualified to be considered “blue bloods” in 2023. The women’s team is the best in women’s college basketball history.

Delaware: University of Delaware football

Delaware is a small state with a big appetite for Blue Hens football. Conference USA is about to realize just how fervent Delaware football supporters can be. Kevin Tresolini of the Delaware News Journal wrote a piece in November 2024 introducing the program to its new conference.

Georgia: Atlanta Braves

The University of Georgia football team could be the answer here, but the Braves have been so good for so long that it’s hard to go against them. According to MLB’s website, attending Braves games at Truist Park was ranked as the best overall guest experience in the league. Fans doing the tomahawk chop adds to the environment.

Hawaii: University of Hawaii football

Hawaii’s sports scene centers around its university teams, with its football squad being the most popular. It’s obviously different for road teams to make a trip out to Hawaii versus any other place in the continental United States, and Warriors fans make the experience unique.

Idaho: Boise State football

If there’s one distinctive playing surface in college sports, it’s Boise State’s blue field. Don Moe is a volunteer at the school, who told the Coloradan, “It’s really iconic. We’ve had people, husbands and wives, that flew to Boise just to see the blue turf.”  It creates a different experience for opponents and home fans.

Illinois: Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bears and Chicago Blackhawks have all had great runs in the NBA, NFL and NHL respectively, but Chicago will forever be a Cubs town. Few things match the atmosphere of attending a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. There’s also something about taking in midweek day games at the friendly confines, although the team plays at night much more in the 21^st century.

Indiana: Indiana Pacers

The Indianapolis Colts had a strong following during the Peyton Manning era, but Indiana is known as basketball country. The Indiana Fever have become a public team since Caitlin Clark came to town, but the Pacers have a longer connection. NBA fans saw just how rabid Pacers fans are during the 2025 NBA playoffs.

Iowa: University of Iowa football

Sticking with Caitlin Clark, it’s important to note how much of a draw the Hawkeyes women’s basketball program was while she was on campus. With that said, the more consistent draw has been Iowa’s football team. For Iowa’s website profiled one Iowa superfan who has been to all 131 college football stadiums. Clark Humble said, “Kinnick (stadium) will always be my home.”

Kansas: Kansas City Chiefs

We’re taking some liberties with this selection, as some of Kansas City is in Kansas, and some of the city is in Missouri. Needless to say, the Chiefs are on a significant streak of success since Patrick Mahomes took over under center. Even before the Mahomes era, Arrowhead Stadium was known as one of the best venues in all the NFL.

Kentucky: University of Kentucky basketball

Wildcats basketball is king in the state of Kentucky. John Calipari was the orchestrator of the “one and done” era at Kentucky, as fans of the program got to see future NBA stars on campus year in and year out. CBS Sports college basketball analyst Andy Katz noted how fans came out to support Mark Pope, who took over for Calipari as head coach. “If the Kentucky faithful can fill Rupp Arena to a brim on a random off-season Sunday with no basketball in sight, imagine what it’s like throughout the season.”

Louisiana: New Orleans Saints

There’s a case to be made for LSU college football taking top billing in the state of Louisiana, but the edge has to go to the Saints. Even through grim seasons, Saints fans fill the Superdome to support the hometown team. WDSU’s Jennifer Crockett traced the history of the “Who Dat” chant back to the 1980s.

Maryland: Baltimore Ravens

There’s something to be said about the vibes of Baltimore Orioles games at Camden Yards, but the Ravens are probably the biggest show in town. They’ve had a strong run of success since 2008, when John Harbaugh took over as coach. It also never hurts to have Lamar Jackson under center, who is amongst the most exciting players in the NFL.

Massachusetts: Boston Celtics

Massachusetts’ crown could really be divided three or four ways. There are droves of New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins fans in the state, but we’ve given a slight edge to the Celtics. No team in NBA history has won more titles than the Celtics, who have been based in the city for their entire existence.

