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Houston Astros’ fans are ranked #4 by Fandom 250
By Brian Murray
The FanSided network has released their 3rd annual Fandom 250 and the fans of the Houston Astros have been ranked #4 among MLB teams.
The initial Fandom 250 first came out in 2016, omitting the Astros fans in their ranking. After the Astros won the World Series in 2017, the fandom of the Houston Astros came in at #7 among MLB teams and #118 of the entire 250. This year they climbed to fourth in the MLB category and an overall ranking of #36.
Hey, Houston #Astros fans! Where do your fans rank in our @FanSided #Fandom250? https://t.co/KxE5a91QQx
— Chris Headrick (@ChrisMHeadrick) December 5, 2018
FanSided was co-founded by brothers Zach and Adam Best, born out of their blog Arrowhead Addicts covering the Kansas City Chiefs in 2007. The network was officially launched in 2009 and now consists of over 300 fan based websites covering sports, entertainment and lifestyle. The Fandom 250 was the brainchild of Adam Best, ranking everything from sports fans, celebrities, and TV shows to sports figures and brands.
Not surprisingly, the Boston Red Sox were the #1 ranked fandom, followed by the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs. The Red Sox came in third out of the entire Fandom 250. Rounding out the remaining MLB teams that were ranked are the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants and finally the Cleveland Indians coming in at ninth.
As many of you are well aware, Houston has become somewhat of a melting pot of fans from all over the country, as the city has grown over the years. But the more you watch this team and witness the camaraderie, spirit and drive of these players, you can’t help but be drawn in as a fan. Of course, winning a World Series can’t hurt the growth of a fan base either.
Where I feel the Astros, and baseball in general, got cheated was in the Fandom 250 category of sports figures. Out of the twenty athletes that made the cut, only one MLB player was ranked. Shohei Ohtani came in at 17th among sports figures and 196th overall. No Justin Verlander? Where’s Jose Altuve? Although I will give kudos to our local Houston Texans’ linebacker J. J. Watt for coming in at #6 on the list.
Next. Astros: Breaking down the signing of Robinson Chirinos. dark
It’s been a fun ride for the Astros fans these past few years, watching this team develop into a championship team and become a close-knit group. Maybe next year they can not only reclaim the top spot in baseball, but take the lead in the Fandom 250.