Top Ten American Sports Franchises
Saturday, August 1, 2009 14:01
A few weeks ago I was listening to a morning radio program and the announcers read a list they found on the Internet of the “Top Ten American Sports Franchises”. Quite simply, the list was a complete joke full of bias for and against certain cities as well as entire sports (basketball was over-represented, to the detriment of hockey, which was not included at all).
I felt the only way to respond was to generate my own such Top Ten list.
I had to set some ground rules for my selection process. First off, since winning championships is the ultimate goal of any sports franchise, the best team in any given sport has to be the one with the most titles. No ifs, ands or buts. That is the very definition of being the best in one’s sport.
The above rule made the slotting of four teams (though not necessarily their order) very easy. For the remaining six, however, other factors come into play that could very well mean a team with less championships being ranked higher than a team with more in the same sport. These factors include the strength of the teams’ other (non-championship) history, dominance over shorter periods of time, size and scope of a teams’ fanbase, and whether the team has stayed put in one city or moved locations.
Comparisons between sports involved the length of the league’s history, the number of teams playing in the league over the years, and the sport’s overall place in the American consciousness.
Without further to do, my Top Ten American Sports Franchises:
10. San Francisco 49ers (5 championships, 5th in NFL)
The Niners were the team of the 80s in the NFL. At a perfect 5-0, San Francisco has the best winning percentage in Super Bowl history of any franchise that has played more than one game (three teams are 1-0).
9. Detroit Red Wings (11 championships, 3rd in NHL)
The Red Wings have the third most titles in the NHL, but unlike the second place Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit has recent dominance at a time when the NHL has developed into a much larger league. The grueling nature of the Stanely Cup playoffs makes any repeated runs at the title that much more impressive. Hockeytown has as much lore as any other US NHL city.
7-tie. St. Louis Cardinals (10 championships, 2nd in MLB)
The Cardinals are the senior circuit’s answer to the Yankees, but for some reason their great history of success is relatively overlooked. The Cards have seventeen pennants to go along with their ten titles and have been a consistently competitive team throughout their history. They have a great fanbase but, at least these days, don’t receive the national acclaim they deserve.
7-tie. Boston Red Sox (7 championships, 4th in MLB)
The Red Sox were these dominant team in the early part of the 20th century, winning five titles in sixteen years. Then came the long drought during which even the losses were epic, followed by the recent resurgence starting in 2004. The Boston Pilgrims’ victory over Pittsburgh in the very first World Series was pivotal in establishing the American League as a competitor to the National. Red Sox Nation is as strong as any team’s national following, and walking into Fenway Park is the epitome of entering baseball history.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (6 championships, 4th in NFL)
The Steelers make one of the largest leaps in the ranking, jumping over two football teams with more titles than the ‘Burgh. Why? Pittsburgh has been the dominant team of the Super Bowl era, with all six of their championships coming during that period when the NFL’s size and popularity grew by leaps and bounds. The Steelers also have a great national following.
5. Los Angeles Lakers (15 championship, 2nd in NBA)
Lakers’ fans will most definitely object to being ranked fifth, but they cannot argue with the fact that the Lake Show is only second in NBA titles (albeit first in Finals appearances). The Lakers also lose points due to the fact that they moved from Minneapolis and five of their titles came in their former home (team-city stability counts). But in every other manner the Lakers are easily one of the top American sports franchises.
4. Montreal Canadiens (23 championships, 1st in NHL)
The Canadiens have the second most titles of any team in any sport, but they fall to fourth for a couple of reasons. Hockey, for a long time, has been the little brother to the other three sports in terms of popularity. The NHL also had fewer teams than its brethren for most of its history, and thus less teams to beat for the title.
3. Boston Celtics (17 championships, 1st in NBA)
The NBA has the shortest history of the Big Four and the Celtics have won over a quarter of the league’s championships. Boston’s dynasty under Red Auberach in the 1960s was as dominant as any professional team has ever been, and the Celtics hold a huge margin over their closest competitors, the Lakers, in head-to-head Finals match-ups (9-2).
2. Green Bay Packers (12 championships, 1st in NFL)
The Packers leap over the Celtics and Canadiens due to the NFL’s current stature as America’s most popular sport. Green Bay’s success is all the more impressive due to it being the smallest market of any franchise in the Big Four sports. The Pack is the only NFL team to three-peat… and they’ve done so twice! Heck, the NFL’s Championship trophy is named after Vince Lombardi, and is there any more famous football stadium than Lambeau Field?
1. New York Yankees (26 championships, 1st in MLB)
I hate ‘em, but the Yankees are the best of the best in every which way. More titles than any other team in any other sport. Dominance over an extended period of time. And baseball, despite its losses to football over the last thirty years, was the dominant sport for most of the 20th century, earning its nickname as America’s Pastime.
Most Honorable Mention: Chicago Cubs (2 championships, tied with many in MLB)
The Cubs can’t be justified for the Top Ten, due to the team only notching two World Series titles on its belt, but they are still a “great” franchise. Chicago’s greatness, however, comes not from its success but from its lack thereof. The years of losing have only fueled the loyalty and fanaticism of the Cubbie fans. Wrigley Field is the second oldest major league ballpark and a place of beauty. Quite simply, the Cubs have a mystical aura around them that transcends championship success.
Other Honorable Mentions:
Oakland Athletics (9 championships, 3rd in MLB; 5 while in Philadelphia)
Los Angeles Dodgers (6 championships, 5th in MLB; 1 while in Brooklyn)
Chicago Bears (9 championships, 2nd in NFL)
New York Giants (7 championship, 3rd in NFL)
Chicago Bulls (6 championships, 3rd in NBA)
Toronto Maple Leafs (13 championships, 2nd in NHL)
32 Responses to “Top Ten American Sports Franchises”
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Michael
says:
August 8th, 2009 at 1:11 am
Packers second? I wouldn't have them that high. Oh well, nice list.
Nate Barlow
says:
August 8th, 2009 at 1:22 am
Glad you like the list!
I admit on the face of it the Packers may seem an odd choice, but remember my Rule #1: the greatest team in any sport is the one with the most championships, which in the NFL translates to the Packers (this is inclusive of the pre-Super Bowl era). Does such a rule favor the longer-lived teams? Absolutely, but part of greatness is longevity.
The Packers then receive the nod over the Celtics and the Canadiens because of football's dominance in the American sporting scene. But the worst I could have rated them was fourth.
Vince
says:
August 13th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Hey Nate, this is an excellent top ten list. You can't really argue with your picks here, a good combination of each major sport. Not sure about your Cubbie pick for honorable mention, they have been terrible for decades. You can cross-post this to our site http://www.toptentopten.com/ and link back to your site. We are trying to create a directory for top ten lists where people can find your site. The coolest feature is you can let other people vote on the rankings of your list.
susan01
says:
August 29th, 2009 at 6:05 am
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Susan
http://onlinemariogames.net
online sports
says:
February 1st, 2010 at 8:01 am
Great post! This is an amazing online sports site! I am surprised thar this online sports site is not listed as a Top on the latest ranking at http://www.dozensports.com? I am a huge online sports fan and love to watch NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB. I thought your site would be listed there already. Keep up the good work.
Cody
says:
April 19th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
How in god green earth did you leave the Dallas Cowboys of your list? Have 5 super bowls and most playoff appreances, most league championships, the most super bowl appreances of all-time.
Nate Barlow
says:
April 20th, 2010 at 2:01 am
The best the Cowboys could have done is knock off the 49ers, although they do have a very good argument for doing so. The Packers have to take the top spot among NFL teams since they have the most NFL Championships, period–remember this is an all-time list, so the pre-Super Bowl days are just as important as the post-SB days. The Steelers take second since they have the most Super Bowl victories. I gave the Niners the nod since they are perfect in 5 appearances, which is impressive, though the number of Cowboys appearances is equally impressive. Ultimately, though, greatness in sports is measured by titles won, not the number of times the championship game is made.
