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The Mag: Ultimate Standings 2009

Welcome to ESPN The Magazine's seventh annual Ultimate Standings, in which we measure how much MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL franchises give back to the fans in exchange for all the time, money and emotion the fans invest in them.

Perennial Top-10 finisher the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim grabbed the top spot this year for the first time, thanks to their array of affordable tickets, strong coaching and likable players. Curiously, their neighbors just up the road on I-5, the Los Angeles Clippers, are on the opposite end of the rankings, coming in dead last at No. 122.

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 results. Click on team names for a more detailed breakdown of the rankings.

Financial analysis by the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon. Fan surveys by Maddock Douglas and GMI NetReflector.

Back to Overall Rankings

Click on table headings to sort by category.

TEAM		STADIUM EXPERIENCE
			QUAL	PRM	ENV
1.	Green Bay Packers	1	3	29	2
2.	Minnesota Wild	2	1	40	3
3.	Milwaukee Brewers	3	8	4	8
4.	Carolina Hurricanes	4	18	5	1
5.	Kansas City Royals	5	17	2	14
6.	Pittsburgh Pirates	6	4	12	33
7.	San Francisco Giants	7	2	38	24
8.	Seattle Seahawks	8	5	60	17
9.	Columbus Blue Jackets	9	7	15	24
10.	Philadelphia Phillies	10	9	9	30
11.	Chicago Cubs	11	15	36	15
12.	Seattle Mariners	12	11	33	30
13.	St. Louis Cardinals	13	24	17	7
14.	Cleveland Cavaliers	14	35	10	5
15.	Washington Capitals	15	36	13	4
			QUAL	PRM	ENV
16.	Los Angeles Angels	16	47	1	5
17.	Chicago Blackhawks	17	41	8	10
18.	New Jersey Devils	18	14	53	43
19.	Indianapolis Colts	19	21	56	27
20.	Houston Texans	20	15	63	40
21.	San Jose Sharks	21	30	51	15
22.	Montreal Canadiens	22	20	68	30
23.	Dallas Mavericks	23	30	23	23
24.	Arizona Cardinals	24	12	97	48
25.	Anaheim Ducks	25	44	35	9
26.	Pittsburgh Steelers	26	36	48	21
27.	Baltimore Ravens	27	26	58	34
28.	Portland Trail Blazers	28	46	25	20
29.	Boston Red Sox	29	26	97	24
30.	Nashville Predators	30	56	16	10
			QUAL	PRM	ENV
31.	Houston Astros	31	28	29	51
32.	Baltimore Orioles	32	6	49	91
33.	New England Patriots	33	23	94	40
34.	Detroit Tigers	34	47	21	34
35.	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	35	19	102	61
36.	Denver Nuggets	36	40	43	40
37.	Los Angeles Dodgers	37	22	20	77
38.	Cleveland Indians	38	34	24	61
39.	Arizona Diamondbacks	39	36	45	46
40.	Dallas Stars	40	42	50	37
41.	New Orleans Hornets	41	68	7	19
42.	Los Angeles Lakers	42	29	68	63
43.	Dallas Cowboys	43	12	109	86
44.	Colorado Rockies	44	24	88	72
45.	St. Louis Blues	45	82	3	12
			QUAL	PRM	ENV
46.	Texas Rangers	46	51	32	58
47.	Denver Broncos	47	33	103	67
48.	Philadelphia Flyers	48	53	27	64
49.	Houston Rockets	49	64	39	36
50.	San Antonio Spurs	50	76	31	22
51.	Chicago Bulls	51	61	42	51
52.	New York Mets	52	43	68	79
53.	Kansas City Chiefs	53	45	112	57
54.	Detroit Pistons	54	52	25	77
55.	Buffalo Sabres	55	69	77	29
56.	Atlanta Hawks	56	60	96	55
57.	Washington Nationals	57	57	63	68
58.	Carolina Panthers	58	65	74	51
59.	Atlanta Braves	59	72	43	56
60.	Cincinnati Reds	60	79	18	58
			QUAL	PRM	ENV
61.	Tennessee Titans	61	77	54	43
62.	Miami Heat	62	69	36	64
63.	San Diego Padres	63	66	47	70
64.	Charlotte Bobcats	64	79	52	48
65.	Boston Celtics	65	74	72	51
66.	New York Rangers	66	50	104	81
67.	Ottawa Senators	67	72	46	69
68.	Colorado Avalanche	68	54	108	74
69.	Utah Jazz	69	81	57	47
70.	Indiana Pacers	70	62	60	81
71.	Memphis Grizzlies	71	54	63	89
72.	Phoenix Coyotes	72	49	92	96
73.	Tampa Bay Lightning	73	59	59	90
74.	Philadelphia Eagles	74	32	76	105
75.	Vancouver Canucks	75	69	93	74
			QUAL	PRM	ENV
76.	Los Angeles Kings	76	62	72	88
77.	Chicago White Sox	77	88	19	39
78.	Chicago Bears	78	74	91	73
79.	New York Knicks	79	9	114	116
80.	New Orleans Saints	80	83	100	58
81.	Florida Panthers	81	66	79	99
82.	Detroit Red Wings	82	98	34	17
83.	Boston Bruins	83	89	67	66
84.	New York Yankees	84	78	83	104
85.	Atlanta Thrashers	85	85	86	98
86.	Oklahoma City Thunder	86	96	66	48
87.	Miami Dolphins	87	90	89	85
88.	Phoenix Suns	88	91	77	87
89.	Calgary Flames	89	99	82	45
90.	Atlanta Falcons	90	94	62	76
			QUAL	PRM	ENV
91.	Jacksonville Jaguars	91	93	105	83
92.	Toronto Raptors	92	92	81	94
93.	Orlando Magic	93	103	22	27
94.	Detroit Lions	94	58	122	114
95.	Los Angeles Clippers	95	36	120	122
96.	Philadelphia 76ers	96	99	55	97
97.	New York Giants	97	97	110	93
98.	Cleveland Browns	98	85	115	110
99.	Washington Redskins	99	95	107	107
100.	Cincinnati Bengals	100	87	121	111
101.	Toronto Maple Leafs	101	84	119	120
102.	Buffalo Bills	102	101	95	101
103.	Pittsburgh Penguins	103	107	11	13
104.	Washington Wizards	104	101	83	102
105.	Golden State Warriors	105	104	90	91
			QUAL	PRM	ENV
106.	Tampa Bay Rays	106	112	6	37
107.	San Diego Chargers	107	110	106	80
108.	Toronto Blue Jays	108	105	40	106
109.	Edmonton Oilers	109	111	101	84
110.	Minnesota Timberwolves	110	108	83	113
111.	St. Louis Rams	111	106	117	119
112.	Sacramento Kings	112	113	75	95
113.	New York Jets	113	108	115	117
114.	Minnesota Twins	114	117	14	71
115.	San Francisco 49ers	115	114	113	103
116.	Milwaukee Bucks	116	116	86	112
117.	Minnesota Vikings	117	118	111	100
118.	Oakland Raiders	118	115	118	121
119.	New Jersey Nets	119	119	99	118
120.	Florida Marlins	120	120	27	108
			QUAL	PRM	ENV
121.	Oakland Athletics	121	121	71	109
122.	New York Islanders	122	122	80	115