Have you ever wanted a sports team to lose simply because you couldn’t stand their fans?
Of course, you have. It’s part sports. I’ve even been to kid’s soccer games where I want teams to lose simply because of all of their obnoxious parents.
Whether the fans are arrogant, mean, or obnoxious, certain teams simply have the worst fans.
From NFL, NBA, and MLB to even college sports and international soccer leagues, these are the teams with some of the worst fanbases in all of sports.
Let’s get right to it.
#15 Knicks Fans
I know; the Knicks aren’t even good. How could they make this list?
It’s simple. They think they deserve to be good simply because they are a New York team.
They think the NBA will be better off with a winning team in New York.
Time and time again, they think they are going to land big free agents like Lebron James simply because they are a New York, and everyone wants to play in New York because it’s a big market. Only to have that free agent go elsewhere.
Knicks fans love their team, and they are devoted. I’m sure eventually they will be good again, but you don’t deserve it just because you are in New York.
Also, seeing Spike Lee courtside all the time is annoying AF.
#14 Pittsburgh Steelers Fans
Did you know the Steelers have won 6 Super Bowls? If not, a Steelers fan will be sure to tell you. Steelers fans are amongst the most arrogant in all of sports.
You will find them everywhere, ready to argue with any non-Steelers fan. The problem is that they rarely make sense or back up their claims, making them an easy target for any opposing fan.
Also, let’s not forget about their little 25-cent yellow towels. They like to shake around like they are in some weird cult.
Personally, I don’t find Notre Dame fans all that annoying, but there are A LOT of people out there that do.
The Fighting Irish have been waiting for a national championship for exactly 32 years. For all their talk about Touchdown Jesus and an aura of mystique that surrounds their team, we’ve seen time and time again that when the Irish come across a truly great opponent, the result looks more like something out of a Rocky movie – total annihilation!
Thankfully, no matter how many times Notre Dame gets trounced on the field, their loyal supporters will always remain…a tad too optimistic.
#12 Duke Basketball
Should we blame the Duke hate all on Christian Leattner and those early 90s Duke teams? Either way, it’s easily one of the most infuriating fan bases.
Their combination of smug superiority and “true” fandom is enough to drive any opposing fan up the wall. And let’s not forget the camping out in tents. As much as their antics might make even Coach K angry, you have to admit that Duke certainly has some of the most devoted fans out there.
Annoying or not, Duke fans show unyielding loyalty, and their teams are always good, which makes it more annoying.
#11 Michigan Fans
Michigan football fans are a wild ride! They strut around with a superiority complex taller than the Big House and worship Bo Schembechler like he’s a football god. But, despite some tough losses in recent years, they just won’t let go of that arrogance.
Ohio State has been pounding them since 2000, Penn State has drawn even, and even Wisconsin and Michigan State are giving them a run for their money. Hey, Wolverines fans, how about taking a break from the whole “we’re the best” thing until it’s actually backed up by facts again?
We should also mention how they think they are the Harvard of the Midwest, a fact that nobody believes except them.
Also, try to win a bowl game instead of embarrassing the conference again.
#10 Golden State Fans
Prior to 2013 or so, the Golden State Warriors fans wouldn’t even come close to making this list, but then the splash bros arrived.
The Warriors’ iconic run captivated fans, but it also exposed some uglier truths regarding Golden State’s fan base. The presence of tech bros paying ridiculous amounts for courtside seats–combined with the notion that every single thing they do is groundbreaking and revolutionary.
Then, the over-the-top arrogance of how great they were was/is sickening enough to make a Billie goat puke.
Pretty much the entire league was rooting against Golden State at one point. Of course, their getting Kevin Durant also had a lot to do with that.
#9 Buckeye Fans
Full disclosure: I am a Buckeye fan, but even I know we can be a bit much. My own daughter even says being a Buckeye fan is like being in a cult.
Can you blame us, though? If you are in Ohio and want to see winning football, you surely aren’t going to get it from the Browns and you haven’t had any with the Bengals either until lately. That leaves the Buckeyes as the savior for anyone in Ohio that wants to root for a winner.
I get it, though. Buckeye fans are entitled and arrogant. They are also huge, by far the biggest fan base in college football. All of which can irritate people.
Also, what’s with the THE Ohio State University? Just silly.
#8 Houston Astro Fans
After 2018, Astros fans quickly rose to the upper echelons of fan bases that are notorious for their annoying behavior. The Houston trash can scandal turned this usually benign fanbase into an angry mob playing the victim and seeking revenge against a punishment they knew was coming. All while still boasting about how great they remained despite it all. This shift in mentality is shocking and deeply unsettling every time one encounters it; these Astro-faithful have demonstrated a remarkable aptitude for behaving like idiots.
Also, MLB should have vacated that World Series title that they cheated to get. Gutless move by MLB not to.
#7 Cowboy Fans
For over two decades, the Dallas Cowboys have been often more hype than substance. But that hasn’t stopped them from being one of America’s most beloved (and hated) sports teams and a mainstream media sensation. In spite of their lackluster record since 1995, true blue fans remain unfazed – in fact these days it seems like everyone is claiming to root for Them Boys!
