In addition to winning the World Series, all 30 MLB teams are simultaneously in competition for the title of the best MLB fans. If nothing else, they want to avoid having the worst MLB fans.
Of course, it’s subjective what are the best MLB fanbases, but that doesn’t mean we can’t put together a list of the best MLB fans ranked.
Best MLB fans
Again, when it comes to the best MLB fans, a lot is subjective and there are many factors to consider.
For instance, how should we factor in the biggest MLB fanbases versus the small-market teams? Should teams with some of the top MLB parks get an advantage? Or should it be more about the loudest baseball crowds and best MLB fan attendance?
We found a way to factor in all of that and more while ranking the best MLB fans from worst to first.
30. Athletics
The abysmal attendance, not to mention win-loss record, the A’s have suffered in 2022 sends them straight to the bottom of the fanbase hierarchy. In their defense, the front office completely broke up the roster, making no effort to be the least bit competitive or even put a respectable product on the field.
While that’s life as a small-market team sometimes, fans have to show a little more loyalty than that, especially if they do come out to a subpar stadium whenever the team is in the playoff hunt.
29. Rays
On the field, the Rays have found a way to remain competitive in the AL East without spending a lot of money. In that sense, there is no excuse for them to not have a more loyal and supportive fanbase.
On the other hand, Tampa’s stadium doesn’t exactly have much to attract fans. It’s also located in an inconvenient location far from downtown Tampa. While it’s understandable why fans don’t show up to more games, true fans always find a way to get to the stadium, which doesn’t happen with the Rays.
28. Marlins
For some reason, baseball still isn’t catching on in South Florida. The Marlins continue to have a rather apathetic fanbase with many of their seats filled by fans of the opposing team. Even with a stadium that keeps the rain and humidity out, the good people of Miami don’t want to support their team.
To be fair, the Marlins haven’t been run particularly well, but that’s not the best excuse for a poor fanbase.
27. Pirates
It’s a shame the Pirates don’t draw more fans because it’s an otherwise great sports town. PNC Park is also one of the best ballparks in the majors to visit with its amazing views of the city and good location.
However, fans are sparse and lifeless if the Pirates don’t win, which has been a rare occurrence since PNC Park opened at the turn of the century.
26. Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks got off to a brilliant start during the early years of the franchise. But winning has been hard to sustain in Arizona, which has made fan attendance hard to sustain.
Unless you can reserve the pool area that sits beyond the outfield walls, there isn’t much about the ballpark to like. That means if the team is mediocre or worse, fans aren’t going to show up.
25. Nationals
Back when the Nationals were regularly winning division titles, ultimately winning the 2019 World Series, Nationals Park was as raucous as any in the majors. But when the team’s biggest stars left via trade or free agency and the club entered a rebuilding phase, the stadium turned into a ghost town.
That makes Washington seem like a city that only wants a winner but doesn’t actually like baseball that much.
24. Orioles
Considering their downtown ballpark in such an amazing city, the Orioles don’t draw nearly as well as they should.
Obviously, the people of Baltimore have better things to do than support a team that’s always struggling to avoid a last-place finish. But even with a losing team, Orioles fans can do a lot better than what we’ve seen lately.
23. Guardians
Unless the team is in the World Series, Cleveland doesn’t seem to draw too many fans to Progressive Field. The jury is still out on whether or not changing the name to Guardians will do anything for the fanbase.
But with a downtown ballpark and a proud baseball history, Cleveland should have a far better fanbase than it currently does.
22. Rangers
It remains to be seen whether a new ballpark with a roof to keep the Texas heat out is going to help the Rangers.
But shouldn’t real Texans be able to withstand the heat to support their team? While it’s not a terrible fanbase, it certainly doesn’t stand out as one of the best in the majors.
21. Padres
It’s hard not to think that the good people of San Diego are a little fair-weather. After all, they did lose their NFL franchise. In their defense, the weather in San Diego is a little better than fair, so there are plenty of other things to do than take in a baseball game.
With the team’s recent success, the fans have come back. But where was that support when the Padres were among the worst teams in baseball? They lose some points for not being more supportive when the team wasn’t winning.
20. Reds
Cincinnati should be a great baseball market with a ton of history and one of the more enjoyable ballparks to visit. But a lack of winning has really driven fans away.
While that’s to be expected to some extent, one would expect a little more loyalty to the Reds, especially in a city that only has one other team in one of the four major pro leagues.
19. Tigers
As a franchise, the Tigers have fallen on hard times in recent years while they rebuild. Unfortunately, the fanbase hasn’t exactly been supportive during that process.
Attendance has plummeted, which is to be expected when the team routinely loses 100 games a year. But one might expect a little better from Detroit, which has been such a great baseball city in the past.
18. Mariners
It’s been a while since anyone had to take the Mariners too seriously on the field. Perhaps that has made it difficult for fans to take them seriously. But when compared to the Seahawks or even the Sounders of MLS, crowds at Mariners’ home games are rather tame.
That’s a signal that the fanbase could be doing a lot better than what we’ve seen from this perpetually uninspired franchise.
17. Angels
It’s a little easier to give Angels fans a pass than some other fanbases. Some of the best MLB fans are in Los Angeles, but they cheer for the Dodgers. That makes the Angels the little brother in their city, and they aren’t even located in Los Angeles, which doesn’t help.
One would assume that having Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani on display would galvanize a fanbase, but that hasn’t happened as much as you might think.
16. Braves
Winning has almost become too common for the fans in Atlanta. Of course, the fanbase was fully on board when the Braves made their run to the World Series in 2021.
