Most Popular Sports Team in US

[watchmaker49]

I really doubt that. Unless you mean $100 for both games of the series together. What's the ticket prices for a Gopher/Sioux game at REA? Around $40 or so?

Better than that 30% empty Mariucci Arena year in and year out where there is not even a market for Gopher hockey tickets. Don't even try and say it sells out when you can see plainly on TV all the empty seats. They should count the gate and not tickets sold and at best there are between 6-7K there only.

[JohnboyND7]

Better than that 30% empty Mariucci Arena year in and year out where there is not even a market for Gopher hockey tickets. Don't even try and say it sells out when you can see plainly on TV all the empty seats. They should count the gate and not tickets sold and at best there are between 6-7K there only.

Didn't the Gophers go through a bit of a rough stretch and last year was their first real good year in awhile? I'd imagine that Mariucci will have more luck putting butts in the seats this year.

[Siouxperfan7]

Didn't the Gophers go through a bit of a rough stretch and last year was their first real good year in awhile? I'd imagine that Mariucci will have more luck putting butts in the seats this year.

Its simple really. Win and people will come!!

[JohnboyND7]

Its simple really. Win and people will come!!

Exactly, people need a season to catch up.

[Sodbuster]

Exactly, people need a season to catch up.

And a reason.

[FSSD]

Its simple really. Win and people will come!!

Not a goph fan, but I have heard several people complain about ticket prices going up and many fans are not happy about Big 10 hockey. I am not saying that people will walk away from the Gopher program. But, fans are not happy for multiple reason and yes winning does take of most of it..

[Cratter]

How quickly some forget Sports Illustrated asked ND sports fans their favorite college team and UND Hockey came out on Top.

[JohnboyND7]

How quickly some forget Sports Illustrated asked ND sports fans their favorite team and UND Hockey came out on Top.

This might be true, with NDSU football possibly finding their place in FCS now, might finally be back to where things are back to where they should, right about even with UND hockey. Either way, much as I dislike UND, they bring good attention from the hockey world. NDSU football, as much as you folks don't like it, bring good attention from the FCS world.

Not a goph fan, but I have heard several people complain about ticket prices going up and many fans are not happy about Big 10 hockey. I am not saying that people will walk away from the Gopher program. But, fans are not happy for multiple reason and yes winning does take of most of it..

It will take some time I think, once Penn State gets on their feet and the rivalries start taking hold, I think they will be happy about B1G hockey. Lots of quality and big name programs.

[Cratter]

And soon things will be back to where they should be UND football right about even with NDSU Football.

[TheEagle]

I think this article makes sense. UND hockey is huge for us hockey fans and for the eastern side of the state but the Vikings pretty much rule the state. My family is originally from the western side of the state and they don't really follow hockey whatsoever, but every sunday they watch the Vikes. It would be close between the two....that is why they are correct in mentioning both of them. They need to correct the UAA division 2 hockey thing....they are D1

FYi they go state by state. Not top teams in the country.

Having grown up in the western part of the state, I can tell you there are tons of non-Viking fans in that area of the state. There are a lot of Packer fans, a surprising amount of Steeler fans, and some Bronco fans (or fans of any team but a Minnesota team).

[JohnboyND7]

Having grown up in the western part of the state, I can tell you there are tons of non-Viking fans in that area of the state. There are a lot of Packer fans, a surprising amount of Steeler fans, and some Bronco fans (or fans of any team but a Minnesota team).

I'm a Steeler fan. There are quite a few of us. Really helps that the Steelers dominated the 70's when a lot of people who are fans now were being raised. Those fans have kids(me), and those kids grow up wanting to be Jerome Bettis.

That doesn't change the fact that the Vikings are the most important team to the state. If they won the Super Bowl, it'd be a riot.

[TheEagle]

consider that the packers are probably a close 5th, and i think you understand my reasoning. Many people passionately hate and passionately love the vikings. The twins have a much broader base of fans. I can't really think of anyone who hates the twins

I agree with this. Of the Minnesota teams, the Twins have a broader range of support. There's a large segment of the population that dislikes the Vikings. I've rarely met anybody who dislikes the Twins. Fargo (perhaps Grand Forks also, but I don't get up there much) supports the Vikings as if they were in North Dakota, but the rest of the state is different.

