In an article by Robert Passikoff on Forbes.com, the Mets fan base ranked almost at the bottom when it comes to team loyalty.
According to their Sports Fan Loyalty Index, Mets fans ranked 26 out among all 30 MLB teams when it comes to supporting the team.
The top five loyal fan bases are:
- New York Yankees
- Philadelphia Phillies
- San Francisco Giants
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Atlanta Braves
The Mets ranked at the bottom with the Astros, Pirates, Royals and Mariners. That’s embarrassing.
The factors that are used to determine the Loyalty Index are not based on attendance alone or won/loss record:
Everybody loves a winner, but it’s important to note that win/loss ratios do not entirely govern fan loyalty. Losing may have little to recommend it, but it turns out there are more important things than the final score. – three other emotionally based things, in fact, that really must be taken into account when calculating the loyalty score for a team:
- Pure Entertainment: How well a team does, sure. But even more importantly than a win-loss ratio, how exciting is their play? Think St. Louis Cardinals.
- Authenticity: How well they play as a team.
- Fan Bonding: Are players particularly respected and admired?
- History and Tradition: Is the game and the team part of fans’ and community rituals, institutions and beliefs?
Look at those factors and then calculate where the Mets fit in with each one. You can easily account for why the loyalty isn’t as high as it should be, and the fault lies with the team not the fans.
Many of the players who connected with fans are long gone. It took the team a few years just to add some Mets history to Cit Field – and only after much prodding from fans. And where is the pure entertainment value?
What bugs me most is seeing the Yankees, Braves and Phillies ranked so high. I hate those teams!
