There is no better time to look at the intersection between NBA fandom and social media than in 2020 – during the NBA‘s resumed season in the bubble! Popularity on NBA social media isn’t defined just by the success of a team, but in the content they produce, the population of the city, and the team’s ability to reach outside of their own market for viewership.
RANK | TEAM | TOTAL | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Los Angeles Lakers | 8,155,399 | 9,960,137 | 21,583,829 | 39,699,365 |
2 | Golden State Warriors | 6,382,948 | 13,201,981 | 11,695,064 | 31,279,993 |
3 | Chicago Bulls | 4,113,064 | 4,776,771 | 17,651,233 | 26,541,068 |
4 | Miami Heat | 4,677,528 | 3,710,653 | 15,188,432 | 23,576,613 |
5 | Houston Rockets | 2,972,379 | 4,344,989 | 12,974,848 | 20,292,216 |
6 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 3,255,990 | 7,451,311 | 8,537,880 | 19,245,181 |
7 | Boston Celtics | 3,489,217 | 4,583,689 | 8,982,943 | 17,055,849 |
8 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 2,761,474 | 4,387,822 | 7,022,622 | 14,171,918 |
9 | San Antonio Spurs | 3,471,531 | 2,866,486 | 7,017,398 | 13,355,415 |
10 | New York Knicks | 2,154,511 | 2,313,686 | 5,808,330 | 10,276,527 |
11 | Sacramento Kings | 1,065,005 | 1,315,785 | 7,735,945 | 10,116,735 |
12 | LA Clippers | 1,533,715 | 2,670,642 | 3,806,452 | 8,010,809 |
13 | Toronto Raptors | 2,114,854 | 2,994,500 | 2,672,265 | 7,781,619 |
14 | Dallas Mavericks | 1,632,318 | 1,412,667 | 4,364,820 | 7,409,805 |
15 | Indiana Pacers | 1,228,323 | 1,684,935 | 3,233,798 | 6,147,056 |
16 | Philadelphia 76ers | 1,812,422 | 2,235,941 | 1,752,623 | 5,800,986 |
17 | Brooklyn Nets | 1,055,105 | 1,826,072 | 2,734,352 | 5,615,529 |
18 | Washington Wizards | 1,017,624 | 1,397,876 | 3,191,765 | 5,607,265 |
19 | Portland Trail Blazers | 1,253,838 | 1,648,030 | 2,453,147 | 5,355,015 |
20 | Milwaukee Bucks | 1,130,626 | 2,341,409 | 1,843,668 | 5,315,703 |
21 | Orlando Magic | 1,492,566 | 1,027,624 | 2,736,367 | 5,256,557 |
22 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 968,057 | 1,696,954 | 1,882,062 | 4,547,073 |
23 | New Orleans Pelicans | 1,011,403 | 1,697,066 | 1,758,523 | 4,466,992 |
24 | Phoenix Suns | 1,086,645 | 1,269,761 | 1,878,933 | 4,235,339 |
25 | Atlanta Hawks | 1,253,734 | 1,177,581 | 1,607,529 | 4,038,844 |
26 | Denver Nuggets | 926,393 | 1,082,183 | 2,003,609 | 4,012,185 |
27 | Charlotte Hornets | 957,488 | 1,139,120 | 1,733,481 | 3,830,089 |
28 | Detroit Pistons | 925,622 | 1,042,112 | 1,848,071 | 3,815,805 |
29 | Memphis Grizzlies | 1,052,319 | 896,548 | 1,800,241 | 3,749,108 |
30 | Utah Jazz | 952,978 | 914,880 | 7,017,398 | 1,805,671 |
Data from: Global Sports Salaries Survey
The obvious suspects sit at the top of the charts, where the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and Chicago Bulls have remained for a number of years.
All three franchises rest on the laurels of their dynasty for fans. We should also mention that the superstardom of players for these clubs, both current and former, like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Michael Jordan, boost the team’s accessibility globally.
Teams that haven’t shown success in recent years, but maintain huge popularity due to their history or former players, also find themselves in the top third of the standings.
The Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, and Cleveland Cavaliers haven’t had much success of late, but the lasting legacy of LeBron James in Miami and Cleveland clearly has its effect. Houston on the other hand skyrocketed in social media support upon their early-2000’s acquisition of Chinese superstar Yao Ming.
Clubs that rest in the middle tier of the social media following are usually still from large cities and are successful, but are a less popular club in their market. The LA Clippers have had little historical success and have played second fiddle to the Lakers for years. On the other hand the Toronto Raptors are a team that represents an entire country and is one of the most internationally driven teams in terms of roster.
Unfortunately for Toronto, they are still second to hockey in their own market.
Teams with the lowest viewership generally have the worst combination of being in a small market, poor recent success, and a lack of player popularity.
If you’re curious about which NFL teams are most popular on social media check out “The Most & Least Popular NFL Teams on Social Media“.
