fbpx
Skip to main content

Miami Dolphins Fans Worst in the NFL, Per Emory University Study

Miami Dolphins fans haven’t experienced much joy the past couple of decades, but it’s shocking to find out they have been ranked the worst in the league in a new study by Emory University.

Considering Dolphins fans cannot come close to understanding the decades-long agony of Cleveland Browns fans or the crushing defeatism of Jacksonville Jaguars fans, there’s no way this should be true, right?

Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel breaks down what the study factored in when coming to this conclusion:

“The study attempted to level the field of fandom by controlling factors such as market size, average income, stadium size and performance on the field in a way to attempt to take them out of the equation.”

It’s interesting to note that even one of the men who undertook this study was surprised at the findings.

“I thought the Dolphins would’ve done better,” said Manish Tripathi, who co-wrote the report with Mike Lewis at Emory Sports Marketing Analytics. “This isn’t just based on one year,” Tripathi said. “The data is computed over the past 15 years.”

Hyde suggests in his column that one of the reasons Miami fans might be disinterested in their team is the gorgeous weather in South Florida. After all, who wouldn’t rather spend a day at the beach than spend hours in a crowded stadium?

Wait a second, that describes EVERY loyal fan who pines for the start of training camp, who wakes up before sunrise to hit the parking lot early before games and who yells so loud on Sunday that speaking on Monday is for emergencies only.

Dolphins fans who haven’t allowed optimal conditions outside to get in the way of their continued loyalty will certainly take offense to this study.

And heck, it’s just one study and not the end-all, be-all guide to the worst fans in the league.

With that said, there’s no doubt the franchise has failed to generate the kind of interest one would expect. With ticket sales lagging, a poor television rating (No. 28 in the league) and a mediocre product on the field, owner Stephen Ross needs to get his PR machine cranking to fix what’s broken.

Photo Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

Mentioned in this article:

More About: