Philadelphia Eagles fans have never needed much evidence to prove their passion. The last thing we need are numbers to validate our fandom. Naturally, Nielsen has some anyway.
Nielsen, known for tracking television ratings, released a new barometer of modern fandom in August that measures how much each fan base bleeds for its team. It’s called the Nielsen Scarborough NFL Fandom Index.
The index used eight metrics to rank each of the NFL’s 32 fan bases: apparel purchases, general interest, live-event attendance, betting intent, social media engagement, radio listenership, streaming habits, and TV viewership.
Nielsen ranked the Philadelphia market No. 5 overall based on those metrics. Buffalo topped the list, followed by Kansas City, Green Bay and Cincinnati. New York, meanwhile, ranked at the very bottom of the index.
But No. 5 just doesn’t seem right. Nielsen said Philly fans earned their spot not by dominating any single category, but by ranking in the top five in five of the eight metrics tracked by the index.
Let’s see exactly how our fans fared in each category. Here’s how Philly stacked up.
Sports betting
Of the eight metrics, Philly fans ranked highest in this category, landing at the No. 2 spot for intent to place a bet on their team, trailing only Minneapolis.
With that being said: The Eagles are 5.5-point favorites in their season opener against the Commanders
Apparel purchasing
From Mitchell & Ness to the guy selling gear on the side of the road, there’s rarely a piece of paraphernalia Philly fans don’t want.
That’s why Philadelphia ranked No. 3 in apparel purchasing, behind only Kansas City and Buffalo.
TV viewership and radio listenership
Philadelphia fans ranked No. 9 overall in radio listenership and TV viewership.
Sports radio can be heard from every other passing car or construction site in the city. Win or lose, Eagles fans head to their sports radio station of choice to revel in victory or search for answers after a defeat.
Philadelphia ranked behind Buffalo, Green Bay, Kansas City, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh and Detroit.
Streaming and social media following
In the age of streaming, Eagles fans haven’t missed a beat, ranking No. 4 in streaming.
With games now available on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, Philly fans have shown they’ll find a way to watch their Birds, no matter where the game lands.
Philly fans also rank No. 5 in social media following. The Eagles’ Instagram page has the third-highest following among NFL teams, with 4.8 million followers.
Events attended
You might’ve heard the phrase, “Eagles fans travel well.” There may be a little myth to that.
Philly ranked No. 13 in events attended, putting Eagles fans near the middle of the pack.
Interest level
In a city with all the major professional sports, Philly fans never fail to show up for their teams. But when it comes to the Eagles, that support reaches a fever pitch once the season kicks off.
That passion helped Philadelphia land at No. 5 in this category, behind Buffalo, Kansas City, Green Bay and Cincinnati.
In a city where “Go Birds” replaces “hello” during football season, that seems a little low to us.