Cody
says:
April 30th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
So your reasoning for putting the 49ers ahead of the Cowboys is b/c they have won more titles? Um last i checked 5=5. Your case makes no since, the 49ers have won 5 and the Cowboys have won 5, but the cowboys have been to 8 and the 49ers 5. Might need to explain your reasoning alittle more there. Plus Cowboys have been great over time, the 49ers were really a decade flash in time. Cowboys were arguably the best team of the 70's (if they had beaten the Steelers once), and were the best team of the 90s, and with out much down periods in between. The 49ers before the 80s were a very average team, and after there good run from 1979 to 1998, are again average or worse. You say you hate bias but it is kind of sounding like you have one. I mean come on you don’t even have the Cowboys in your honorable mention.
Nate Barlow
says:
April 30th, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Wow, you don't read very well, do you? I never said the 49ers have won more titles–only that they are perfect in the Super Bowl appearances. I agree that the Cowboys have a legitimate argument to take the 49ers spot, absolutely. Some one good one direction, some the other. Since the SB victories are tied, I went with the Niners for that perfect record. Perhaps I should have put the Cowboys in Honorable Mention, I admit.
And as for accusing me of bias, that shows you know absolutely nothing about me. I'm a Patriot fan; I have no feelings about either the Niners or Cowboys. Not my divisions, not my conference. If any bias, I should be tilted towards the Cowboys, since my in-laws are from outside Dallas. For goodness sake, I picked my least favorite team of all time as #1. Bias, please?
Yours, however, is readily apparent. Try ignoring yours for a little before accusing others without merit. Classy.
Nate Barlow
says:
May 6th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Again, the person reeking of desperation to have me support their team accuses me of having a bias.
Farcical. And pathetic.
I have nothing against the Cowboys. There are only a couple teams I truly despise in the NFL, and they are not one of them.
I don't need to admit anything. Legitimate arguments can be made for both. I chose one way, and someone else could chose the other, and in my book, either one of us would be equally right.
I liked the Niners' perfection in 5 attempts over the Cowboys many more Super Bowls to attain those 5 victories. The Cowboys may have dominance over time, but the Niners' total dominance over a shorter period of time is only matched by the Steelers. You are right that playoff appearances, conference championships and division championships are in the Cowboys favor. No argument there.
The net worth of the franchise has absolutely no bearing on this argument. And the "America's Team" argument is laughable. The Cowboys may indeed have legitimately earned that nickname in the past, but it is no longer the case. Go anywhere in the country outside the 'Boys home fan base and the Cowboys are hated. The teams of the 90s garnered a lot of ill will with the antics of Michael Irwin and others (not to mention the recent willingness to continue to sign bad apples such as Pacman Jones). Most people I know (myself not included) despise them–and I have lived all over the country, so I have a breadth of experience to base that observation on them.
If any team in the NFL deserves that monicker now, I would have to say it belongs to the Steelers. From what I've seen, they have the widest, strongest fan base with the least animosity (outside of division rivals). Considering how small a city Pittsburgh is compared to many of its competitors, that makes the Steelers fans support all the more impressive.
Cody
says:
May 6th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Ok, no bias heer, you said you picked the 49ers because they have been perfect in the super bowls, ok why? Why is their 5 super bowl wins more impressive than the Cowboys 5?
Cody
says:
May 6th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
So lets rank these two based on your own criteria. “other factors come into play that could very well mean a team with less championships being ranked higher than a team with more in the same sport. These factors include the strength of the teams’ other history, dominance over shorter periods of time, size and scope of a teams’ fanbase, and whether the team has stayed put in one city ”
