Fandom 250 ranks the internet’s top fanbases each year.
Dog O’Day is part of the FanSided Network, which consists of over 300 sites spanning sports, entertainment and lifestyle. So we present the dog edition of the 2018 Fandom 250 list.
“In a world that is feeling increasingly divided and where some folks seem to take delight in tearing others down, it is nice to find some relief in the things that bring us together,” says FanSided Vice President of Content Patrick Allen.
When we can, FanSided sites like to cross-promote for each other, and we’ve gotten several stories out of tips from FoodSided, like these. Many people within the network contribute content for multiple sites. For example, Wesley also writes for Bam Smack Pow, covering superhero TV/movies, and Kimberley also writes about movies for Culturess and fast food for Guilty Eats.
So we’re happy to spread the word about this year’s Fandom 250 list – giving it our own doggy spin, of course.
Here’s how it works: A group of editors and staff rated internet fandoms across all four major-league sports leagues, the NCAA Division I schools, celebrities, sports figures, movies, TV, music and brands. There were five criteria used: Legacy (10 points), Fansmanship (25 points), Passion (25 points), Buzz (25 points) and Magnitude (15 points).
Several committees were formed to rank each entry, and the scores were averaged together. “Legacy” refers to how loyal the fans are, and how long they’ve been around. “Fansmanship” is about making a community that feels welcoming and enjoyable to be around. “Passion” is how far a fan is willing to go to support their team. “Buzz” means that people are talking about them, either on social media, TV, or word of mouth. “Magnitude” is about how visible and iconic fandoms have become over time.
Okay, now that’s out of the way, let’s start the countdown.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Score: 58 points
Fandom 250 ranking: 229th
Category ranking: 23rd in College
Mississippi State has never won a national championship in any team sport, ever. However, the Bulldogs from Starkville are pretty good at sports – the baseball team made it to the College World Series last season, and the women’s basketball team advanced to the national championship game of the NCAA Tournament.
Also, cowbells are fun to ring, and more importantly for us, MSU has a great vet school.
Carrie Underwood
Score: 62.3 points
Fandom 250 ranking: 170th (down 22 spots from 2017)
Category ranking: 19th in Music
This seems awfully low for the most famous American Idol alum ever, but not everyone enjoys country music, so I can sort of understand how Carrie is ranked here.
She released a new album titled Cry Pretty in September, which was her sixth album, not counting the Greatest Hits collection.
She’s a confirmed animal lover who enjoys dogs, and one of her radio hits, “The More Boys I Meet,” humorously contrasts the narrator’s frustrations with the dating scene by explaining how much she loves her dog.
Pixar Animation Studios
Score: 70.1 points
Fandom 250 ranking: 70th (up 17 spots from 2017)
Category ranking: 4th in Brands
How can you not love Pixar? Their movies have made us laugh, cry, and think (usually all at the same time).
Incredibles 2 released earlier this summer, and Toy Story 4 is up next for the studio in June 2019.
While toys, cars and fish might be their most well-known characters, Pixar has given us such memorable onscreen canines as Scud from Toy Story, Doug from Up and Dante from Coco.
Georgia Bulldogs
Score: 73 points
Fandom 250 ranking: 48th
Category ranking: 11th in College
The Georgia Bulldogs have become top dogs in the ultracompetitive footballl battleground that is the SEC, getting to the conference title game the past two years and the national championship game last season, losing all three times to the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Georgia also has a great vet school, which earns major points from us. (If you’re a fan of Jan Karon’s Mitford books, you may remember that Dooley Barlowe earns his veterinary degree there.)
Disney
Score: 74.6 points
Fandom 250 ranking: 37th (down 15 spots from 2017)
Category ranking: 2nd in Brands
Without Disney, there would be no Pixar. There would be no gigantic amusement parks bringing joy to millions. There would several generations worth of children with many fewer stories to tell.
There would be no Lady and the Tramp, no Copper and Todd from The Fox and the Hound, no Old Yeller or Bolt, and Buddy’s puppies couldn’t go on adventures in the Air Buddies movies.
Cleveland Browns
Score: 88 points
Fandom 250 ranking: 1st (up 143 spots from 2017)
Category ranking: 1st in the NFL
This fan base rallied for a new franchise – which was granted – after the original Cleveland Browns became the Baltimore Ravens in the mid-1990s. They’ve mostly seen lows – and about quarterbacks per season – since the new incarnation of the team began in 1999, but with rookie QB Baker Mayfield leading the charge, things are starting to look up.
Mayfield could bring back the glory days from the championship-winning teams of the 1950s, coached by Paul Brown, with players like running back Jim Brown and quarterback Otto Graham.
Also, a special section of the stadium reserved for the epic fans is known as “The Dawg Pound,” which is pretty awesome, and a bulldog is sort of the team’s unofficial logo. It has an interesting history worth reading.
Is your favorite team or fandom on the list anywhere? Were they ranked correctly? Let us know on the Dog O’Day Facebook and Twitter pages.