All around the world, sports fans invest plenty of emotion, money and time into following their favourite teams and players week in and week out.
The NRL and NFL have plenty of fans that are no different.
From Buffalo Bills fans in New York jumping through burning tables before games to the spinechilling Viking Clap from Raiders supporters.
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With the NRL set to open their season in the US next week, we’ve listed some of the most fanatical supporters in both our great game and the NFL.
Here foxsports.com.au takes a look at five of most passionate fan bases in the NRL and NFL (no particular order).
NRL
BRISBANE BRONCOS
They did enjoy one of their best seasons in recent years in 2023, but time and time again the Broncos crush the stadium attendance numbers comparative to the rest of the league.
In 2023, the Broncos had 405,000 fans attend their home games for an average of 33,792.
It certainly helps that until last year, Brisbane was a one-team city.
However, in what is an indicator that Queenslanders love their rugby league, the Dolphins were the second highest team by attendance in 2023, with 310,520 fans rolling through the gates across their 12 home games – in their debut season!
TOP 5 TEAMS BY HOME ATTENDANCE IN 2023
1. Brisbane Broncos
2. Dolphins
3. Newcastle Knights
4. NZ Warriors
5. Sydney Roosters
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
You can never accuse the Novocastrians of being disloyal.
Knights’ fans have been starved of success for over 20 years, with their last title coming in 2001.
It was only last year that they hosted their first home final since 2008, and it was a sell out, much like most of the home games during their terrific winning stretch in the back half of the season.
The city is abuzz when the team’s doing well, but even when the Knights aren’t flying high, their fans turn up to McDonald Jones Stadium to show their support.
Rugby league is a big part of Newcastle’s fabric, and the game’s clearly stronger whenever the Knights and their fans have something to celebrate.
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
For some time, they were fighting a losing battle with rugby union, but the tide has changed since the pandemic ended and the Warriors were able to base themselves at home.
A surprising year in 2023 certainly was a catalyst to see the fans flood back to Mt Smart Stadium, with nearly all of NZ swept up by the infectious ‘Up the Wahs’ movement.
Sellout crowds attended the games and vendors on ground had record sales. The Warriors’ home final against the Knights (the first in 15 years) was one of the biggest events in New Zealand.
The Warriors also boast one of the most recognisable fans in the NRL – the Mt Smart Joker.
The Joker has been heading to games dressed like the super villain for 12 years, and for diehard fans like him, it’s great to see the Warriors have some success last season.
And while the 2024 season has yet to commence, it appears the momentum from last year has carried on with just under 14,000 attending the Warriors’ trial game over the Tigers.
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CANBERRA RAIDERS
“We’re big ‘n’ strong, we’re fast ‘n’ mean. That’s why we’re called the Green Machine.”
You know it’s game day in Canberra when the temperature is hovering around zero and those lyrics can be heard pumping out GIO Stadium hundreds of metres from the ground.
Everybody loves a winner but they really love a winner down in Canberra and when the Raiders are flying, the city is pumping.
The Green Machine faithful have created one of the best atmospheres in the NRL since adopting The Viking Clap in 2016.
In 2019, when the club charged to its first grand final in 25 years, they were hanging from the rafters during the Raiders’ preliminary final win over the Rabbitohs.
Canberra have made the finals every year since, bar 2021, which means the crowds have remained steady.
If they get a new stadium in the city, which has been talked about for the past decade, they’ll go close to selling it out every week.
Honourable Mention: Parramatta Eels, North Queensland Cowboys, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
NFL
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
All Philadelphia sports fandom is wild, but football is numero uno in that city.
From the perspective of opposition teams, the reputation of Eagles fans isn’t a great one, with visiting players constantly booed or yelled expletives at.
Listening to Philadelphia talk back radio after an Eagles loss is a highlight. No team’s fan base rides the result of a game more.
They expect excellence of their own team as well. Two or three bad games from a star player could cause some fans calling for change.
A famous incident in Eagles lore occurred in 1968 which signifies the outrageous conduct of Philadelphia fans.
With the Eagles struggling that year, compiling a 2-11 record before a December 15 game against the Vikings, the team bought out Santa Claus to the field as a way to garner some Christmas joy.
However, fans didn’t see the lighter side, choosing to the throw snowballs, beer bottles and food at the Santa.
BUFFALO BILLS
Potentially the most famous fan base in the NFL.
Nicknamed ‘Bills Mafia’, these passionate supporters are some of the fiercely loyal fans you’ll encounter.
The Buffalo Bills have had a painful past, having never won a Super Bowl despite making four straight in the 1990s.
Despite this, Bills Mafia have continued to brave sometimes freezing cold conditions (shirts optional), and as recent as last season, will head to the stadium to help shovel snow off the ground and grandstand in order for a game to be played.
Not only that, but the antics of Bills Mafia is
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
When a team retires the No.12 jersey forever to pay tribute to the fans, you know they must be pretty special.
Former team President Mike McCormack retired the jersey in 1984 to honour the impact of the team’s fans or 12th man and a flag with a 12 emblazoned on it flies high above Seattle’s Lumen Field.
Just to quantify how crazy Seahawks fans can get during games, the noise and crowd activity was so great during a touchdown run from former running back Marshawn Lynch in a playoff game against New Orleans, that it resulted a small tremor to register.
Because of this, that run from Lynch in early 2011 will forever be known as ‘Beast Quake’ in reference to Lynch’s nicknam of Beast Mode.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
One of the most storied franchises in NFL history.
They are tied with the Patriots for most Super Bowl titles (6), however recent success has been hard to come by.
While always solid and mostly competitive against all teams, Pittsburgh have had trouble getting over the hump since hoisting the Lombardi in 15 years ago.
That hasn’t stopped the fans coming out though.
The Steelers have managed to sell out every home game dating back to 2001.
Not counting the COVID-affected years, that’s well over 150 straight games.
DALLAS COWBOYS
Loved by many, loathed by plenty, the Dallas Cowboys are easily one of the most polarising franchises in sports.
Not many teams are disliked by rival fans as much as they are, however their own supporter base is one of the most passionate in the country.
Labelled ‘America’s Team’, the Cowboys are one of the richest sporting franchises in the USA.
Owner Jerry Jones’ move to build the massive AT & T Stadium in Arlington, Texas – which opened in 2009 – was a masterstroke.
The stadium can hold up to 105,000 and Cowboys fans go close to selling it out, with an average of just under 94,000 flooding through the gates.
That’s easily the biggest such average in the NFL.
Honourable Mention: Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs
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