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Montreal Canadiens Fanbase Ranked in FanSided Fandom 250

By Ken MacMillan

May 9, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; A Montreal Canadiens fan cheers in the FanJam area before game five against Tampa Bay Lightning of the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
May 9, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; A Montreal Canadiens fan cheers in the FanJam area before game five against Tampa Bay Lightning of the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Montreal Canadiens were ranked 150th in entertainment fan bases by Fansied today. That’s way too low if you ask me, and here is why they should be in the top ten.

The Montreal Canadiens fanbase was ranked in the FanSided #Fandom250 ranking that was revealed today. FanSided #Fandom250 is the ultimate ranking of not just sports teams fans, but also celebrities, tv shows, brands and anything to do with entertainment.

This means the Canadiens fans aren’t just battling with other hockey fans for supremacy in this ranking. They are also going toe to toe with Beyonce, Justin Timerberlake, The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad and Netflix. How does a hockey fan base compete with Netflix?

You can’t “watch the Habs and chill.” I guess that’s because you are too focused on actually watching the Habs though. Anyway, I digress.

A few highlights from the rankings are as follows:

  • 1: Chicago Cubs
  • 37: John Oliver (I only picked him here because he’s the highest ranked guy I never heard of before)
  • 70: Pittsburgh Penguins (highest ranked hockey team)
  • 78: Chicago Blackhawks (second highest NHL team)
  • 101: Bleacher Report: (Hey, we are FanSided, who’s voting those guys!?)
  • 107: The Simpsons (No one has watched this in ten years, how is it ahead of the Habs?)
  • 113: Detroit Red Wings (Third highest ranked NHL team)
  • 150: Montreal Canadiens (Wouldn’t have guessed I’d need three digits for this ranking)
  • 153: NRA/Gun Enthusiasts (I’m Canadian, what’s this?)
  • 184: Toronto Maple Leafs (Fifth NHL team)

Okay, a couple of things jump out at me right away. First, how are the Habs ranked 150th? Second, how are the Habs not in the top 10? Third, Shouldn’t they be in the top five?

I can concede to the loveable losers that finally won something for first place. Cubs fans have been extremely passionate about what’s been a lousy team for almost the entire last century. That amount of dedication and passion is exactly what makes a fan base fantastic.

Related: Complete List of 250 Best Fanbases

The thing is, the Canadiens have equally passionate and dedicated fans, the team just hasn’t been as terrible as the Cubs. Montreal has been great more than they’ve been bad in their history, but the fans never wavered.

Canadiens fans have filled the Bell Centre every night since it opened. It doesn’t matter if they are in first place or last place, every ticket is sold, bars are packed with folks wearing Habs hats and sweaters and enthusiasm is high after every Canadiens goal.

Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports /

The same can’t be said for those fair-weather fans in Pittsburgh and Chicago. When Marc-Andre Fleury was a rookie, the Penguins average attendance was less than 12000 per night. Once the team drafted Sidney Crosby it went up to 15800. After the team won a Stanley Cup, they were finally able to sell 18000 seats per game.

Pittsburgh wouldn’t even have an NHL team if Mario Lemieux wasn’t so dedicated to keeping the organization in Pennsylvania. This is a team that went bankrupt because they didn’t have enough fans, and were very close to moving to Kansas City. Now they are the best fans in hockey? I don’t think so.

Chicago was in a similar state until they drafted superstars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. The team was not in danger of leaving the area, but they would have been the fifth most popular team in town for a long time.

In 2006-07, the Blackhawks attendance was below 13000. The Canadiens haven’t had attendance below 20000 since they moved to the Bell Centre in 1996.

Also, there is no fan base that is as universal as the Montreal Canadiens. When I go watch the Habs in Calgary, the building is split down the middle between Habs fans and Flames fans. On their recent road trip to California, you could see plenty of sweaters that were bleu, blanc et rouge in every building.

Do you ever see a building half full of Blackhawks fans when they are in Nashville, Detroit or Arizona? No. Do you see hundreds, if not thousands of Red Wings gear when Detroit is on a road trip through Canada? No.

Next: Prospect Ready For NHL Chance

That’s why the Canadiens fans are the best in hockey, if not all of sports. They travel, they are dedicated, they are passionate and they are everywhere. 150th best fan base in entertainment? I don’t think so.

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