ESPN

A winning team with likable players, a supportive owner, a great game experience and cheap tickets -- is that too much to ask? Not if you're rooting for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who top our 10th annual ranking of pro franchises.

The eight major categories that make up the Ultimate Standings were created based on feedback from fans about what they want most from their favorite teams (click here for a more detailed account of the method to our madness.) The categories:

Bang For The Buck (BNG): Wins during the past three years (regular season plus postseason) per revenues directly from fans, adjusted for league schedules.

Fan Relations (FRL): Openness and consideration toward fans by players, coaches and management.

Ownership (OWN): Honesty and loyalty to core players and local community.

Affordability (AFF): Price of tickets, parking and concessions.

Stadium Experience (STX): Quality of arena and game-day promotions as well as friendliness of environment.

Players (PLA): Effort on the field and likability off it.

Coaching (CCH): Strength of on-field leadership.

Title Track (TTR): Championships already won or expected in the lifetime of current fans.

Below you will find a sortable table of this year's Ultimate Standings as well as previous results going back to 2003. Subcategories that make up the overall ranking for that category are available for the 2009-12 results.

Financial analysis by the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon (Matthew Maxson with Ameer Abdelaaty, Mike DeMartini, Jenny Swaim, Gary Wang, Jay Young and Bill Zachry). Fan surveys by Maddock Douglas and NetReflector.

Back to Overall Rankings

Click on table headings to sort by category.