Twitter page likes: 952,978
Instagram Followers: 914,880
Facebook Followers: 7,017,398
Average Ticket Price: $55
Home Stadium: Vivint Smart Home Arena
Twitter page likes: 1,052,319
Instagram Followers: 896,548
Facebook Followers: 1,800,241
Average Ticket Price: $88
Home Stadium: FedExForum
Twitter page likes: 925,622
Instagram Followers: 1,139,120
Facebook Followers: 1,848,071
Average Ticket Price: $65
Home Stadium: Little Caesars Arena
Twitter page likes: 957,488
Instagram Followers: 1,139,120
Facebook Followers: 1,733,481
Average Ticket Price: $74
Home Stadium: Spectrum Center
Twitter page likes: 926,393
Instagram Followers: 1,082,183
Facebook Followers: 2,003,609
Average Ticket Price: $61
Home Stadium: Pepsi Center
Twitter page likes: 1,253,734
Instagram Followers: 1,177,581
Facebook Followers: 1,607,529
Average Ticket Price: $103
Home Stadium: State Farm Arena
Twitter page likes: 1,086,645
Instagram Followers: 1,269,761
Facebook Followers: 1,878,933
Average Ticket Price: $82
Home Stadium: Talking Stick Resort Arena
Twitter page likes: 1,011,403
Instagram Followers: 1,697,066
Facebook Followers: 1,758,523
Average Ticket Price: $48
Home Stadium: Smoothie King Center
Twitter page likes: 968,057
Instagram Followers: 1,696,954
Facebook Followers: 1,882,062
Average Ticket Price: $58
Home Stadium: Target Center
Twitter page likes: 1,492,566
Instagram Followers: 1,027,624
Facebook Followers: 2,736,367
Average Ticket Price: $60
Home Stadium: Amway Center
Twitter page likes: 1,130,626
Instagram Followers: 2,341,409
Facebook Followers: 1,843,668
Average Ticket Price: $74
Home Stadium: Fiserv Forum
Twitter page likes: 1,253,838
Instagram Followers: 1,648,030
Facebook Followers: 2,453,147
Average Ticket Price: $79
Home Stadium: Moda Center
Twitter page likes: 1,017,624
Instagram Followers: 1,397,876
Facebook Followers: 3,191,765
Average Ticket Price: $51
Home Stadium: Capital One Arena
Twitter page likes: 1,055,105
Instagram Followers: 1,826,072
Facebook Followers: 2,734,352
Average Ticket Price: $86
Home Stadium: Barclays Center
Twitter page likes: 1,812,422
Instagram Followers: 2,235,941
Facebook Followers: 1,752,623
Average Ticket Price: $86
Home Stadium: Wells Fargo Center
Twitter page likes: 1,228,323
Instagram Followers: 1,684,935
Facebook Followers: 3,233,798
Average Ticket Price: $89
Home Stadium: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Twitter page likes: 1,632,318
Instagram Followers: 1,412,667
Facebook Followers: 4,364,820
Average Ticket Price: $106
Home Stadium: American Airlines Center
Twitter page likes: 2,114,854
Instagram Followers: 2,994,500
Facebook Followers: 2,672,265
Average Ticket Price: $70.89
Home Stadium: Scotiabank Arena
Twitter page likes: 1,533,715
Instagram Followers: 2,670,642
Facebook Followers: 3,806,452
Average Ticket Price: $65
Home Stadium: Staples Center
Twitter page likes: 1,065,005
Instagram Followers: 1,315,785
Facebook Followers: 7,735,945
Average Ticket Price: $88
Home Stadium: Golden 1 Center
Twitter page likes: 2,154,511
Instagram Followers: 2,313,686
Facebook Followers: 5,808,330
Average Ticket Price: $285
Home Stadium: Madison Square Garden
Twitter page likes: 3,471,531
Instagram Followers: 2,866,486
Facebook Followers: 7,017,398
Average Ticket Price: $49
Home Stadium: AT&T Center
Twitter page likes: 2,761,474
Instagram Followers: 4,387,822
Facebook Followers: 7,022,622
Average Ticket Price: $52
Home Stadium: Chesapeake Energy Arena
Twitter page likes: 3,489,217
Instagram Followers: 4,583,689
Facebook Followers: 8,982,943
Average Ticket Price: $141
Home Stadium: TD Garden
Twitter page likes: 3,255,990
Instagram Followers: 7,451,311
Facebook Followers: 8,537,880
Average Ticket Price: $42
Home Stadium: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Twitter page likes: 2,972,379
Instagram Followers: 4,344,989
Facebook Followers: 12,974,848
Average Ticket Price: $67
Home Stadium: Toyota Center
Twitter page likes: 4,677,528
Instagram Followers: 3,710,653
Facebook Followers: 15,188,432
Average Ticket Price: $92
Home Stadium: American Airlines Arena
Twitter page likes: 4,113,064
Instagram Followers: 4,776,771
Facebook Followers: 17,651,233
Average Ticket Price: $75
Home Stadium: United Center
Twitter page likes: 6,382,948
Instagram Followers: 13,201,981
Facebook Followers: 11,695,064
Average Ticket Price: $458
Home Stadium: Chase Center
Twitter page likes: 8,155,399
Instagram Followers: 9,960,137
Facebook Followers: 21,583,829
Average Ticket Price: $473
Home Stadium: Staples Center
Social media is a great tool for gauging the value of an NBA franchise. While it does little to define a club’s monetary value, alternative viewership is crucial for teams in the modern market.
As cable television becomes less popular, teams are trying to figure out how to engage new and returning fans with their product. The New Orleans Pelicans may have just one million twitter followers, but star rookie Zion Williamson has almost 500k followers alone. It is no longer enough to say a team isn’t popular just because of their social media follower count, teams have just not capitalized on their key assets.
All clubs are looking to grow their franchise through a combination of competitive success, television viewership, and alternative content. With the old guard of NBA stardom being phased out, like LeBron James being one of two players left from the legendary 2003 draft class, don’t be surprised to see social media popularity by team change greatly in the next couple of years.
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