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.
Click on table headings to sort by category.
| TEAM | FAN RELATIONS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRF | APP | ACC | FDBK | |||
| 1. | Detroit Red Wings | 1 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 10 |
| 2. | Pittsburgh Penguins | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| 3. | Chicago Blackhawks | 5 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 3 |
| 4. | Carolina Hurricanes | 6 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 7 |
| 5. | Columbus Blue Jackets | 9 | 8 | 15 | 9 | 40 |
| 6. | St. Louis Blues | 10 | 16 | 4 | 7 | 5 |
| 7. | Washington Capitals | 11 | 25 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 8. | Anaheim Ducks | 13 | 15 | 12 | 8 | 12 |
| 9. | Nashville Predators | 15 | 20 | 13 | 4 | 23 |
| 10. | San Jose Sharks | 23 | 21 | 35 | 23 | 25 |
| 11. | New Jersey Devils | 24 | 11 | 46 | 60 | 52 |
| 12. | Philadelphia Flyers | 27 | 46 | 25 | 17 | 26 |
| 13. | Minnesota Wild | 30 | 33 | 36 | 32 | 35 |
| 14. | Boston Bruins | 35 | 18 | 63 | 30 | 59 |
| 15. | Calgary Flames | 36 | 22 | 54 | 54 | 37 |
| PRF | APP | ACC | FDBK | |||
| 16. | Dallas Stars | 39 | 44 | 47 | 22 | 24 |
| 17. | Vancouver Canucks | 41 | 35 | 55 | 57 | 47 |
| 18. | Ottawa Senators | 44 | 62 | 30 | 26 | 45 |
| 19. | Colorado Avalanche | 46 | 28 | 74 | 62 | 102 |
| 20. | Tampa Bay Lightning | 61 | 48 | 81 | 72 | 71 |
| 21. | Los Angeles Kings | 64 | 37 | 100 | 28 | 50 |
| 22. | Buffalo Sabres | 66 | 53 | 89 | 32 | 77 |
| 23. | Edmonton Oilers | 76 | 85 | 79 | 68 | 86 |
| 24. | New York Rangers | 77 | 89 | 71 | 88 | 88 |
| 25. | Florida Panthers | 86 | 69 | 105 | 88 | 69 |
| 26. | Phoenix Coyotes | 91 | 70 | 112 | 48 | 100 |
| 27. | New York Islanders | 94 | 80 | 106 | 92 | 79 |
| 28. | Atlanta Thrashers | 98 | 78 | 116 | 66 | 113 |
| 29. | Toronto Maple Leafs | 112 | 88 | 120 | 118 | 120 |
| 30. | Montreal Canadiens | 113 | 117 | 57 | 74 | 52 |
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