ESPN has released a ranking of the happiest fan bases in college football.The Fan Happiness Index is built from six categories: program power, rivalry dominance, coaching stability, recruiting trend, revenue growth, and twitter buzz. So where do the Yellowhammer State teams stack up?
Tide Fans
The University of Alabama boasts the third happiest fan base in the nation and the happiest in the SEC. ESPN describes the Crimson Tide’s fans as “elated.” In fact, “look closely and you might even see Nick Saban smiling.” Here’s how the Tide scored with the Happiness Index:
- Program Dominance – 98
- Rivalry Dominance – 91
- Coaching Stability – 99
- Recruiting Trend – 69
- Revenue Growth – 56
- Twitter Buzz – 74
With a team that continues to dominate the college football scene every season and a winning coach who doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, Alabama fans have plenty of reasons to happily belt “Rammer Jammer” at the top of their lungs.
Tiger Fans
Auburn University fans are the 33rd happiest in the nation and the 5th happiest in the SEC. With buzz surrounding a new quarterback and a strong defense from last year, Tiger fans are eager to see what this season has in store. Could this be the team that potentially challenges Alabama? Here’s how the Tigers stack up in the Happiness Index:
- Program Dominance – 96
- Rivalry Dominance – 57
- Coaching Stability – 9
- Recruiting Trend – 27
- Revenue Growth – 36
- Twitter Buzz – 100
While receiving a few low scores, especially in coaching stability, loyal Tiger fans see this season as a defining moment for the Orange and Blue. Evident by their unrelenting Twitter Buzz, Auburn fans are confident that they have a team who can challenge the biggest opponents in the SEC and the nation. They’ll be chanting “Bodda Getta” straight into the 2017 season.