Michigan: Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Lions have had electric atmospheres during their home playoff games in the 2020s, but the Red Wings are the class of the city. NBC Philadelphia’s Sanjesh Singh discussed the tradition of dead octopi being thrown on the ice by Red Wings fans. The first instance happened in 1952, and it’s been a unique occurrence ever since.

Minnesota: Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings have had fun players to watch for many years, dating back to the Fran Tarkenton teams in the 1970s. Minnesota football fans are familiar with the “skol” chant, and the horn being blown to get the crowd going before games. The Vikings’ purple threads are classic NFL uniforms.

Mississippi: University of Mississippi football

SEC football makes another appearance on the list with Mississippi. The Ole Miss football program has a storied tradition, as father and son quarterbacks Archie and Eli Manning both played for the school. While the program has to face difficult competition year in and year out, they manage to keep the faith.

Missouri: St. Louis Cardinals

Since we used the Kansas City Chiefs for Kansas, Missouri is left for the St. Louis Cardinals. They’ve played in the iconic Busch Stadium (old and new) for many decades, with the St. Louis Arch presiding in the background. Cardinals fans are lauded as being some of the most knowledgeable in all of MLB.

Montana: University of Montana football

Montana sports fans tend to root for regional teams located in their general area, but they do get behind the Grizzlies football program. As Ace Sauerwein of KGRZ’s website noted, Montana fans were packing their stadium at over 100 percent capacity. Their venue holds nearly 26,000 fans per game.

Nebraska: University of Nebraska football

According to the school’s website, the University of Nebraska has had at least one alumnus in 43 of 59 Super Bowls. TJ Birkel of Sports Illustrated wrote in 2024 that Nebraska games are a family affair, as generations of fans get together to watch the Cornhuskers play every Saturday during football season.

Nevada: Las Vegas Raiders

They haven’t been a pillar of the Nevada sports scene for very long, but the Raiders have decades of loyal fans following them from their days in Oakland and Los Angeles. The franchise has been somewhat nomadic over the years, but they should add to their already immense following in Las Vegas.

New Jersey: New Jersey Devils

While the New York Giants and New York Jets play in New Jersey, it would be hard to call them the biggest show in town in the state. That honor is reserved for the Devils, who are a better representation of the state. As NJ Spotlight News covered, the team name is a nod to the mythical Jersey Devil that was said to roam certain parts of the state in the distant past.

New Mexico: University of New Mexico basketball

Lobos basketball games are the place to be during the winter. Their home arena is nicknamed “The Pit”, which is supposed to trap opponents into thinking they won’t emerge from the building with a victory. According to the school’s website, the nickname was given because the court is 37 feet below street level.

New York: New York Yankees

There are a lot of iconic franchises in New York, as the Rangers or Knicks would have been strong choices here. At the end of the day though, it’s not feasible to pick anyone other than the Yankees. Yankees caps have become a fashion symbol in New York and across the world, and the team’s 27 titles far exceed anyone else in MLB.

North Carolina: University of North Carolina basketball

Basketball is the biggest show in town in North Carolina. We’re going to give the slightest of edges to UNC basketball over Duke, but could have gone either way. There are still ripple effects from Michael Jordan’s time at Chapel Hill in the 1980s that give the Tar Heels a special type of cache.

North Dakota: University of North Dakota hockey

The North Dakota men’s hockey team has won eight Division I championships, and has made the Frozen Four over 20 times in school history. As College Hockey News’ site displays, many NHL stars have come through the storied program. Jonathan Toews, T.J. Oshie, Zach Parise and Ed Belfour are just some of the recognizable names.

Ohio: Cleveland Browns

The Ohio State football team is a big deal, but we’re going to give the nod to the Dawg Pound comprised of Browns fans. Geoff LaTulippe wrote a piece for ESPN in 2009 detailing how hard it is to be a Browns fan given their struggles, but their fan base is amongst the most passionate in the NFL.

Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma football

The Oklahoma City Thunder may be giving the university football program a run for its money, but we’re still going to give the college team the edge. As noted on the school’s website, the football program has produced seven Heisman Trophy winners in its history. The Sooners have one of the most iconic programs in all of college sports.

Oregon: Portland Trail Blazers

Portland’s MLS team has gained quite a following, but the Trail Blazers have the longer history. Their home arena was called the Rose Garden for many decades, and is now called the Moda Center. Be that as it may, the fans that fill the venue bring the energy whether the Trail Blazers are in contention or in rebuilding mode.

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Eagles

Pennsylvania is filled with teams from the western part of the state all the way to the eastern side. There are a lot of great options to choose from, but we think the Eagles have the largest and most fervent fanbase these days. Professor Liselle Milazzo told Philly Mag’s website, “Fans of teams like the Eagles and the Bills tend to take things to more of an extreme.”

South Carolina: Clemson University football

The two choices here boil down to University of South Carolina football or Clemson football. Given the latter program has had more recent success, we’re giving the Tigers the slight edge. Assistant Athletic Director for Ticket Operations Travis Furbee once told the school’s website, “For the most part, we are always leading the way when it comes to bowl ticket sales.”

South Dakota: South Dakota State University basketball

After visiting Mount Rushmore, it might not be a bad idea to check out a SDSU men’s basketball game. Emily Adler of The Next Hoops wrote about how difficult it is for opponents to play at their home arena. Even when they have lost to power schools at home, they have made life difficult for them.

Tennessee: Nashville Predators

There are certainly arguments to be made for college programs and the Titans in Tennessee, but we’ve given top billing to the NHL club. Katie Nixon of the Nashville Tennessean wrote, “Nashville Predators fans are less miserable than other National Hockey League fanbases.” That may seem like a backhanded compliment, but it speaks to the positive outlook fans bring to “Smashville”.

Texas: Dallas Cowboys

We don’t think there’s any argument in Texas. The Cowboys are arguably the most popular team in the NFL, and one of the most iconic brands in American professional sports. As covered by Josh Sanchez of Sports Illustrated, that might be selling them short. They are also the most Googled NFL team internationally as well.

Utah: Utah Jazz

One of the most difficult places to play in the NBA is Utah, given the altitude and the immense passion their fans bring. According to a poll conducted by Vegas Insider, sometimes Jazz fans can go too far with their intensity. With that said, the Jazz were the only big four professional sports franchise in Utah for decades, so fans have built a loyal connection with them.

Vermont: University of Vermont hockey

Given its proximity to Canada, perhaps it's no surprise that UV has established a respected hockey program over the last few decades. Nich Hall noted for the school’s website that the Catamounts have produced 18 players who played with the Tampa Bay Lightning, as he profiled the accomplishments of Ross Colton.

Virginia: Washington Commanders

We’re admittedly going to take some liberties here, as the Commanders’ home stadium is in Maryland, and their new stadium is planned to sit in Washington, D.C. With that said, the Commanders have a strong following in the DMV area. With Jayden Daniels emerging as a star, the team seems poised to add younger fans to the mix in the coming years.

Washington: Seattle Seahawks

There are few homefield advantages in the NFL better than the one the Seahawks have. Their “12^th man” moniker allows fans to feel like they are in the game, affecting the action with their deafening cheering. The team has leaned into this tradition, as the team’s website notes that the number 12 was retired by the team in 1984.

West Virginia: University of West Virginia football

Mountaineers fans also get pretty excited for their basketball program as well, but we’ve given the football team the slight edge. According to Schuyler Callihan of Sports Illustrated, the football program is the winningest team in college football without a national championship. It’s a compliment and a curse, but it doesn’t stop supporters from coming out.

Wisconsin: Green Bay Packers

The Packers own the state of Wisconsin, as the “cheesehead” fans can be identified a mile away. In fact, the team started their own Fan Hall of Fame in 1998; their website claims they are the first franchise to do this. They honor one fan per year with induction into this hallowed club.