Birmingham, Alabama, has been identified as the metropolitan area with the most passionate college football fans, according to a new study released by television data company Nielsen. The 'Nielsen Scarborough Local College Football Fandom Index' analyzed eight metrics to determine fandom intensity across the country.
These metrics included apparel purchases, event attendance, streaming habits, social media following, television viewership, radio listening, betting intent, and overall interest in the sport. The findings were grouped by media markets, reflecting Nielsen's expertise in television ratings.
Following Birmingham, which represents fans of the University of Alabama and Auburn University, the Des Moines/Ames market in Iowa secured the second spot. This area is home to the fanbases of Iowa and Iowa State. Columbus, Ohio, the home of Ohio State University, ranked third.
The top five markets are rounded out by Omaha, Nebraska, and Knoxville, Tennessee, home to the University of Tennessee. Of these top five locations, only Columbus also hosts a 'Big Four' professional sports team, the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets.
The study also highlighted markets ranked sixth through tenth: Oklahoma City (Oklahoma and Oklahoma State), Chattanooga (Tennessee), New Orleans (LSU), Atlanta (Georgia and Georgia Tech), and Memphis (Memphis, Ole Miss). All of these markets, with the exception of Chattanooga, are also home to a 'Big Four' professional sports franchise.
Atlanta and Cleveland, which tied for 20th place, were the only markets within the top-20 to host at least three 'Big Four' professional sports teams. The current college football season is underway, with significant games scheduled for the upcoming weekend.