But for a franchise that’s been consistently been one of the best in the National League for decades, Truist Park should feel a lot more electric and exciting during the regular season than it does, almost as if fans have been spoiled and grown tired of winning, which doesn’t happen with the best MLB fans.
15. White Sox
The White Sox and their fans are constantly being overlooked because of the Cubs. But this is a surprisingly loyal fanbase.
It’s not like they have a ton of success in their recent history or a state-of-the-art ballpark to drive them to games. But they show up more than people recognize, making this a rock-solid fanbase with plenty of pride.
14. Blue Jays
The Blue Jays have one of the more underrated fanbases in baseball. Keep in mind that they are Canada’s only team in the majors, which means they have fans throughout the country.
They may not be the most die-hard fans in the sport or get the recognition they deserve, but fans of the Blue Jays are better than most.
13. Dodgers
There are surely pros and cons to the fanbase in Los Angeles. Dodger Stadium usually has late-arriving crowds because of the traffic.
To a certain extent, people go to games more because of the event than because of the game. However, the Dodgers always draw big crowds, even if they don’t get there on time. That still means something, even if they aren’t the most passionate about baseball.
12. Royals
Kansas City fans deserve a little bit of credit because they have to be patient with the Royals almost always in rebuilding mode. It’s also not easy coming out to a somewhat outdated ballpark in the middle of hot midwest summers.
But when the team gets good, they are always behind them. Even with the Royals aren’t good, the fanbase understands the process and appreciates the effort, so they get a lot of points for that.
11. Astros
The Astros need to have a strong fanbase because they are one of the most hated teams in pro sports after their cheating scandal. In a way, being hated league-wide has helped to galvanize the fanbase.
It also helps that the Astros have become one of the most dynamic and exciting teams in baseball to watch, whether they’re cheaters or not. The Astros and their fans have embraced being hated, which should be taken as a positive.
10. Brewers
While Milwaukee is a small market compared to most major league cities, that doesn’t stop the Brewers from drawing big crowds night after night.
The retractable roof at Miller Park helps, but the Brewers also know how to keep fans entertained during games. Fans return the favor by showing up and supporting the team, which has also had a positive impact on Milwaukee’s ability to compete.
9. Rockies
You won’t find the loudest or most passionate fans in Colorado. But the Rockies have some of the best MLB fans that nobody talks about.
The Rox routinely finish among the best in the majors in attendance, and it’s certainly not because the team competes for pennants year after year. Win or lose, Rockies fans show up, which is exactly what you like to see.
8. Twins
Despite being a small-market team that isn’t always competitive, the Twins have created a rather impressive fanbase. This has been the case dating back decades and continues today.
Since it opened, Target Field has been one of the best ballparks in the majors, especially when it comes to the fan experience. Twins fans deserve credit for helping to make that happen no matter where the team sits in the standings.
7. Phillies
There will always be horror stories about Philadelphia sports fans. Those will always be unavoidable. But that’s because they have trouble reining in their passion and keeping only using it in positive ways.
All of that aside, we are talking about a dedicated fanbase that sticks with the Phillies through good times and bad times. In fact, the good times mean more to Phillies fans because they’re still around when things aren’t going well, which is the mark of a great fan base.
6. Red Sox
Like it or not, the Red Sox have some of the best MLB fans in baseball. They may not always be the most likable people, but they did stay loyal to the team throughout decades of coming up short of a championship.
Keep in mind they had some devastating World Series losses over the years. You have to at least respect a fanbase that can endure all of that and still believe that good things are going to happen.
5. Yankees
Not everyone is a huge fan of the Yankees or their fans, but objectively, they are some of the best MLB fans around.
If nothing else, you can’t deny the passion they have for baseball and their team, even if that passion manifests in unsavory ways at times.
They can turn on their own players, scuffle with opposing fans, or just come off as arrogant and entitled. But at the end of the day, that’s what helps to create a great fanbase, which is something that nobody can deny the Yankees have.
4. Giants
In terms of combining passion and intelligence, there aren’t many fanbases that can compete with the Giants. Ironically, it’s not like that on the other side of the bay.
But with the Giants being perennial contenders and having an amazing ballpark with great views, it’s never surprising to see them near the top when it comes to attendance year after year. But it’s not just the quantity of fans in San Francisco that makes them some of the best MLB fans, it’s also the quality.
They understand the game and appreciate both the Giants and visiting teams when it’s played the right way.
3. Mets
While the Mets may not be the main attraction in New York, you wouldn’t know that based on their fans.
They bring just as much passion and energy to the ballpark as Yankees fans or any other New York sports team. The thing to admire about Mets fans is they do so without a history of winning.
Despite all of the disappointment and losing seasons over the years, Mets fans are always optimistic, often to a fault. They always think that their team can do something special either this year or next year, which is why the Mets have some of the best MLB fans.
2. Cubs
It must have been a little weird for Cubs fans to see their team go from lovable losers to World Series winners. Of course, what makes this fanbase so special is that they kept supporting their team even through decades of losing.
That’s how you know the fanbase is something special. Of course, baseball fans never need an excuse to visit Wrigley Field. But Cubs fans truly are among the most loyal and passionate you can ever hope to find.
1. Cardinals
Objectively, the Cardinals have the best fans in baseball. It feels like every day they attract a huge crowd to Busch Stadium. But it’s not just that they attract big crowds.
The fans in St. Louis are some of the most friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable baseball fans in the world. They even have no problem applauding a great play made by the other team. In other words, game recognizes game, which is why the Cardinals have the best MLB fans, no doubt about it.
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