These New York Football Fans Deemed ‘Most Passionate’
It is just about that time of year...when Sundays (and Saturday evenings, Monday nights, well Thursdays and the occasional Wednesday opening-night game) consume NFL fans across the United States. When it comes to sports, many would agree that football fans are the most loyal, and perhaps the loudest when cheering on their teams. Here in New York, though, it looks like we have the most 'passionate' football fans as well, but do you know for which team?
Football Fandoms Across New York State
Nielsen, yes the ratings company, took a deep dive into football fandoms ahead of the 2026 season kickoff, and New York did pretty well for one team, and not so great for our other football clubs.
2026 brought the inaugural 'Nielsen Scarborough NFL Fandom Index' a deep dive into football fans in what was referenced as a 'comprehensive study' to look where football's 'pulse beats strongest.'
Unlike traditional rankings that rely solely on ratings, Nielsen’s methodology utilizes eight distinct metrics to capture the full spectrum of modern fandom: apparel purchases, general interest levels, live event attendance, betting intent, social media engagement, radio listenership, streaming habits, and linear TV viewership.
When it comes to fandoms, the top three, from three to one are as follows:
- Green Bay
- Kansas City
- This particular New York State football team...
SEE ALSO: Citi Field Named #1 Professional Sports Venue Food By Yelp
Bills Mafia Tops The Nielsen Fandom List
The most passionate market in the 2026 fandom index is none other than the Buffalo Bills!
The Bills, with a total score of 208, put them in the #1 spot out of a possible 32 on the list, while the New York Giants and Jets ranked 29th and 30th, respectively. The next closest to the Bills, Kansas City, only scored 194.
Nielsen's research reveals the following with regard to the Giants and Jets scoring:
large multi-option media hubs such as New York, Los Angeles, and Miami underperformed. In these saturated markets, a wealth of entertainment options and split team loyalties often dilute per-capita intensity, leaving New York at the very bottom of the index
What makes Bills fans so passionate? Nielsen suggests 'small market, concentrated loyalty' as one of the defining reasons. I mean, considering the #1 and #2 teams on the list both have Hallmark Movies about their fandoms, this should not be a surprise.
You can see the full rankings and leaan a bit more about the study and fandom index here.
Buffalo Bills Preseason 2026
Gallery Credit: Dave Fields
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