Red Sox among MLB teams ranked in FanSided’s Fandom 250
The Boston Red Sox were among the MLB teams to make the cut in this year’s FanSided Fandom 250. How high will they rank in 2017?
We all know that the Boston Red Sox have some of the most passionate fans in the world. Now FanSided will prove it.
FanSided will reveal their second annual Fandom 250 next month, providing the ultimate rankings of every fanbase imaginable. The Fandom 250 is divided into 16 categories: NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, Soccer, NCAA, Sports Figures, Celebrities, Music, Movies, TV Shows, Comics, Gaming, Brands, Internet Famous and Other. All 250 qualifying fandoms will be ranked in their own categories and against the field.
The Red Sox are among the 11 MLB teams to make the cut this year. We saw the franchise rank No. 29 overall in 2016, placing them third among MLB teams. Consecutive division titles should generate enough excitement to warrant consideration for moving up the list.
Last year we saw the Chicago Cubs take the No. 1 overall spot on the heels of a World Series title that ended a 108-year championship drought. That success could cause the Houston Astros to see a similar rise after they fell short of making the list last year. Will it be enough to bump the Red Sox out of the top three MLB teams?
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Houston may have bumped Boston out of the postseason, yet it’s hard to imagine them vaulting far enough up the list to surpass them in the Fandom 250. The Astros have a solid fanbase but Houston remains a football town. One championship isn’t suddenly going to change that.
Red Sox fans will undoubtedly focus more on how they stack up against the rival New York Yankees, who finished slightly ahead of them last year at No. 25 overall. Rookie phenom Aaron Judge has ignited the Bronx crowd, while MLB aims to push the young slugger as the new face of the league. That could certainly have a positive effect on their ranking.
Boston has their own crop of young players for fans to get excited about. Mookie Betts has already established himself as an MVP candidate, while rookies Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers are potential stars in the making. Chris Sale produced a Cy Young-caliber season in his first season with the team and the lights-out Craig Kimbrel is the best in the game at closing out the ninth inning. There’s a lot to like about this team before we account for the next star the Red Sox hope to acquire through free agency or trade this winter.
The city of Boston is fortunate to have a team in each of the country’s four most popular professional spots that have experienced recent glory. Despite the competition for attention from other Boston-area teams, when the Red Sox are thriving they capture the hearts of the city.
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The official rankings and the reveal of the No. 1 fandom will be announced on December 12. In the meantime, use #Fandom250 on social media to let FanSided know why the Red Sox should be at the top of the list!