[TheEagle]

I am one of those. My nephew hopefully be the 2nd string QB this year. UND recruited him but I couldn't talk him into playing for the Sioux.

Same here. This group includes most people from North Dakota who either aren't from Fargo or Grand Forks and/or didn't go to UND or NDSU.

[watchmaker49]

Didn't the Gophers go through a bit of a rough stretch and last year was their first real good year in awhile? I'd imagine that Mariucci will have more luck putting butts in the seats this year.

No it has been like this for a long time. This year will not be much different and next year will be worse.

[Blackheart]

That doesn't change the fact that the Vikings are the most important team to the state. If they won the Super Bowl, it'd be a riot.

You mean like the riots in Dinkytown?

[NDHockey]

No it has been like this for a long time. This year will not be much different and next year will be worse.

From what I have read, they've sold out their games for many years but the corporate seats are not being used. Sort of like the Olympics has been this year in London. These corporations buy up some of the best seats and then don't always have people using them.

[UNDColorado]

This might be true, with NDSU football possibly finding their place in FCS now, might finally be back to where things are back to where they should, right about even with UND hockey. Either way, much as I dislike UND, they bring good attention from the hockey world. NDSU football, as much as you folks don't like it, bring good attention from the FCS world.

Ohh Johnboy I do enjoy your posts from time to time but the Sports Illustrated article IS true, and the recent challenge between UND Hockey and NDSU Football really tells the tale:

UND Hockey blog 2,000,000+ pageviews

NDSU Football Blog 600,000 pageviews

They are not on the same level now and I would venture to say ever. Once again NDSU has a great football program, no doubt about it. But until SU football is playing in a conference like the Big Ten they will never be on the same level as UND Hockey.

Come to a UND Hockey in Denver or Colorado College and you will see what I mean when you see that half of the arenas attendance are UND fans. I also tend to agree with Catters post in that soon the normal thing will be UND Football about as even as SU Football.

[JohnboyND7]

This might be true, with NDSU football possibly finding their place in FCS now, might finally be back to where things are back to where they should, right about even with UND hockey. Either way, much as I dislike UND, they bring good attention from the hockey world. NDSU football, as much as you folks don't like it, bring good attention from the FCS world.

Ohh Johnboy I do enjoy your posts from time to time but the Sports Illustrated article IS true, and the recent challenge between UND Hockey and NDSU Football really tells the tale:

UND Hockey blog 2,000,000+ pageviews

NDSU Football Blog 600,000 pageviews

They are not on the same level now and I would venture to say ever. Once again NDSU has a great football program, no doubt about it. But until SU football is playing in a conference like the Big Ten they will never be on the same level as UND Hockey.

Come to a UND Hockey in Denver or Colorado College and you will see what I mean when you see that half of the arenas attendance are UND fans. I also tend to agree with Catters post in that soon the normal thing will be UND Football about as even as SU Football.

OK, once again, using Blog views is a ridiculous way of determining 'fandom.' If NDSU was in the B1G, which will never happen, they'd be so much more popular than UND it would be beyond ridiculous. North Dakota is a football/basketball state. Don't try saying it is a hockey state because beyond Grafton and Hazen-Beulah, no class B schools, and some class A schools don't play it. If there was a B1G option in the state, the other school would not matter to anyone.

Catters is entitled to think that UND football will catch up with NDSU, it will be tough however, NDSU might be entering a new phase of our history for all we know.

Using a game in Colorado eh? Well something tells me a most of those people are UND alums or fans from Colorado. That isn't part of the statistic no? I believe the issue was fans in the state of North Dakota. I honestly do not care how many fans NDSU has in Colorado, because once again, as I said, the population of North Dakota has about an equal GAS (give a S***) Factor when it comes to NDSU and UND.

[siouxkid12]

OK, once again, using Blog views is a ridiculous way of determining 'fandom.' If NDSU was in the B1G, which will never happen, they'd be so much more popular than UND it would be beyond ridiculous. North Dakota is a football/basketball state. Don't try saying it is a hockey state because beyond Grafton and Hazen-Beulah, no class B schools, and some class A schools don't play it. If there was a B1G option in the state, the other school would not matter to anyone.

Catters is entitled to think that UND football will catch up with NDSU, it will be tough however, NDSU might be entering a new phase of our history for all we know.

