Bears fan base proudly beats Packers in FanSided 250 rankings
By Ryan Heckman
The Chicago Bears may be having a disappointing season, but their fans have been as loyal as it gets.
Each year, FanSided puts together a calculated, well-structured list of fan bases amongst sports, entertainment and pop culture: The FanSided 250. This year, the Chicago Bears checked in at number 38 overall.
That’s a pretty incredible spot, all things considered.
On a list of fan bases including the likes of Taylor Swift, the Los Angeles Lakers, Game of Thrones and several other major names, to see an NFL franchise like the Bears ranked so high is an accomplishment.
After all, in today’s world of social media and entertainment, much of the youth are more concerned about the latest Drake album than what Ryan Pace is going to do in free agency.
Yet, the Bears still dominate in terms of social engagement, web searches and, of course, the dollar. Bears fans are as loyal as they come — and we’ve earned it.
Chicago has seen many years of dull, disgusting football. We can always cling to one of the greatest teams ever, though: The 1985 Bears.
Outside of ’85, it’s the very early years and a few strong seasons in the 2000’s which we can hang our hat on. Otherwise, we’ve gone through a lot of pain.
One of the most painful parts about being a Bears fan is seeing a team like the Green Bay Packers twice per year — a team that has been more relevant than the Bears in recent years (aside from 2018, of course).
Bears fans have had to deal with over 20 years of both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers crushing their hopes and dreams on several occasions. It’s brutal, a lot of the time, if we’re being honest.
Yet, Soldier Field continues to pack it in each and every Sunday. Fans continue to be engaged with their team and news via social media and the web. We continue to spend more and more money on apparel. We are some of the best fans in the world, and because of that, a ranking of no. 38 — out of every possible “fan base” in existence — should make all Bears fans extremely proud.
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Oh, and by the way, Green Bay Packers fans checked in at no. 44 — a respectable number. But, they’re still not as high as the Bears. So, as far as the ultimate NFC North fandom debate goes, the Bears and their fan base have that on lock.