1. Championships: Super bowls- Cowboys-5-3 (0-2 NFL Champ to the packers) 49ers 5-0
2. Conf champ: 49ers-5 Cowboys-10 (Two before super bowl era)
3. Division champ: 49ers- 17 Cowboys-21 (NFC east >>>>>>>>>>>>NFC west)
4. Playoff app: 49ers- 23 Cowboys- 30
5. playoff match up: Dallas is 5-2 versus the 49ers
6. Fan base- There is a reason the Cowboys are called America’s team (See below)
7. Location: Both have remained in the same location since inception.
8. Dominance over time: Cowboys late 60s, 70s, early 80s & 90s (NFL record 20 consecutive winning seasons), 49ers 80s, early 90s–
Cody
says:
May 6th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
An article from Forbes Magazine, dated September 2, 2009, lists the Cowboys as the highest valued sports franchise in the history United States, and second in the world, with an estimated value of approximately $1.65 billion, below of the Washington Redskins ($1.5 billion) and the New England Patriots ($1.361 billion). They are also one of the wealthiest teams in the NFL, generating almost $269 million in annual revenue.
Cody
says:
May 6th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
You sir have no ground to walk on in this argument, again you either have bias (you either hate or love the Cowboys) or you have been misinformed or didn’t do your homework either way, you need to admit you made the wrong choice.
Cody
says:
May 10th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Ok, maybe I haven’t said this so it is my fault and for that I am sorry, but I am not a Cowboy fan. Believe it or not I am an Eagles fan. So if anybody hates them it is me, but what I hate worse is writers/ESPN spewing there own; bias, opinion what ever you want to call it. You are simply ignoring FACTS, and then you call pathetic. I go by your own guidelines, and you still argue. “Cowboys may have dominance over time, but the 49ers' total dominance over a shorter period” So what you are telling me is forget get the FACT that the Cowboys have had more success than the 49ers, they still don’t belong above them. Look I agree with you that the 49ers run was very impressive; however, one decade should not make an top ten American franchise (NFL sure).
Cody
says:
May 10th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Also short period of dominance, 70s Cowboys won more games then any other team, went to more super bowls as well. If the Cowboys win one of those super bowls against the Steelers they are the team of that decade too. They went to 5 super bowls in the 70s, and then were the team of the decade in the 90s, so they have two decades of “short period dominance” to the 49ers one. Lets have an experiment you take one decade away from the cowboys and I will take one away from the 49ers, and then we will see which Franchise looks better ok? I pick the 80s for the 49ers. Also to your “short period of dominance” argument, the Cowboys have only been around 60 years, and have just as many championships as your 49ers and many other older teams. Again 49ers a top ten NFL franchise no doubt, American franchise no.
Cody
says:
May 10th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
“Net worth of the franchise has absolutely no bearing on this argument.” What are you kidding? “size and scope of a teams’ fanbase” Again going by YOUR criteria. Net worth illustrates how much a franchise makes in things including ………. I will wait for you to catch up, ticket sells (both home and away games, which the last time I looked the Cowboys were the number one grossing team), jersey sells, merchandise sells, and last but not least TOTAL SUCCESS OF THE FRANCHISE. The more successful a franchise is the more valuable they are simple economics, I don’t see the Detroit lions toping any lists do you? This just show you either have a bias that you are hiding, ignore facts, or just don’t have enough sense to put it all together.
Cody
says:
May 10th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Oh, and by the way the Cowboys are defiantly America’s Team. And you provide my point “Go anywhere in the country outside the 'Boys home fan base and the Cowboys are hated” love or hate them everybody cares about the Cowboys. The Cowboys are the Notre Dame or New York Yankees of the NFL, people either love them or hate them bottom line, but everyone wants to watch them play! Again I have to connect the dots for you. Is there moniker America’s most loved team? Nope just America’s team! And please tell me you know the history of were that moniker even came from or I will scream.
Cody
says:
May 10th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Look I am sure you know a lot but with this argument you are seriously losing some cred in my opinion. Also do you know how big the Cowboys “home fan base” is? Texas (Houston maybe not), Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana (those who are not Saints fans), New Mexico, Mexico, Arizona, and you are not the only one who has live in multiple places there are a ton of Cowboy fans in California. I am not sure where you have lived, but the southwest is Cowboys haven my friend. And you’re right I didn’t see many Cowboy fans back in philly, but since I moved around I notice a lot more. From what I am getting from you is you’re another media guy who only knows the east coast which is fine but why don’t you get some, south, west southwest perspective.
