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Being a Los Angeles Lakers fan was a lot easier 10 years ago than it is today, but the fans are still as strong as ever despite missing the playoffs in each of the last four seasons.
According to a study by Fanatics on the “The Most Loyal NBA Fans,” Lakers fans ranked No. 2 only trailing the Golden State Warriors. The rankings are based on average arena attendance, social media following, and jersey sales.
The Lakers are ranked No. 1 in the NBA in social media following, where they have an average of 33 million followers between Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Trailing behind them by a wide margin are the Chicago Bulls, who have an average of 25.8 million followers across their social media platforms.
However, the Lakers have seen a slippage in some areas like attendance in recent years, ranking No. 10 overall in average attendance last year and this year. But they’re still among league leaders in jersey sales despite not having a surefire superstar on the roster.
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Loyalty is a hard thing to come by in the NBA these days, whether it be between players and their respective organizations or fanbases and their teams. In a world where Lakers fans are viewed as some of the most easily swayed in all of sports, it’s nice to see some numbers that show otherwise.
You can see the full study here to see how other teams did.