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Fandom 250: Why Dallas Cowboys fans are the best in the world

By Marcus Mosher

Nov 24, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the Dallas Cowboys fans and their mascot Rowdy before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys defeat the Redskins 31-26. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 24, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of the Dallas Cowboys fans and their mascot Rowdy before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys defeat the Redskins 31-26. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Fandom 250 list ranks the best fanbases in the world, and the Dallas Cowboys faithful should to the list. Here is why.

Without question, the best fans in the world belong to America’s team; the Dallas Cowboys. It’s not hard to make the case for Dallas Cowboys fans being the best in the world. In honor of FanSided’s “Fandom 250“, here is why Cowboys fans are second to none in the sports world.

Why are the Cowboys fans the best? There are many reasons, actually. But first and foremost, the sheer number of fans is quite impressive.  According to a recent survey, 10 percent of all football fans consider themselves “Cowboys fans”. And I bet there are more closet “fans” out there that don’t want to admit their love for the Star. But even that doesn’t show just how grand the number of Cowboys fans is.

According to a study done in August, the Cowboys have the biggest following on Facebook with 8.75 million fans. That number is staggering when you compare it with the New England Patriots, who ranked second in the league with 6.59 million fans. At the bottom is the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars, who have just 590,000 fans on Facebook. Not only do you have the long-time fans who enjoyed the Cowboys’ successes in the ’70s, but the younger generation is supporting the league’s most historic franchise as well.

Another analytical study from this summer shows that the Cowboys have the best fans in the NFL when it comes to “fan equity” and “road equity”.  This means that Cowboys fans will show up to support their team at home or on the road more than any other team in the league.

Aside from just the statistical measures that show why Cowboys’ fans are superior, they are the most optimistic fans out there. Every year, no matter the roster construction or the surrounding circumstances, Cowboys fans always believe that this year is “their season.”

Cowboys fans also have a deep and rich history of success that dates back to the mid-1960s. Not only do they have five Super Bowl wins, but they have 34 playoff wins and have appeared in the conference championship game 16 times. They’ve stayed competitive throughout the years and their games are always must-watch TV.

Outside of their success, they are also a brand. According to Forbes, the Cowboys are the most valuable sports franchise in the world. Their value is at an estimated $4 billion and that number is only growing. By rooting for the Cowboys and being so ardently supportive, their fans helped make them the most valuable sports team in the world.

The fans are also loyal. For the ninth consecutive year, the Cowboys have averaged the highest attendance per game in the NFL, according to ESPN. Their average fan attendance is nearly at 93,000 per week, which is nearly 15,000 more than the second-highest average in the Washington Redskins. They nearly double the attendance of some of the more popular teams in the NFL, such as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders.

Dallas fans have broken the regular season attendance record multiple times, but their most recent record came in 2009, in which they drew over 105,000 fans in their home opener against the New York Giants.  And in case you were wondering, the record for the largest crowd for any NFL game belongs to Dallas for when they jammed more than 112,000 fans into Aztec Stadium for a pre-season game. That, right there, tells you all you need to know about Cowboys’ fans.

Aside from just the fans going to the games, the Cowboys’ fans constantly tune in to watch their favorite teams play. In 2016, the Cowboys played in four of the five most-watched games in the NFL, according to Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated. The Cowboys-Packers NFL divisional rival matchup posted better ratings and more viewers than ANY game during the 2016 season, except for the Super Bowl. And you can bet if the Cowboys would have made it to the Super Bowl last season, they would have crushed the all-time attendance and rating record.

Even in 2017, the Cowboys have had two of the most-watched games of the season when they faced the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers. When the rest of the NFL’s ratings are struggling, the league can always count on Cowboys fans to boast them back up. That’s just how loyal and how massive their fan base is.

No matter the what the Cowboys’ record is or how their team is playing, their fans will always support their team. No matter what. And when the best fans in the world support the best sports franchise there is, the choice for the top spot in the Fandom 250, seems pretty obvious to me. But then again, I’m one of those arrogant Cowboys’ fans that only knows about being No.1.

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