Cody
says:
May 20th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Here is some more for you.http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ys-forbesbr...
Cody
says:
June 1st, 2010 at 9:12 pm
What are you a coward i prove you wrong and you have nothing to say? Pathetic!!!!!
Nate Barlow
says:
June 1st, 2010 at 9:18 pm
Ooo, coward, what a tough guy.
No, I just have better things to do than waste my time arguing with a mindless ideologue who can't agree to disagree. I don't even want to convince you–I just want us to each accept the other's arguments as a valid point of view–and you will not convince me. But that's not enough for you. Since your whole self worth is obviously based on a pathetic, desperate need to be right, I have better things to do than validate your existence by wasting mine.
Nate Barlow
says:
June 1st, 2010 at 9:25 pm
In fact, I was also biding my time to see what kind of stupid, insulting gesture you would make when I refused to coddle your fanaticism any further. Congratulations, you did not fail to disappoint, thus proving my course of action as appropriate.
Cody
says:
June 3rd, 2010 at 9:16 pm
I cant agree to disagree because any logical human being would say you are wrong. This isn’t about me being right this is about you being wrong, and not having the "manhood" to admit it. And you sir were the first to throw out the naming calling. Again this goes back to me saying, you are part of this ESPN/writes that think what you say is fact and no one should ever disagree with you. Even though I have proved you wrong. Also you obviously having nothing better to do then to waste your time with me, because you continued to check the page again your EGO is getting the better of you. Dallas Cowboys > 49ers when it comes to top ten AMERICAN franchises. Look you don’t have to admit your wrong to me I don’t care, but you obviously did not put much time in this list, had a bias or like most ESPN/writer folks are east coast minded, but that ok. Why? Because you know in your heart you are wrong and your EGO would let you admit it.
Nate Barlow
says:
June 3rd, 2010 at 10:06 pm
You were the first to accuse me of bias. That would mean you started the name calling.
I have the manhood to stand by my decision instead of being bullied by a whiner who makes assumptions about everything and everybody.
This is everything about you need to be right and nothing else. You accuse me of being a "part of this ESPN/writes that think what you say is fact and no one should ever disagree with you," and yet I have repeatedly stated your opinion is valid and that you have every right to disagree with me, but I chose otherwise for the reasons stated. The fact that you cannot do the same shows you don't have the manhood to accept others who differ than you. You're a bleeping hypocrite! Lynch anybody recently?
I respect the Cowboys' accomplishments a lot. I spent a lot of time on the list and made a difficult choice with which I knew not everybody agree, but I have the guts to stand by my decision. Yet you assume you know everything about me and my opinions and accuse me of hating the Cowboys. You know NOTHING about me. Funny, you accuse me of East Coast bias and yet I picked a West Coast team over a team from the middle of the country. I love how you talk about logical human beings and everything in that last comment of yours is anything about.
Thank you again. Paradoxically, your feeble attempts to invalidate me (and I said me, not my opinion on the Cowboys-49ers debate) actually validate my statements about you (your vehemence, not your opinion on the team debate) with every subsequent comment. I appreciate your help.
Cody
says:
June 4th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
I have gotten too personal on this debate and for that I apologize. I respect that you stand by your list, I am sure you spent time with difficult decision on who ranks where. I also respect people for standing up to there decisions within reason. However, “yet I have repeatedly stated your opinion is valid and that you have every right to disagree with me, but I chose otherwise for the reasons stated” what you are missing is I am not giving you my opinion. I am giving you straight FACTS, and that my friend is the difference. I never said I think the cowboys are better just because, I merely gave you FACTS that you try to dispute. I should not have gotten rude about it. You and I both know were I am coming from with regards to biased ESPN type crap, I know this is why you made this list. Furthermore, I have never once in this debate “accuse me of hating the Cowboys”. Bias does not me hate, bias could mean you like a team better or disagree about the hype of one team. Never once did I say Nate you hate the boys.