Using a game in Colorado eh? Well something tells me a most of those people are UND alums or fans from Colorado. That isn't part of the statistic no? I believe the issue was fans in the state of North Dakota. I honestly do not care how many fans NDSU has in Colorado, because once again, as I said, the population of North Dakota has about an equal GAS (give a S***) Factor when it comes to NDSU and UND.

Go to any arena UND plays at and I GUARANTEE half of that arena will be filled with Sioux Fans. NDSU is not and will not be on the same level at Sioux Hockey ever. You can try and spin it anyway you want to but the numbers just don't/won't add up.

[JohnboyND7]

Go to any arena UND plays at and I GUARANTEE half of that arena will be filled with Sioux Fans. NDSU is not and will not be on the same level at Sioux Hockey ever. You can try and spin it anyway you want to but the numbers just don't/won't add up.

Thats great that UND hockey is a major program in the hockey world, a lot of those fans are not from North Dakota. A lot of hockey fans will, just like in FBS football, pick a school that they have no association with. Example, I am a Notre Dame fan. I have never been to Indiana. And I doubt if they played at Boston College or BU that half the arena would be UND fans.

I state one more time, NDSU football and UND hockey are very similar in the state of North Dakota.

[sioux rube]

My dad can beat your dad up. This arguement of which is bigger in this state,UND hockey or Bison football, gets old. Who cares? I enjoy them both.

[darell1976]

OK, once again, using Blog views is a ridiculous way of determining 'fandom.' If NDSU was in the B1G, which will never happen, they'd be so much more popular than UND it would be beyond ridiculous. North Dakota is a football/basketball state. Don't try saying it is a hockey state because beyond Grafton and Hazen-Beulah, no class B schools, and some class A schools don't play it. If there was a B1G option in the state, the other school would not matter to anyone.

Catters is entitled to think that UND football will catch up with NDSU, it will be tough however, NDSU might be entering a new phase of our history for all we know.

Using a game in Colorado eh? Well something tells me a most of those people are UND alums or fans from Colorado. That isn't part of the statistic no? I believe the issue was fans in the state of North Dakota. I honestly do not care how many fans NDSU has in Colorado, because once again, as I said, the population of North Dakota has about an equal GAS (give a S***) Factor when it comes to NDSU and UND.

I thought according to Lakes they were already in the Big 10.

[JohnboyND7]

I thought according to Lakes they were already in the Big 10.

I forget that we are sometimes!

[UNDColorado]

OK, once again, using Blog views is a ridiculous way of determining 'fandom.' If NDSU was in the B1G, which will never happen, they'd be so much more popular than UND it would be beyond ridiculous. North Dakota is a football/basketball state. Don't try saying it is a hockey state because beyond Grafton and Hazen-Beulah, no class B schools, and some class A schools don't play it. If there was a B1G option in the state, the other school would not matter to anyone.

Catters is entitled to think that UND football will catch up with NDSU, it will be tough however, NDSU might be entering a new phase of our history for all we know.

Using a game in Colorado eh? Well something tells me a most of those people are UND alums or fans from Colorado. That isn't part of the statistic no? I believe the issue was fans in the state of North Dakota. I honestly do not care how many fans NDSU has in Colorado, because once again, as I said, the population of North Dakota has about an equal GAS (give a S***) Factor when it comes to NDSU and UND.

Spin away but SU Football will never be as big of a fan following as UND Hockey. Are you saying that that Sports Illustrated article was not published? You conveniently forgot to mention that in your spin.

A good example is when people here ask me where I am from and I say North Dakota, almost all of them mention "Oh yeah don't you guys have a good hockey program up there" or something along those lines. I have yet to hear anybody mention something about SU Football. I only tell them UND when they ask where I went to school so don't even try that argument. Once again spin away buddy.

[scpa0305]

Nice p!$$ing contest you all have here. Football/basketball rule everywhere in ND except the northeastern side which roots for hockey....UND is on the eastern side which most of you are from that is why you are rooting for the hockey argument. I am a die hard Sioux hockey fan and grew up playing hockey my whole life, but after leaving GF, I have fully excepted that those other sports rule. However I would say the most popular team in the state (which the original article was talking about) would be either the VIkes or Sioux hockey. NDSU/UND basketball teams are not very good (comparing them to other D1 basketball teams) and their football teams play AA (which no one outside of ND cares about....sorry guys had to be the one to inform you).