It seems like everything is counted, weighed or measured these days in the NFL. How many jerseys did a certain player sell? How many people watched a Thursday Night Football game compared to one played on Monday night? Do more people buy Pepsi or Coke at the concession stands?
For all of the silliness that goes along with football, there are millions of fans who tune in and follow the NFL on a weekly basis. ESPN recently researched which teams are identified as "favorites" by fans, and the Cardinals did not do well. We have the numbers and the team ranking after the jump.
Here are the complete rankings from ESPN.
According to their research, only 0.8% of the 89.3% of the fans who identified a favorite team selected the Cardinals.
While the club may have a strong following in the Phoenix area, this news really doesn't come as too much of a surprise. I can tell you from first-hand experience that the Cardinals are not particularly popular in Tucson, and I'd imagine that goes for most of the state.
The 49ers were the highest ranked team in the NFC West with 4% of the vote. The Seahawks came in at No. 18 with 1.6%, while the Rams were second-worst at 0.7%.
These rankings really are just for fun (and an indicator of which teams have the most bandwagon fans?) and shouldn't be taken too seriously. Still, though, it is always interesting to see where your favorite team stacks up against the compeition.
For more on the Cardinals, be sure to check out Revenge of the Birds.