Best Fans - Boston 2nd (to LA)

[Donoghus]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ys-forbesnbafans121009&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

We looked at three fan engagement measures from the 2008-09 season to arrive at this conclusion. We ranked teams based on average regular-season home game attendance as a percentage of arena capacity; regular-season local television viewers as a percentage of the team’s metro area population; and team merchandise sales.

The top five:

1. Los Angeles Lakers:
2. Boston Celtics:
3. Cleveland Cavaliers:
4. Chicago Bulls:
5t. New Orleans Hornets:
5t. San Antonio Spurs:

to me the funny part was seeing the Wizards at 2nd worst (below the Nets even)

with all due respect to Wiz fans, they were totally overrun with Celtics fans last night in DC - kinda sad really and makes me feel lucky to be part of Celtic Nation

Isn't it great feeling at home wherever you go!?  Ten years ago you never saw lots of fans donning celtics gear at away games, or heard impressive amounts of away game celtics cheering.

I'll be donning my Celtics gear tomorrow night at United Center.  Got a college buddy (and fellow C's fan) flying into town later today to partake in the fun.  Can't wait.

[Junkyard Dawg]

I think merchandise sales are a terrible indicator of a fanbase's devotion, unless you somehow control for the advantage of having top superstars on the team

You took the words right out of my mouth.  This is a joke article.  there are probably more kobe bryant jerseys sold in China than there are in LA, that doesn't mean all those Chinese are "passionate" lakers fans.  

and how can a metro area as small as boston (or charlotte, or other areas) possibly compete with the LA area as far as percentage of television viewership?  and that completely leaves out all the road Boston fans who, like you guys saw at the wizards game, show up in droves whenever their team comes to town.

Not saying the C's are automatically #1, but I have serious issues with the lakers as the "best fans"

[PosImpos]

Lame.  LA fans are a bunch of bandwagoners.

[tenn_smoothie]

LA fans better than Boston Celtic fans
you have to be kidding, right ??

not much comparison - half of those in attendance at laker games are there to be seen, not because they have loved the lakers their entire lives.

in contrast, just about everyone at the boston garden is there for the basketball and to see the team that their heart has been with for years. like i said - no comparison.

just another example of left coast media bias. i'd probably put a few nba fan groups ahead of the lakers ...... philly, detroit, portland.

knick fans i'm not sure about, they have had so little hope for so long - i just remember being in madison square garden for the '83 playoff series vs moses malone's sixers - i'm in the upper deck and look over and see some guy lighting up a joint. was he wanting to add to his enjoyment of the game or just kill the pain ??