What's the most hated MLB team? Hint: NOT the Yankees!

[Bob Loblaw]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5146663

Out of all the teams, I just don't see this one being hated... maybe in the midwest, but certainly not the east coast.

 

[jbhofmann]

Sweet Reds get the Bronze.

 

[ChasHawk]

With 27 World Series championships, baseball's highest payroll and some of the most boastful fans in sports, the New York Yankees have to be the team other baseball fans love to hate, right? Wrong.

According to a formula created by The Neilsen Company, there are four teams more detested than the Bronx Bombers, The Wall Street Journal reported.


Joe Robbins/Getty Images
According to a report, Slider and his Cleveland Indians are baseball's Public Enemy No. 1 among fans.
The No. 1 most-disliked team in baseball, according to the formula, is the Cleveland Indians.

The Boston Red Sox, the Yankees' archrival, rank No. 2 on the list.

The formula helps determine whether consumers have positive, negative or neutral reactions to brands in their online messages. Neilsen's "Sentiment Rankings" range from 5 to minus-5. No team finished with a negative number. But six teams finished with a number lower than 2.

Some of the others making the not-so top 10: Chicago White Sox (No. 7), Baltimore Orioles (No. 8), New York Mets (No. 9) and Los Angeles Dodgers (No. 10).

At least one Indians blogger wasn't surprised by the findings.

"I can believe that though," Deep Left Field Indians blogger Ed Carroll told the newspaper. "The team does a lot to alienate its fans."

The Cincinnati Reds (No. 3) and Houston Astros (No. 4) also ranked higher than the Yankees on the hatred scale. The Washington Nationals (No. 6) were the only other team to have a number lower than 2.

The San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics were the most popular teams among fans, according to Neilsen's study.

If this article is indicative of Nielsen's work, they may be the worst research company in the world.

 

[Hallsgator]

I was in Cleveland yesterday and saw this in their paper. I laughed.

 

[200lbhockeyplayer]

It's among fans of the team, so the hate is most typically directed at the owners and management.

Therefore it's more of a "satisfaction" survey than anything else. ESPN's article completely skews the concept of the survey it appears.

 

[leatherman]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5146663

Out of all the teams, I just don't see this one being hated... maybe in the midwest, but certainly not the east coast.

Without a doubt, the New York Yankees are the most hated team in baseball. I don't care what this article says.

Just like the Dallas Cowboys in football, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in college football, and the Duke Blue Devils in college basketball.


David

 

[jbhofmann]

Shouldn't the title say.

What fan base cares about having a winning team?

Royals or the Pirates didn't make the list.

 

[predatorkj]

Astros #4? Really?

 

[Sly]

I put no stock into a "made-up" formula by some company. Hell, I can probably make-up a formula that shows the Kansas City Royals as the most hated team.

This made-up formula is just as stupid as the BCS and their stupid "computer polls".

 

[RL24]

It's among fans of the team, so the hate is most typically directed at the owners and management.

Therefore it's more of a "satisfaction" survey than anything else. ESPN's article completely skews the concept of the survey it appears.

I agree. When I read the title of the thread I thought it must be my favorite team, because not only do the people who don't like them not like them, but their own fans dislike them as well.

Don't get me wrong, I have on my little Chief Wahoo polo shirt today, and when people ask I'll tell them that yes, I am dumb enough to cheer for such a terrible team. :lol: I actually tell people that it's a good lesson for all of us to learn; no matter how much the team loses, the Chief just keeps smiling that winning smile...

 

[RL24]

Astros #4? Really?

Absolutely! I check just about every day to see if Jason Jennings has been mentioned on the internet in the last 24 hours. 9 times out of 10 it is an Astros fan complaining about the trade that brought JJ to Houston. :|

 

[Jaypers]

"I concur!"

 

[predatorkj]

Astros #4? Really?

Absolutely! I check just about every day to see if Jason Jennings has been mentioned on the internet in the last 24 hours. 9 times out of 10 it is an Astros fan complaining about the trade that brought JJ to Houston. :|

Yeah but we are happy that he is gone. :lol: I do see a lot of people gripe(including myself) about the way Drayton runs the team. But I don't hate the astros. I still get shirts with their logo on it, do the caravan every winter, and collect the players' cards. I also like to attend the games. You either like or don't like something. Just because I wasn't happy with team management doesn't mean I swear off my team. That's like divorcing your wife because of your mother in law. Who did you marry? The wife or the mother in law? Who do you root for? the players or the owner?

 

[jbhofmann]

Astros #4? Really?

Absolutely! I check just about every day to see if Jason Jennings has been mentioned on the internet in the last 24 hours. 9 times out of 10 it is an Astros fan complaining about the trade that brought JJ to Houston. :|

Yeah but we are happy that he is gone. :lol: I do see a lot of people gripe(including myself) about the way Drayton runs the team. But I don't hate the astros. I still get shirts with their logo on it, do the caravan every winter, and collect the players' cards. I also like to attend the games. You either like or don't like something. Just because I wasn't happy with team management doesn't mean I swear off my team. That's like divorcing your wife because of your mother in law. Who did you marry? The wife or the mother in law? Who do you root for? the players or the owner?

I think the most loyal 'Stros fans are ol' Barbara and H.W. They were in their seats until the very end last night.

 

[hive17]

"I concur!"

"You can't say '*******' on the air!"

"Don't worry, no one's listenin'"

 

[RL24]

Astros #4? Really?

Absolutely! I check just about every day to see if Jason Jennings has been mentioned on the internet in the last 24 hours. 9 times out of 10 it is an Astros fan complaining about the trade that brought JJ to Houston. :|

Yeah but we are happy that he is gone. :lol: I do see a lot of people gripe(including myself) about the way Drayton runs the team. But I don't hate the astros. I still get shirts with their logo on it, do the caravan every winter, and collect the players' cards. I also like to attend the games. You either like or don't like something. Just because I wasn't happy with team management doesn't mean I swear off my team. That's like divorcing your wife because of your mother in law. Who did you marry? The wife or the mother in law? Who do you root for? the players or the owner?

You're looking at it wrong. It's like staying with your wife because you've been together for 30 years even though you hate her. It's called "A love/hate relationship."

I cheer for the players player, but I don't get to choose who they are. The owner* does that. So if I don't like the players that are on the team, I don't get mad at the players, I get mad at the people who hired them.

*I know the owner doesn't do everything. Just keepin' it simple.

 

[matfanofold]

If I am understanding the article right, it's not what team(s) are hated most period, but what teams are hated most by their own 'fans'.

 

[rehmus]

If I am understanding the article right, it's not what team(s) are hated most period, but what teams are hated most by their own 'fans'.

this is correct.

further proof that there is no merit to this method: the Giants and A's are the 2 least hated. hahaha.

 

[All The Hype]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5146663

Out of all the teams, I just don't see this one being hated... maybe in the midwest, but certainly not the east coast.

Without a doubt, the New York Yankees are the most hated team in baseball. I don't care what this article says.

Just like the Dallas Cowboys in football, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in college football, and the Duke Blue Devils in college basketball.


David

Agree, it's not even a question.

 

[brokenliz1]

I hate the Tigers more but don't like Cleveland either.

Signed,
A Royals fan.