Determining which NFL team has the fewest fans is not a straightforward task. There are a few different factors that can be used to estimate a team’s fanbase size, such as attendance, TV ratings, and social media followers. However, each metric has its flaws and none provide a complete picture on their own. By compiling data from multiple sources, we can get a better sense of which teams likely have the smallest number of loyal supporters.
Analyzing Attendance
One simple way to gauge a team’s fanbase is by looking at attendance numbers. Which teams are able to fill their stadiums and which ones struggle to put fans in the seats on a weekly basis? Over the past decade, the NFL team that has ranked last in average attendance multiple times is the Los Angeles Chargers.
Since moving from San Diego to the Los Angeles area in 2017, the Chargers have had trouble attracting consistent crowds. Playing in the LA Galaxy’s stadium their first three seasons certainly didn’t help—Dignity Health Sports Park seats only 27,000 for football. But even after moving into the brand new SoFi Stadium in 2020, the Chargers have had embarrassingly small audiences. Their 2021 average attendance was only 51,482 in the 70,240 seat facility, 29th out of 32 teams.
| Team | 2021 Average Attendance |
|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 93,621 |
| Denver Broncos | 76,125 |
| Green Bay Packers | 77,991 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 73,126 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 64,450 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 68,860 |
| New England Patriots | 65,878 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 51,482 |
| Detroit Lions | 51,522 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 61,796 |
Granted, Los Angeles is a massive market with many entertainment options and that plays some role in the weak turnout. The Chargers also share their stadium with the popular LA Rams. However, the Rams averaged 72,989 fans in 2021, much healthier than the Chargers.
Some Caveats on Attendance
There are a few factors that make attendance an imperfect metric for judging fan interest. For one, stadium capacity varies significantly, so averaging 50,000 fans may be a sellout for some teams but lots of empty seats for others. Weather can also impact turnout, especially in cold weather cities.
However, when a team consistently fills only 63% of seats like the Chargers, it’s hard to argue that the fanbase isn’t among the weakest in the NFL. Even with the LA market’s other options, a team playing in one of the newest and best stadiums should not be second-last in attendance if fan interest in the team is strong.
TV Viewership and Ratings
Another way to measure fan interest that accounts for market size differences is TV ratings. NFL teams make most of their money from media deals, so the number of people watching games on TV provides valuable insight into their popularity.
Which team consistently ranks at the bottom in ratings and viewership? Once again, the data points to the Los Angeles Chargers.
In 2021, ratings for Chargers games on ESPN and the NFL Network were the lowest among all NFL teams. Their three NFL Network broadcasts only averaged 2.5 million viewers, over 1 million less than the channel’s next lowest rated team, the Atlanta Falcons.
| Team | 2021 Average Viewers (in millions) |
|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 24.29 |
| New England Patriots | 22.03 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 21.01 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 20.51 |
| Green Bay Packers | 20.28 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 18.23 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 14.72 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 17.70 |
| Chicago Bears | 16.62 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 16.60 |
The trend holds true going back several years. Dating back to 2016 when they were still in San Diego, the Chargers have ranked in the bottom three in average viewership across all major networks.
TV ratings again have some flaws, as teams in bigger markets have more potential viewers. But the Chargers’ consistently low viewership even within the massive LA area points to limited interest.
Chargers’ Ratings Challenges
One factor that exacerbates the Chargers’ ratings struggles is having to compete with the Rams for viewers. While most NFL cities only have one team vying for fans’ attention, the Chargers have to split the market. With the Rams firmly established in LA dating back to their previous stint from 1946-1994, they were always going to be the favored team.
The Chargers also lack star power and success compared to other low-rated teams. For example, the New York Jets rank 25th in viewership because their market is so large. But their popularity is boosted by having a young, exciting QB in Zach Wilson. The Chargers lack players with that kind of draw.
Social Media Followers
Lastly, we can look to NFL teams’ social media followers as a gauge of fanbase passion. Social media allows brands to connect directly with current and potential fans in a way that transcends market size.
While not a perfect correlation, the number of followers a team has on platforms like Twitter and Instagram provides clues as to their broader fanbase size. And once again, the Chargers lag far behind their competitors.
On both Twitter and Instagram, the Chargers have noticeably fewer followers than any other NFL franchise. The Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals are next lowest on Twitter, while the Cincinnati Bengals come in 31st on Instagram.
| Team | Twitter Followers | Instagram Followers |
|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 3.6 million | 5.5 million |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3.1 million | 4.6 million |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2.6 million | 3.7 million |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 973,000 | 1.5 million |
| Atlanta Falcons | 1 million | 1.6 million |
| Arizona Cardinals | 1.2 million | 1.9 million |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1.5 million | 1.6 million |
Social media is also the least constrained by market factors. Teams like the Packers and Steelers have massive online followings because they have loyal, nationwide fanbases. The Chargers’ relatively paltry online presence is thus a clear sign of limited interest.
Conclusion
While no metric provides a perfect measure of NFL fanbases, together they paint a consistent picture—the Los Angeles Chargers have struggled to build an enthusiastic following. Their small crowds, low TV ratings, and limited social media footprint all point to them having the fewest engaged fans in the league.
The Chargers face major challenges building a fanbase in the crowded LA market after relocating there just a few years ago. They lack the star power, success, and history that typically help teams establish a foothold in a new region. Even playing in the impressive SoFi Stadium has done little to generate buzz.
Of course, the Chargers’ situation could change quickly with time, better on-field performance, and effective marketing. But as of right now, the data suggests that if you’re looking for the NFL team with the fewest loyal supporters, look no further than the Los Angeles Chargers.