Cody
says:
June 4th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Lastly, this “Lynch anybody recently?” is over the line. I could try to tell you how offensive this is but clearly it would be a waste of time, no matter how personal I got I would never say something down right hurtful. I am clearly wrong that your EGO is getting to you at all. You will defend your OPINION against the FACTS not matter the cost.
Nate Barlow
says:
June 4th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
I will defend my opinion because this whole debate is a matter of opinion! There can never be facts when comparing teams of different sports and different eras and different eras. There are facts in terms of the statistical numbers, but in terms of who is better as a franchise in history it will always be a matter of opinion. The closest we can come is looking at number of championships won and say those championship teams were the best in their given years–and even then we know that the best team does not always win any given game. If that were the case, there would not even be a need to play, since the underdog would never upset.
Take two teams who each won 5 championships, one a long time ago when there was less teams in the league and just the championship game and one recently. Everything else is equal. Statistically, they are equal. Who is better? Some would say the more recent team, since they had to go through more teams and more playoff rounds to win. Others would say the older team because of the inevitable dilution of talent of expansion and the fact that that the regular season means so much more with less playoff teams–you have less chances to make the post-season. You simply can't say which is better.
We are not arguing statistics–which are facts–we are arguing which team is better, which is, always has been, and always will be a matter of opinion. You can't confuse the two. It's ludicrous ever to claim that such an opinion is definitive.
I apologize that you found the lynch line hurtful, but that's how your comments have appeared to me, a verbal lynching of anyone who disagreed with your opinion. I wasn't hurt by it–you can think what you want–but I felt the need to call it as I saw it. A lot of terrible things have been done in this world by the inability of one person or group to accept the opinions or beliefs of another. And while this little debate is meaningless in comparison to the greater areas of human discourse in which such tragedies has occurred, that mindset and inability to accept is dangerous at any time. Calling opinions has been such an argument for atrocities. It's a mindset that leads to such terrible things as lynching. I'm not saying you would ever do such a thing, but I was making a point on your refusal to accept that I could possibly differ with you. Because this is not a battle of facts, it is a battle of opinions, and your intolerance of mine amounted to as much in my book.
I am glad you respect that I stand by my decision and that I spent a lot of time on this; I hope you can also respect that I have an opinion, and a differing one at that. It is nothing more. I accept your apology and hope that you will accept mine. But I will continue to stand by my opinion because it is laughable to call the discussion of which team is greater a discussion of facts.
Nate Barlow
says:
June 4th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
I respect that you are so adamant about your opinion, especially since it's one you cannot necessarily enjoy as an Eagles fan. Trust me, as a Red Sox fan I despised putting the Yankees first, but it's an unbiased determination.
Cody
says:
June 7th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
I will agree to disagree you are correct and i was looking at this differently. It is a matter of opinion because like you said how can you say the 1992 cowboys were better than the 1978 cowboys. you are 100% correct. Still think you made the wrong choice though and that is how i will save face. By the way i still think you are a good writer (of coarse that is a matter of opinion).
Nate Barlow
says:
June 7th, 2010 at 11:11 pm
I don't even think you need to save face–your opinion is absolutely valid and I appreciate it. I don't want to convince people that I'm right. Discussion is what it's all about, I want people to challenge me as long as we agree that this is a matter of opinion (that there can be no definitive right or wrong) and as long as their argument is a legitimate one, as yours for the Cowboys most certainly is.
As stated in my initial conditions, I think that the one line that can be absolutely drawn is that the top team in any sport is the one with the most titles. Period. After that, it's anybody's ballgame short of tossing out that a team such as the Nationals deserves to be on the list. :)
Nate Barlow
says:
June 7th, 2010 at 11:33 pm
PS: I'm glad you think I'm good writer! I guess that's why it was worth the time to debate with me.