Methodology
We surveyed 2,000 Americans to look at their NFL team loyalty using Pollfish, a market research software that gathers real-time quality survey responses.
Hard-Hitting Findings
- Love to Hate to Love — It’s no surprise that the most popular player in the NFL is also one of the most hated—Tom Brady. Fans switched jerseys when Brady switched teams back in 2020 from the Patriots to the Buccaneers. And while some New England fans were heartbroken by the 20+ year veteran’s decision, they now had someone to root against (or for) down in Tampa Bay. Although Brady was the most popular player, he never played for the most popular NFL team. Dubbed “America’s Team,” the Dallas Cowboys are the most popular NFL team. Whether you love them or hate them, they still garner the most attention on primetime television, having the all-time record for most appearances on Monday Night Football.
- Loyal to the Core — 43% of respondents said they would never switch teams, even if their team moved to another city. That would explain why Raiders fans don’t mind taking the trek from Oakland to Las Vegas to watch their team collide with their opponents. 73% of respondents said they would still watch their games on TV even if their favorite NFL team moved to a different town. Maybe loyalty lies in friendships, considering 32% of our respondents said they support the team they do because of their friends—that’s more influential than their parents or partners.
- “If football is not on my TV, so help me!” — Not everyone can watch football in person. That’s why people love tuning into their favorite NFL teams from the comfort of their couch or favorite sports bar. Sunday isn’t the only day NFL fans can get a glimpse of football since it’s expanded to Mondays, Thursdays, and occasional Saturdays. This would explain why 49% of respondents say they watch multiple games in a week. And when the Big Game is on, 69% of people are willing to miss major life events to watch the Super Bowl, including a funeral of a loved one, the birth of their child, or their own wedding! We wouldn’t recommend that.
More Money, More Merchandise — From caps to jerseys to pajamas, you can rep your team any way you’d like, but it doesn’t come cheap. A jersey can run you an average of $130 while a pair of team socks can cost around 20 bucks. In the past year, 74% of respondents estimated they spent no more than $300 on team merchandise. On the other side of the spectrum, only 6% of respondents spent more than $500.