This could be because you don’t need actual tickets or an affinity for Texas barbecue sauce to cheer on ‘America’s Team’. It might even feel like Notre Dame football has suddenly gone pro as devoted followers gather wherever BlueStar jerseys can be spotted proudly declaring ‘How Bout Dem Cowboys!?’
#6 Red Sox Fans
Ah, the days when Red Sox fans were treading that fine line between “likable” and otherwise. The 2004 ALCS victory against all odds may have freed their souls from the Curse of Bambino – but it also unleashed an uproariously unwavering sense of entitlement in Boston’s baseball faithful! Since those treasured moments a decade ago, they’ve won three more World Series titles… yet still find something to complain about every single day (as if success isn’t sweet enough alone).
But here’s one thing we can count on: nothing will ever be good enough for these die-hard super-fans — because who else is more deserving?
#5 Patriots Fans
It’s difficult to describe the level of discontent among Patriots fans. From a sorry state pre-Tom Brady, their remarkable 20-year run has been accompanied by an unyielding belief that they are constantly battling against unfair forces determined for them to fail – despite evidence pointing in quite the opposite direction.
Even though Brady has been gone for years, it’s still just natural to root against the Patriots and their pompous fans.
Also, Bill Belichek and his weird, flat-affect personality doesn’t win many fans outside of Boston either.
#4 Bama Fans
Bama, they win a lot of titles, we get it. All that winning has turned their fans into so of the most arrogant fans in all of sports.
Nick Saban has made them a perennial contender of not the favorite to win it all every year. And every year, we have to hear the “Roll Tide” comments and Bama fans thinking it’s a foregone conclusion that that will win it all. It gets pretty ridiculous.
What was really funny, though was the 2022 season, a down your for Bama. They lost 2 games and didn’t beat anyone of real consequence. Yet still, Bama fans felt like they deserved to be in the college playoff just because they were Bama. How dare they not put Bama in the playoff? Because they didn’t deserve to be there, that’s how arrogant they are. It’s enough to make a Billie Goat puke.
#3 Yankee Fans
I’m sure you aren’t surprised to see the Yankees near the top of this list. You could easily argue that they should be number 1.
Yeah, they have won a crap ton of championships. They have been to the World Series 40 times and have won 27 of them.
All that winning is, of course, going to create some arrogant and obnoxious fans. And Yankees fans are definitely that. They talk like they are better than everyone else just because they are the Yankees. That’s the type of arrogance you would expect from a fan base that has seen so much success over the years.
It doesn’t help that New York is such an insufferable place to begin with. Then there are the financial bros who spend ridiculous amounts on tickets for the games so that they feel seen.
#2 SEC Fans
Why would you root for one sports team when you can root for an entire group of teams? Just root for the whole conference. Whoever is on top of that conference becomes “your team”.
That’s what being an SEC fan is like. They don’t even have a team they root for, just whoever is on top. If Vanderbilt were suddenly the best team in the SEC, millions of fans would instantly be like, “Yep, SEC football baby, go Vandy!”
Can you imagine the Pac-12 or Big Ten doing this? No way, they root for their team, and some will generally root for the conference, but nothing even close to the SEC.
Another thing SEC fans are famous for is internet trolling. Any team that isn’t an SEC team gets to relentlessly hear from internet trolls how great the SEC is and how bad their team would do if they were in the SEC.
It is kinda funny though, that the all-powerful SEC only went 7-5 in the bowl games this year. That is above .500, but 9 of those games were played in SEC territory, essentially a home game for the SEC team, which makes it a lot less impressive.
I wonder what would happen if the SEC teams had to travel to the Midwest or west coast for bowl games. I’m sure we will never find out.
#1 Philadelphia Fans
Philly fans are the worst. That’s not an insult to them, though. That’s a compliment. If they weren’t at the top of this list, they would be pissed.
They can also get mad at their own team really quick. Phillies player Ryan Howard had beer bottles thrown at him for grounding out. They also booed QB Donovan McNabb when he was drafted and will boo their own players any time they don’t live up to expectations, which can be quite often.
Overall it’s pretty easy to see why Philadelphia fans are the worst of the worst, and they love being it.
Final Word
There you have the worst, most obnoxious and most arrogant fans in sports. One thing that almost all of these teams have in common is that they are almost always good, which makes it even more annoying.
Of course, I guess it is hard to hate a team’s fan base when the team sucks. I don’t think many people out there hate Sacramento Kings fans or the Jacksonville Jaguars fans.
It’s just something about sustained winning and the behavior of their fans that comes along with it.
Is any team that has sustained success destined to have their fans hated by others? Not always, but usually.
Ryan is a former college wrestler and lifelong fitness fanatic. He has run half marathons, done mud runs, placed in body transformation contests, coached wrestling, and now coaches girls’ soccer. Not to mention he has also tried literally hundreds of supplements over the years and has a vast and thorough supplement knowledge. He has written for Muscle & Strength, Testosterone Junkie, The Sport Review and other publications. He is also the editor-in-chief of this website and has over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry. Feel free to connect with him on his LinkedIn page below.
